N.Y. Public Health Law § 240*2: Definitions

* § 240. Definitions. For the purposes of this article:

1. "Underserved populations" shall mean those who have experienced

injustices and disadvantages as a result of their race, ethnicity,

sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, disability

status, age, immigration status, and/or socioeconomic status, among

others as determined by the commissioner of health.

2. "Racially and ethnically diverse area" shall mean a county with a

non-white population of forty percent or more, or the service area of an

agency, corporation, facility or individual providing medical and/or

health services whose non-white population is forty percent or more.

3. "Provider" shall mean any agency, corporation, facility, or

individual providing medical and/or health care services to underserved

populations.

4. "Office" shall mean the office of health equity, as created

pursuant to section two hundred forty-one of this title.

5. "Health equity council" shall mean that advisory body to the

commissioner, created pursuant to the provisions of section two hundred

forty-three of this title.

6. "Health disparities" shall mean measurable differences in health

status, access to care, and quality of care as determined by race,

ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, a preferred language

other than English, gender expression, disability status, aging

population, immigration status, and socioeconomic status.

7. "Health equity" shall mean achieving the highest level of health

for all people and shall entail focused efforts to address avoidable

inequalities by equalizing those conditions for health for those that

have experienced injustices, socioeconomic disadvantages, and systemic

disadvantages.

8. "Social determinants of health" shall mean life-enhancing

resources, such as availability of healthful foods, quality housing,

economic opportunity, social relationships, transportation, education,

and health care, whose distribution across populations effectively

determines the length and quality of life.

* NB There are 2 § 240's