The Local Input in Community Healthcare (LICH) Act, championed by Assemblymember Jo Anne Simon, has passed the Assembly, requiring public notice and community engagement prior to the closure of hospitals and vital care units. Simon, with Senator Gustavo Rivera, has pursued this legislation since 2015, motivated by the controversial closure of Long Island College Hospital. The bill aims to promote transparency and ensure communities are informed about health care facility changes, highlighting the need for local voices in healthcare decisions impacted by hospital closures.
"Too often, communities are the last to know when a hospital or maternity unit is about to close, leaving patients, families, and local leaders scrambling to respond. The LICH Act changes that by making transparency and community engagement a requirement, not just an afterthought."
"The bill mandates public notice and engagement before a general hospital seeks to close entirely. It also applies to units that provide maternity, mental health or substance use care."
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