FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM JANUARY 27, 2022 • THE QUEENS COURIER 17
Rockaway lawmaker applauds signing of landmark water safety bill
BY BILL PARRY
bparry@schnepsmedia.com
@QNS
South Queens Assemblywoman Stacey
Pheff er Amato announced Tuesday, Jan. 4,
that Gov. Kathy Hochul signed her legislation
creating the fi rst-ever Commission
to Prevent Childhood Drownings in New
York state.
Th e landmark bill was inspired by a
wave of drownings along the Rockaway
Peninsula and was supported by a broad
coalition of elected offi cials, community
organizations and swim safety advocates.
“We will save lives with this legislation,”
Pheff er Amato said. “We’ve sent a
signal that the state of New York cares
about preventing unnecessary loss of life
and that water safety is not a privilege,
but a necessity. Th is historic commission
will use their knowledge to come up with
new ways of expanding water safety in our
state to protect our children.”
Th e goal of the commission is to create
and launch new tactics and methods
to reduce childhood drownings in New
York state through obtaining data and holding
hearings. Th e Water Safety Coalition, a
group of concerned residents, community
groups, nonprofi t organizations and local
Rockaway businesses, lauded the governor
for signing the bill into law.
“Along with the thousands of New
Yorkers who have signed petitions, educated
themselves and taken action to
make their community a safer place,” said
Nikita Scott of the Rockaway Water Safety
Coalition. “Our coalition looks forward
to supporting the implementation of the
bill and continuing to work together to
make water safety education an essential
right for all, to save lives and create a more
inclusive recreation community.”
State Senator Tim Kennedy, who represents
parts of western New York, carried the
bill in the upper chamber.
“Childhood drowning causes hundreds of
deaths every year across our nation, along
with non-fatal injuries such as severe brain
damage,” Kennedy said. “Many of these
deaths and injuries can be avoided with
proper education, with one study showing
that formal swimming lessons reduced
the likelihood of childhood drowning by a
massive 88%.”
He added that treacherous waters are a
statewide concern.
“In western New York, we are blessed
with two Great Lakes and numerous rivers,
creeks and streams that provide endless
recreational opportunities, but also present
risks,” Kennedy said. “With the creation
of the Commission to Prevent Childhood
Drownings, we are setting New York state on
a path to save lives.”
Queens assemblywoman addresses maternal mental health with new legislation
BY JULIA MORO
editorial@qns.com
@QNS
Assemblywoman Jessica González-
Rojas is sponsoring legislation to address
the inadequacies of maternal mental
health screenings, especially for Black and
Brown women.
Th e bill, S7753 in the Senate with
the accompanying Assembly bill pending,
would require the New York State
Offi ce of Mental Health (OMH) and the
Department of Health to study the shortcomings
of existing postpartum mental
health screenings to combat under-diagnoses
of vulnerable populations.
Th e study will examine additional questions
or tools that could potentially maximize
eff ectiveness, as well as identify
racial disparities and ways to eliminate
transgender and non-binary discrimination
in current screening protocols.
As a mother, González-Rojas said she
has been aware of these issues for several
years. For years, the assemblywoman has
advocated for reproductive justice.
“Maternal mental health issues impact
women and people of color, and this is
particularly true in Queens where there
are diverse communities including immigrant
communities,” González-
Rojas said.
According to the Centers
for Disease Control and
Prevention, about one
out of eight women
in the U.S. reported
postpartum
depression
(PPD) symptoms.
González-Rojas
pointed out that
this statistic can
be even higher
for Black
women, who
are three times
more likely to
experience PPD,
and Latinas are 40% more likely than
white women to experience PPD.
“Th is is also true for Asian women who
experience greater rates of postpartum
depression and maternal mental
health issues compared to
white women,” González-Rojas
said. “Because Queens is so
diverse, this is an issue that
impacts the borough and
is a racial justice issue for
the entire state.”
Maternal mental
health conditions
include PPD, anxiety
disorders, obsessive
compulsive
disorder, posttraumatic
stress
disorder, bipolar
illness and
substance use
d i s or d e r s .
According to the National Alliance on
Mental Illness, Black women are more
likely to experience these conditions due
to a lack of income or education, highstress
environments and less access to
quality health care.
González-Rojas said the pandemic has
clarifi ed how important it is to prioritize
mental health.
“Th e COVID-19 pandemic has exposed
so many of the inequities in our public
health and mental health delivery system,”
González-Rojas said. “Now more
than ever, we understand that mental
health matters but there is a serious mental
health crisis occurring for Black and
Brown mothers and people who give
birth. It is exacerbated by systemic racism
and sexism, and we must address it if we
want a healthier New York State.”
Aft er the legislation was introduced,
the assemblywoman said that about 10
colleagues communicated support of the
bill across the state. She believes that this
issue impacts the entire state, not just the
diverse borough of Queens, and is hopeful
that the bill will pass in this legislative
session.
Photo courtesy of
González-Rojas’ offi ce
Assemblywoman
Jessica González-
Rojas
Photo courtesy of Pheff er Amato’s offi ce
The Rockaway Water Safety Coalition is hailing Gov. Kathy Hochul for signing Assemblywoman Stacey Pheff er Amato’s landmark legislation to prevent
childhood drownings.
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