CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL: Gov. Kathy Hochul and Sen. Chuck Schumer announced the opening of a new children’s hospital in Rock Hill. The facility, part of the Center for Discovery, a Harris-based health and social service provider, will offer short-term admissions to children with complex disabilities including autism. The hospital was paid for in part by a $48 million loan from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and $4 million from Empire State Development, New York’s economic development agency. Additional funding also came from the state Office for People with Developmental Disabilities, the Health Department and the state Dormitory Authority.
HEALTH PLAN OFFICE: Elderplan/HomeFirst, a non-profit health plan for Medicare and Medicaid recipients, has opened a new office in Washington Heights. Located at 564 West 181st St., the site will give current and prospective members a new physical location to receive information and resources about the plan. The plan, which serves older adults and people with disabilities, is a participating agency in the MJHS health system, a home care, hospice and rehabilitation provider based in the Financial District.
FIRE SAFETY: Since 2022, more than 3,200 firefighters across the state have been trained in decontaminating their gear after a fire, a step that can reduce the risk of exposure to carcinogens, the Hochul administration reported Thursday. Using protocols developed by the state fire officials, the methods in the training program offer inexpensive ways to limit exposure to toxic contaminants found in structure fires by up to 85%, the governor’s office said. As part of the program, more than 1,100 decontamination kits have gone to fire houses since 2023.
