As of May 23, 2011 New York City’s parks and beaches are smoke-free.
Take Care Staten Island
There are startling differences in the prevalence of risky health behaviors on Staten Island versus other boroughs in NYC:
- 21% of Staten Islanders smoke, compared to the citywide rate of less than 16%.
- 24% of Staten Island high school students report binge drinking in the past 30 days, compared to less than 15% citywide.
- The leading cause of death in NYC is heart disease with a rate of 283 per 100,000. In Staten Island, the rate is 378 per 100,000.
The Fund for Public Health in New York works to promote the health of all New Yorkers, and in partnership with the NYC Health Department, Staten Island Partnership for Community Wellness and the Staten Island Foundation, has launched Take Care Staten Island – an adaptation of the Health Department’s successful health policy agenda, Take Care New York, a framework to help New Yorkers live longer and healthier lives.
The Staten Island Partnership for Community Wellness is a non-profit dedicated to bringing together community leaders and organizations to promote health and prevent disease in Staten Island. During the first phase of Take Care New York in 2004, the Partnership worked closely with the NYC Health Department to adapt and re-brand TCNY so that it targeted priority health issues particularly relevant to Staten Island. With a grant from the Staten Island Foundation to the Fund for Public Health in New York, the Health Department has introduced a second iteration of Take Care Staten Island to coincide with the recent launch of Take Care New York 2012. Take Care Staten Island will broaden TCNY 2012’s reach and impact by identifying specific needs and health issues unique to Staten Islanders, and implement evidence-based strategies to reduce preventable illnesses and deaths in the community.