Your Weekly Dose of Health December 18, 2015

***This week’s Weekly Dose will be the last of the year.  We will resume posting after the new year.  Have a wonderful holiday!***

Congress passed the Zadroga Act, which provides health care benefits for 9/11 first responders and survivors who developed health problems as a result of 9/11.  The Act extends the World Trade Center Health Program for 75 years.  It provides $3.5 billion in funding to monitor and provide care to the 73,000 first responders.

The New York State Supreme Court ruled that New York City’s Board of Health doesn’t have the authority to require flu vaccines for school children.

Advocates from various groups are pushing for New York State to pass paid family leave legislation in the upcoming legislative session.

New York State’s Medicaid director Jason Helgerson went back to Puerto Rico to continue his work helping them restructure their healthcare system.

Governor Cuomo announced this week the launch of a new “toolkit” to help families, teachers and others to talk to young people about the dangers of heroin abuse.