[ THEME MUSIC ] ON THIS WEEK'S EDITION OF "NEW YORK NOW," WE'LL SIT DOWN WITH THE PRESIDENT OF THE CANNABIS ASSOCIATION OF NEW YORK TO UNDERSTAND THE CHALLENGES AND CHANGES TO THE LEGAL MARKET.

NEXT, THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH COMMISSIONER, JAMES MCDONALD, JOINS US TO DISCUSS PUBLIC HEALTH ON THE STATE AND LOCAL LEVEL.

I'M SHANTEL DESTRA, AND THIS IS "NEW YORK NOW."

[ THEME MUSIC ] WELCOME TO THIS WEEK'S EDITION OF "NEW YORK NOW."

I'M SHANTEL DESTRA.

IN 2021, NEW YORK OFFICIALLY LEGALIZED THE USE OF CANNABIS.

THIS CREATED'S OPPORTUNITY FOR A ROBUST LEGAL INDUSTRY, BUT NOW MORE THAN THREE YEARS LATER, THE ROAD TO GETTING THERE HAS BEEN FAR FROM PERFECT AND THERE ARE SEVERAL REASONS FOR THAT REALITY.

FOR ONE, THERE'S BEEN A SLOW PROCESS OF ISSUING LEGAL CANNABIS LICENSES.

THERE'S ALSO BEEN CRITICISM AND CHANGES IN LEADERSHIP AT THE HELM OF THE STATE OFFICE OF CANNABIS MANAGEMENT, AND ANOTHER MAJOR ISSUE IS LEADERS HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO FULLY CRACK DOWN ON ILLEGAL CANNABIS SHOPS ACROSS THE STATE.

ONE THING REMAINS CLEAR TO STAKEHOLDERS WITHIN THE INDUSTRY IS THAT THERE'S REMAIN INDUSTRY IS THERE'S SO MUCH TO BE DONE TO GET EXPANSION.

TO UNDERSTAND THE CHALLENGES AND PICTURE OF THE INDUSTRY, WE SAT DOWN WITH DAMIEN CORNWELL, PRESIDENT OF THE CANNABIS ASSOCIATION OF NEW YORK.

[ THEME MUSIC ] THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US TODAY, DAMIEN.

PLEASURE TO BE WITH YOU.

NOW IT'S JUST BEEN A FEW YEARS SINCE CANNABIS WAS LEGALIZED IN NEW YORK.

FROM YOUR PURVIEW, HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THE AWARENESS OF LEGAL CANNABIS AMONGST NEW YORKERS AND ITS IMPACT ON THE INDUSTRY?

SO I THINK IT'S-- IT'S A PROCESS.

I THINK THE WHEELS OF CHANGE TURN SLOW.

I THINK THAT WE'RE ON A GOOD TRAJECTORY RIGHT NOW.

MAYBE 155 REGULATED STORES THAT ARE OPEN AND CERTAINLY A LONG WAY TO GO.

I THINK WE'VE HAD AN AWFUL LOT OF PITFALLS THAT HAVE BEEN TROUBLING TO MANY PEOPLE AND A LOT OF FAMILIES HAVE HARDSHIPS GETTING THEIR FARMS UP AND GETTING THEIR STORES UP, BUT I THINK OVERALL, WHEN YOU COMPARE IT TO OTHER MARKETS, I THINK NEW YORK HAS DONE A GOOD JOB AT GETTING EQUITY LICENSES OUT THE DOOR AND SLOWLY BUT SURELY, I THINK THAT THE STATE GOVERNMENT IS GETTING THEIR HANDS AROUND THE INITIATIVE AND I THINK BETTER DAYS ARE GOING TO ARRIVE SOON.

IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT ONE OF THE MAIN PILLARS OF THE CANNABIS ASSOCIATION OF NEW YORK IS TO CREATE AN INDUSTRY THAT IS INCLUSIVE.

SO WHAT EXACTLY DOES THAT LOOK LIKE FROM YOUR PURVIEW?

SO FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE, WE WANT TO SEE-- WE WANT TO KIND OF BECOME A CHAMBER OF COMMERCE FOR CANNABIS AS A WHOLE.

WHAT I FOUND AS THE PRESIDENT IS THERE ARE A LOT OF DIFFERENT SILOS WITHIN THE MARKET.

AND OFTENTIMES YOU CAN SEE ONE GROUP PITTED AGAINST ANOTHER GROUP BUT REALLY IN REAL LIFE, YOU NEED THE ENTIRE, MARKET TO WORK TOGETHER TO MAKE A MORE SUSTAINABLE ECONOMY AS IT RELATES TO CANNABIS.

SO MOVING FORWARD FOR US, WE'RE DOING ALL WE CAN TO BRING THOSE DIFFERENT DIVISIONS OF THE INDUSTRY TOGETHER AND HELP THEM GROW AS NEW YORK BUSINESSES SO WE CAN BE STRONGER AND PROFIT FROM THE MARKET ACCORDINGLY.

AND WHAT ARE YOU HEARING FROM MEMBERS WITHIN THE ASSOCIATION ABOUT HOW THEIR WORK IN THE CANNABIS INDUSTRY IS IMPACTING COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE STATE?

WELL, I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF FOLKS THAT, YOU KNOW, TRY TO MAKE IMPACTS IN THEIR LOCAL COMMUNITIES, BUT WHAT YOU FIND IS, WHEN I TALK TO MEMBERS, THERE'S STILL A BIT OF FRUSTRATION BECAUSE SOME OF THEIR LICENSES ARE STILL NOT MOVING AS QUICKLY AS THEY WANT AT THE STATE LEVEL.

SOME OF THE COMMUNICATION WITH SOME OF OUR STATE PARTNERS IS STILL BEING WORKED OUT.

I MEAN, WE HAVE HAD RECENT CHANGES IN LEADERSHIP, AND SO I THINK THOSE THINGS NEED TO BE WORKED OUT.

YOU KNOW, IT'S KIND OF LIKE YOU NEED ONE TO DO THE OTHER.

RIGHT?

SO JUST THE OTHER DAY, THERE WAS AN ANNOUNCEMENT AT THE CANNABIS CONTROL BOARD MEETING WHERE NOW THERE'S GOING TO BE A ROLLBACK OF SOME OF THE REGULATIONS THAT WILL ALLOW US TO DO ADVERTISING.

WELL, IT CERTAINLY WAS A HINDRANCE WHEN WE COULDN'T ADVISE TO THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE, AND WE WANTED TO DO OUTREACH AND NOW, BECAUSE THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN, WE NOW CAN DO THAT MORE.

SO THAT'S WHAT I MEAN.

YOU NEED BOTH THINGS TO HAPPEN AND I THINK PEOPLE FEEL THEY CAN MAKE AN IMPACT IN LOCAL COMMUNITIES.

THEY'RE JUST FRUSTRATED AT THE SPEED OF CHANGE AT THE POLICY LEVEL.

AND ARE THERE ANY CHALLENGES THAT THEY'VE HIGHLIGHTED ABOVE THE INDUSTRY IN TERMS OF THE SUPPLY CHAIN OR THEIR ABILITY TO SELL?

I THINK THE BIGGEST ISSUE, AGAIN, IS IN THE BEGINNING, THE BIGGEST ISSUE WAS COMPETING WITH AN UNREGULATED MARKET.

NOT TO DEMONIZE PEOPLE THAT ARE FROM LEGACY SIDE OF CANNABIS, BUT IT WAS JUST AN UNFAIR PLAYING FIELD.

RIGHT?

YOU HAD REGULATED OPERATORS THAT ARE PAYING A TON OF MONEY IN, THAT COULDN'T ADVERTISE AND DO DIFFERENT THINGS, AND THEY'RE COMPETING HAND IN HAND WITH OTHER STORES THAT WERE UNRELATED-- UNREGULATED AND NOT FOLLOWING ANY OF THE RULES THAT THE GOVERNMENT SET FORTH.

THAT'S BEEN FRUSTRATING FOR FOLKS AND I THINK AS THAT CONTINUES TO GET FIXED, YOU'LL FIND THAT PEOPLE WILL BE ABLE TO OPERATE FREELY AND SUCCESSFULLY.

THE OTHER THING THAT'S IMPORTANT, I THINK, IS YOUNG, REGULATED SHOPS HAVE HAD TO BATTLE THE STIGMA THAT OFTEN GOES WITH CANNABIS.

IN SOME WAYS, WHEN YOU WORK WITH MUNICIPALITIES, IT'S ALMOST DISCRIMINATORY.

IF YOU'RE A BUSINESS AND YOU'RE A CANNABIS BUSINESS, YOUR INSURANCE RATES GO UP.

YOUR CANNABIS BUSINESS, YOUR LEASE GOES UP.

I MEAN, THESE ARE PROBLEMS THAT WE WOULD NEVER EXPERIENCE IF WE HAD RESTAURANTS BUT YET BECAUSE WE SELL A LEGAL PRODUCT, THERE'S A STIGMA THAT GOES INTO COMMUNITIES WHERE IT'S HARD TO GET APPROVALS.

IT'S HARD FORGET THROUGH PLANNING BOARDS.

IT'S HARDER TO FIND LEASE PROPERTIES-- PROPERTIES THAT WE CAN LEASE AT REASONABLE RATES.

I THINK THAT'S VERY FRUSTRATING TO PEOPLE.

YOU MENTIONED THE CHANGE IN LEADERSHIP AT THE TOP OF THE OFFICE OF CANNABIS MANAGEMENT, AND WE KNOW THAT OFFICE HAS FACED A LOT OF SCRUTINY REGARDING THE SLOW ROLLOUT OF LEGAL CANNABIS SHOPS ACROSS THE STATE.

MOST RECENTLY THE OFFICE OF GENERAL SERVICES RELEASED THE REPORT REALLY HIGHLIGHTING THAT.

SO WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF THE ROLLOUT AND THE CRITICISM OF THE OFFICE?

HAD I THINK IT'S, TO SOME EXTENT, ALMOST PREMATURE.

THE FINDINGS ARE PREMATURE, AND ALSO INCOMPLETE.

LOOK, THERE'S NO QUESTION THAT THE OFFICE OF CANNABIS MANAGEMENT COULD HAVE DONE BETTER.

EVERYONE CAN ALWAYS DO BETTER, BUT I THINK THAT WHEN I LOOK AT THE REPORT FROM OGS, I WAS SOMEWHAT DISAPPOINTED THAT IT DIDN'T GO FURTHER TO LOOK AT ALL OF THE THINGS THAT WERE INVOLVED IN CREATING THIS MARKET.

I MEAN, THE NOTION THAT THE OCM, OFFICE OF CANNABIS MANAGEMENT RATHER, RIGHT?

(LAUGHS) COULD DO ITS OWN HIRES OR MAKE APPROVAL AS WITHOUT PEOPLE ABOVE IT IS JUST FALSE.

THAT'S JUST NOT REALLY TRUE.

I FEEL LIKE IF WE WANTED TO GET TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS THING AND REALLY PROBLEM SOLVE, WE SHOULD LOOK AT THE MIRROR FROM EVERY PERSPECTIVE.

JUST LIKE YOU AND I WOULD DO IF WE HAD A BUSINESS.

WE HAVE TO LEAVE NO STONE UNTURNED TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WE CAN DO DIFFERENT OR BETTER TO MAKE OUR INITIATIVE SUCCESSFUL, AND I JUST WISH I HAD SEEN MORE FROM THE REPORT AND THAT THEY CONTINUE TO DO SO.

BUT WE ARE WHERE WE ARE TODAY.

I HAVE NO DESIRE TO DISPARAGE ANYBODY OR DEMONIZE ANYBODY.

I AM POSITIVE.

I WANT TO GO FORWARD.

I'M OPTIMISTIC ABOUT THE FUTURE.

SO IS THERE ANYTHING THAT THE STATE SHOULD OR COULD BE DOING MORE TO HELP BOTH THROUGH THE GROWTH OF THE INDUSTRY IN NEW YORK AT THIS JUNCTURE?

YES.

IT HAS TO MEET WITH THE STAKEHOLDERS AND SHOULD BE MEETING LIKE CANI, OTHER ORGANIZATIONS AND EXPERTS IN THE INDUSTRY FROM NEW YORK, UNDERSTANDING WHAT WE'RE SEEING IN THE GRASS ROOTS SO WE CAN MAKE BETTER DECISIONS, BETTER MACRO DECISIONS THAT WOULD HELP US, YOU KNOW, MEET THE CHALLENGES ON THE GROUND.

I THINK SOMETIMES THERE'S THIS DISCONNECT BETWEEN POLICYMAKERS AND WHAT REALLY HAPPENS ON THE PLAYING FIELD.

AND I THINK THE PEOPLE THAT ARE SUCCESSFUL PUT THOSE TWO THINGS TOGETHER AND COME UP WITH THE BEST SOLUTIONS.

AND WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE IN THE STATE TO ACTUALLY GROW CANNABIS?

ARE THERE WAYS THAT YOU THINK IT COULD BE IMPROVED?

IT'S HARD TO SAY RIGHT NOW.

BECAUSE WE'RE AT SUCH-- WE'RE AT SUCH AN EARLY PHASE OF THIS NASCENT MARKET, RIGHT?

I JUST BELIEVE IN TIME, TIME WILL TELL AND THEN IF WE CAN JUST WORK ON HOW WE INTERACT AND WORK WITH EACH OTHER, THERE'S NOTHING WE CAN'T ACCOMPLISH, BUT IF YOU CAN'T FIX THAT, THAT PART WHERE THERE'S CLARITY AND GOALS FROM THE TOP LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE GRASS ROOTS OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS THAT INTERACT EVERY DAY IN THE DAY-TO-DAY CANNABIS MARKET, YOU'LL HAVE NO CHANCE TO FIX ANYTHING IN THE FUTURE.

SO THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO BE LOOKING AT.

THE BLOCKING AND TACKLING OF CANNABIS.

THAT'S EVERYTHING.

AND WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO NEW YORKERS WHO MAYBE WORRY ABOUT GETTING INTO THE INDUSTRY RIGHT NOW BECAUSE OF ALL THE CHALLENGES THAT WE'VE BEEN DISCUSSING?

I THINK THAT THERE'S A HUGE UPSIDE TO THE CANNABIS MARKET.

LOOK, WE KNOW THAT THE MARKET IS GOING TO GROW TO $7 BILLION A YEAR.

SO FROM A MACRO PERSPECTIVE, YEAH, IT'S GREAT.

YOU SHOULD GO OUT AND DO IT.

HOWEVER, FROM A PRACTICAL PERSPECTIVE, UNLESS YOU HAVE, YOU KNOW, LARGE CASH RESERVES AND A SOLID PLAN AND YOU HAVE THE WHEREWITHAL TO WITHSTAND A SLOW ROLLOUT, IT'S NOT FOR YOU.

IT'S CERTAINLY NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART.

THAT'S WHAT I WOULD SAY.

UH-HUH.

AND YOU BRIEFLY TOUCHED ON THIS BEFORE, BUT HOW DOES THE INDUSTRY IN THE STATE STACK UP AGAINST OTHER LEGAL MARKETS ACROSS THE COUNTRY?

IS THERE ANYTHING THAT OTHER STATES ARE DOING THAT YOU THINK NEW YORK SHOULD OR COULD BE DOING TO HELP BOLSTER THE INDUSTRY?

I THINK IN THE BEGINNING, IT WAS AN OPPORTUNITY MISSED TO NOT HAVE A HANDLE ON THE UNREGULATED MARKET.

I REALLY THINK THAT WAS A MISSED OPPORTUNITY.

I MEAN, MAN, THAT GOT AWAY FROM EVERYBODY.

AND THE SECOND THING IS I THINK THERE'S BEEN-- I THINK THE OCM IS UNDERSTAFFED.

I THINK THEY NEED MORE RESOURCES TO HELP HOLD PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE.

YOU KNOW, A LAW WITHOUT ACCOUNTABILITY IS LAWLESSNESS.

I MEAN, I'M NOT BULLISH ON, YOU KNOW, RULES AND REGULATIONS, BUT YOU DO HAVE TO HAVE RULES THAT PEOPLE FOLLOW OR THE WHOLE THING FALLS APART.

THAT'S JUST THE WAY THAT IT IS.

YOU JUST HAVE TO HAVE IT THAT WAY.

I THINK THAT'S A MISSED OPPORTUNITY.

I THINK THAT IF I COULD DO IT-- IF I WERE KING FOR A DAY, I WOULD MAKE SURE THOSE THINGS WERE CONNECTED UP AND YOU KNOW, WE HAD A SOLID STRATEGY AND EVERYBODY KNEW EXACTLY WHERE THEY STOOD AND THERE WAS ACCOUNTABILITY IN PLACE AND THEN YOU COULD HAVE GROWN THE MARKET QUICKER.

I STILL THINK THERE'S A HUGE UPSIDE AND MY MOTHER USED TO SAY ALL SICKNESS IS NOT DEATH, RIGHT?

WE CAN WORK IT OUT.

YOU CAN GET IT FIXED.

YOU GOT TO HUNKER DOWN AND MAKE SURE THAT YOUR STRATEGY IS SET AND GET GOING.

WHICH IS WHY I THINK IT'S SO IMPORTANT THAT WE FOCUS ON THE BLOCKING AND TACKLING OF HOW WE OPERATE THIS THING.

THAT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT THING RIGHT NOW.

AND WOULD YOU SAY THAT THE OFFICE OF CANNABIS MANAGEMENT UNDERSTANDS THE GRAVITY OF THE MISTAKES THAT HAVE BEEN MADE?

I THINK THE OCM DOES, BUT IS THAT THE REAL QUESTION?

THE QUESTION IS, IF THE OCM DOES, ARE THEY IN LINE WITH THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE AND ARE THOSE TWO ALIGNED WITH THE CANNABIS CONTROL BOARD AND THE CAB?

RIGHT?

AND ARE PEOPLE BEING HELD ACCOUNTABLE WITHIN THE GRASS ROOTS OF THE INDUSTRY?

THAT'S THE REAL QUESTION.

ONE PERSON CAN'T MAKE IT GROW.

THEY'LL ROW IN CIRCLES, RIGHT?

[LAUGHTER] YOU KNOW EVERYBODY ROWING TOGETHER TO MAKE IT WORK.

THAT'S THE THING WE'RE MISSING, IS WE'RE ALL SO ANXIOUS TO GET THE MARKET OPEN, IMPATIENT AND ANGRY.

THAT DOESN'T SOLVE ANYTHING FOR ANYONE.

WE NEED SOLUTIONS AND WE NEED THEM NOW.

LAST I WILL, WHERE DO YOU SEE THE FUTURE OF THE LEGAL CANNABIS INDUSTRY IN THE STATE IN THE YEARS TO COME?

SAME THING I THINK THAT THE UPSIDE IS INSANE.

I MIGHT HAVE HEARD ESTIMATES WHERE WE COULD GET UP TO $7 BILLION A YEAR.

THINK ABOUT WHAT THAT MONEY CAN DO FOR OUR STATE INFRASTRUCTURE.

THINK ABOUT HOW MANY PROGRAMS THAT COULD HELP.

THAT'S REALLY WHAT THE GOAL IS HERE.

IT'S NOT TO SLING WEEDS SO WE CAN ALL BUY NEW CARS.

IT'S WHAT WE CAN DO TO ELEVATE THE STANDARD OF LIVING FOR ALL THE PEOPLE IN THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

IT SEEMS LIKE NOWADAYS FOR SAYING SOMETHING LIKE THAT, NOBODY WANTS TO HEAR THAT.

THAT'S THE REAL ANSWER.

THAT'S THE POINT OF DOING WHAT WE'RE DOING.

RIGHT?

I TAKE THAT SERIOUSLY AS THE PRESIDENT OF CANI AND THE PERSON WHO OPERATES A STORE IN MY COMMUNITY.

I THINK THERE'S A HUGE UPSIDE.

I JUST THINK WE HAVE TO DO THINGS FOR THE RIGHT REASONS AND THE RIGHT WAY TO GET THERE.

ABSOLUTELY.

WELL, UNFORTUNATELY, THAT'S ALL THE TIME WE HAVE TODAY.

WE THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO SPEAK WITH US ON THIS ISSUE.

YES, MA'AM.

YOU HAVE A WONDERFUL DAY, AS WELL.

AND WE WERE SPEAKING WITH DAMIEN CORNWELL, PRESIDENT OF THE CANNABIS ASSOCIATION OF NEW YORK.

[ THEME MUSIC ] AND AS DAMIEN UNDERSCORED IN THAT CONVERSATION, IN ORDER FOR THE INDUSTRY TO SEE TRUE PROGRESS, ALL STAKEHOLDERS NEED TO HAVE AN ALL-HANDS-ON-DECK APPROACH, INCLUDING EVERYONE FROM THE STATE OFFICE OF CANNABIS MANAGEMENT TO THE CANNABIS CONTROL BOARD AND EVEN THE EXECUTIVE CHAMBER.

FOR MORE INFORMATION AND RESOURCES ON THE LEGAL CANNABIS INDUSTRY IN NEW YORK, YOU CAN VISIT OUR WEBSITE.

THAT'S AT NYNOW.ORG.

NOW TURNING TO ANOTHER IMPORTANT TOPIC.

THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH IS TASKED WITH OVERSEEING AND PROTECTING THE HEALTH OF NEW YORKERS.

IN ORDER TO DO THAT, THE OFFICE HAS FOCUS ON A DIRECT PATIENT CARE APPROACH FOR HEALTH SERVICES.

ALL WHILE MITIGATING THE CHALLENGES OF LOW STAFFING LEVELS.

DAVID LOMBARDO OF WCNY'S CAPITOL PRESS ROOM SPOKE WITH THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, COMMISSIONER JAMES MCDONALD, FOR A COMPREHENSIVE DISCUSSION ABOUT PUBLIC HEALTH IN THE STATE.

HERE'S THAT CONVERSATION.

[ THEME MUSIC ] WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR MAKING THE TIME, COMMISSIONER.

I REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

I'M GLAD TO BE HERE.

THANKS FOR INVITING ME.

FOR STARTERS, WHEN IT COMES TO PUBLIC HEALTH, WHAT IS THE STATE'S RESPONSIBILITY TO PROMOTE AND, YOU KNOW, SAFEGUARD THE PUBLIC HEALTH?

WELL, PUBLIC HEALTH IS A PUBLIC FUNCTION.

LET'S START THERE, RIGHT.

AND IF THE STATE ISN'T GOING TO DO IT, YOU KNOW, LEAD THE EFFORT, I'M JUST NOT SURE WHO ELSE WOULD, RIGHT?

WE REALLY NEED COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENTS IN THAT, BUT IT REALLY IS A STATE FUNCTION, PUBLIC HEALTH.

ONE OF THE THINGS I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE IS REALLY CLEAR.

THE NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH IS REALLY DIFFERENT THAN OTHER HEALTH DEPARTMENTS, RIGHT, PROBABLY ONE OF THE LARGEST HEALTH DEPARTMENTS IN THE COUNTRY BECAUSE WE ARE ONE OF THE VERY FEW HEALTH DEPARTMENTS THAT MEDICAID IS PART OF THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, PLUS THE NEW YORK CITY OF HEALTH WITH THE ESSENTIAL PLAN.

WE'RE A LARGE PAYER OF HEALTH CARE.

WE SUPPLY A LOT OF IT.

BUT WE DO YOU'LL AT THE PUBLIC HEALTH, TOO, FOR THE STATE, WITH THE COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENTS AS WELL.

SO WE'RE MUCH LARGER THAN OTHER HEALTH DEPARTMENTS.

BECAUSE NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, WE'RE NOT JUST NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH AND NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH CARE, WE'RE THE NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, WE DO IT ALL.

WE'RE PRETTY GOOD IN THAT REGARD.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO PROMOTE PUBLIC HEALTH OR SAFEGUARD THE PUBLIC HEALTH?

IS IT ABOUT ALERTING PEOPLE TO WHEN THERE'S A DISEASE THAT'S SPREADING IN THE COMMUNITY?

IS IT ABOUT ENSURING THAT THERE'S THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS AROUND?

WHAT CONSTITUTES PUBLIC HEALTH?

YEAH.

SO IT'S ALL THAT PLUS MORE.

LET ME GIVE YOU OUR MISSION FIRST.

BECAUSE IF I GIVE YOU OUR MISSION, YOU CAN GET A SORT OF PERSPECTIVE ABOUT HOW I LOOK AT THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH.

SO OUR MISSION IS TO PROTECT AND PROMOTE THE HEALTH AND WELLBEING FOR ALL BUILT ON THE FOUNDATION OF HEALTH EQUITY.

SO YES, IT INVOLVES A LOT OF THINGS.

LIKE, I WANT TO GIVE YOU THE EXAMPLE OF HUMPTY DUMPTY, WHICH IS PROBABLY NOT WHAT YOU EXPECTED TODAY.

WE'RE PRETTY GOOD AT FINDING ALL THE KING'S HORSES AND ALL THE KING'S MEN TO PUT HUMPTY DUMPTY BACK TO TOGETHER AGAIN, AND I THINK ONE OF THE CHALLENGES IN THE UNITED STATES IN PUBLIC HEALTH IS MAKING SURE WE HAVE ENOUGH FUNDING FOR THE PEOPLE WHO TELL HUMPTY DUMPTY, YOU'RE AN EGG.

YOU HAVE NO BUSINESS SITTING ON THE WALL IN THE FIRST PLACE.

THAT'S OUR PREVENTION WORK.

ONE OF OTHER THINGS WE DO IN PUBLIC HEALTH IS WE DO THAT WORK WHERE WE TELL HUMPTY DUMPTY, IF YOU HAVE TO SIT ON A WALL FOR WHATEVER REASON, WE'RE GOING TO BUILD YOU A HARNESS.

WE WILL MAKE SURE YOU HAVE MATTING SO WE PROTECT YOU.

THAT'S ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF HOW PUBLIC HEALTH WORKS WHERE WE HAVE TO HELP YOU CUSTOMIZE YOUR PREVENTION A LITTLE BIT.

THAT'S A LITTLE BIT OF A VIGNETTE OF THE NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH WITH HUMPTY DUMPTY AT THE CENTER OF THAT.

LET'S STICK WITH THAT IDEA THEN.

BECAUSE THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE STATE'S HEALTH CARE SPENDING GOES TOWARDS INSURANCE PROGRAMS, LIKE MEDICAID OR THAT DOWNSTREAM COST TO, LIKE YOU SAID, PUT HUMPTY DUMPTY BACK TOGETHER AGAIN.

SO DOES THE RATIO NEED TO BE SHIFTED TOWARDS MORE OF THE PREVENTIVE STUFF, OR DO WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT IT IN TERMS OF EXPANDING THE PIE?

I THINK PUT IT THIS WAY, THE VAST MAJORITY OF MONEY FOR PUBLIC HEALTH GOES INTO DIRECT PATIENT CARE.

IN OTHER WORDS, WE'RE PAYING FOR SOMETHING THAT OCCURS IN A ROOM, EXAM ROOM, OPERATING ROOM, DELIVERY ROOM, EMERGENCY ROOM.

THAT'S AN EXAMPLE OF DIRECT PATIENT CARE.

BUT EVEN A LOT OF OUR MEDICAID FUNDING ON NEW YORK'S HEALTH FUNDING IS MOVING TOWARDS THINGS THAT HAPPENS OUTSIDE ROOMS.

WE TALK ABOUT THE 1115 WAIVER THAT WE JUST GOT THIS YEAR FROM THE CENTER FROM MEDICAID AND MEDICARE SERVICES.

OVER HALF THAT MONEY IS ACTUALLY GOING TO THINGS TO IMPROVE EVERYONE'S SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH.

OPTIMIZING PEOPLE'S ADVANTAGES SO THEY'RE NOT GETTING CARE INSIDE OF JUST ROOMS.

YOU ASKED SHOULD WE HAVE MORE MONEY TOWARD PREVENTION?

THE ANSWER IS ALWAYS YES.

BUT THE ILLUSTRATION I BRING YOU FROM THE 1115 WAIVER, THEN WE GOT $7.5 BILLION FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, $6 BILLION FROM THE FEDS AND 1.5 BILLION FROM THE STATE, YOU DO SEE OVER HALF THAT MONEY IS REALLY GEARED TOWARDS THINGS THAT OCCUR OUTSIDE OF PATIENT CARE.

THERE'S JUST EXAMPLES WHERE I THINK THE FUTURE OF MEDICINE IS GOING.

I THINK WE'RE LEARNING FROM WHAT OTHER COUNTRIES ARE DOING IS THAT IF YOU DON'T IMPROVE PEOPLE'S SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH, YOU REALLY DON'T LENGTHEN THE QUALITY OF THEIR LIFE.

AND WHEN I TALK ABOUT SELF-DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH THAT'S A TERM OF ART.

IT'S THINGS LIKE SAFE NEIGHBORHOODS, SAFE HOUSING, GOVERNOR'S MADE A PRIORITY ABOUT SAFE HOUSING.

MAKING SURE PEOPLE HAVE A GOOD EDUCATION, ANOTHER PRIORITY OF THE GOVERNOR'S.

AND THESE ARE THINGS THAT ARE REALLY IMPORTANT.

LIKE, WHAT ARE THE THINGS THAT MAKE US THE LIVE LONGER?

TRANSPORTATION.

THESE ARE SOME DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH.

THESE ARE EXAMPLES OF ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY.

THESE ARE THINGS THAT REALLY MATTER TO PEOPLE THAT OCCUR OUTSIDE OF THE TRADITIONAL HEALTH CARE MODEL.

WELL, STICKING WITH THE FEDERAL MEDICAID WAIVER THAT YOU MENTIONED, WHEN IT COMES TO THE FLEXIBILITY TO SPEND SOME OF THAT MONEY MOVING FORWARD, WHAT ARE YOUR EXPECTATIONS?

IS THIS SOMETHING THAT IS GOING TO RADICALLY ALTER THE PUBLIC HEALTH LANDSCAPE, OR DO YOU THINK THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS MORE AROUND THE MARGINS AND HOPEFULLY, WE CAN BUILD ON ANY SUCCESSES WE SEE?

WELL, LET'S JUST TAKE AN EXAMPLE OF THE INVESTMENT WE HAVE IN THE WORKFORCE.

OKAY.

BECAUSE WE HAVE ALMOST $700 MILLION INVESTMENT IN WORKFORCE.

ALTHOUGH $48 MILLION IS GOING TOWARDS LOAN REPAYMENT AND LOAN REPAYMENT IS A WORTHY THING TO INVEST IN.

YOU DON'T WANT ALL YOUR MONEY IN LOAN REPAYMENT BECAUSE WHAT YOU REALLY WANT TO DO IS SPEND MOST OF THE MONEY IN WHAT ARE CALLED CAREER PATHWAYS TRAINING.

AND PART OF WHAT I'M GETTING AT THERE IS I WANT TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE AT HIGH SCHOOL TO LOOK AT HEALTH CARE AS A PROFESSIONAL, PEOPLE IN COLLEGE TO LOOK AT HEALTH CARE AS A PROFESSION, AND PEOPLE IN GRAD WHAT THE SCHOOL, HOW TO GET THROUGH, BUT IT'S REALLY ABOUT HOW DO WE MENTOR PEOPLE?

HOW DO WE ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO GET INTO A JOB IN HEALTH CARE, WHICH BY THE WAY, HEALTH CARE JOBS ARE NOT JUST FINANCIALLY REWARDING, THEY ACTUALLY NURTURE YOUR SOUL AS WELL.

BECAUSE WHEN YOU ARE HELPING PEOPLE, YOU SLEEP WELL AT NIGHT.

NICE THING ABOUT HEALTH CARE JOBS, TOO, THEY'RE GENERALLY FULL TIME AND THEY COME WITH HEALTH INSURANCE, WHICH IS REALLY ANOTHER CRITICAL SOCIAL DETERMINANT OF HEALTH.

THAT'S AN EXAMPLE OF HOW WE USE THE 1115 WAIVER TO SET US UP FOR A FUTURE OF SUCCESS WHERE WE ARE HELPING THE HEALTH CARE WORKFORCE.

ANOTHER EXAMPLE IN THE 1115 WAIVER, THOUGH, IS OUR SOCIAL CARE NETWORKS.

THIS IS $3.4 BILLION THAT WE HAVE INVESTED IN THIS, AND THE SOCIAL CARE NETWORKS ARE PURPOSELY BEING BUILT IN A WAY TO ACTUALLY IMPROVE PEOPLE'S INDIVIDUAL, SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH.

DO YOU NEED HELP-- IF YOU'RE A MEDICAID RECIPIENT, DO YOU NEED HELP WITH HOUSING, DO YOU NEEDS HELP WITH TRANSPORTATION, DO YOU NEED HELP WITH YOUR CHRONIC DISEASE MANAGEMENT?

IN OTHER WORDS, HOW DO WE CUSTOMIZE THE HELP YOU NEED, RECOGNIZING BY THE WAY, THAT NEW YORK IS A BIG, BIG STATE.

THE NEEDS OF SOMEONE IN THE NORTH COUNTRY MIGHT BE DIFFERENT THAN SOMEONE IN THE CITY, AND SO THE SOCIAL CARE NETWORKS HAVE THE ABILITY TO CUSTOMIZE WHAT THEY'RE DOING TO OPTIMIZE EVERYONE'S SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH.

WELL, YOU MENTION WORKFORCE AND WHEN YOU AND I SPOKE LAST YEAR FOR THE CAPITOL PRESS ROOM SHORTLY AFTER YOUR CONFIRMATION, YOU SHARED A GOAL YOU HAD OF GETTING THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH BACK TO, QUOTE, UNQUOTE, FULL STRENGTH WHEN IT CAME TO PERSONNEL BY THE END OF 2023.

WERE YOU ABLE TO REALIZE THAT GOAL?

IF NOT, WHERE IN THE PERSONNEL PICTURE COULD THERE BE IMPROVEMENTS?

SO THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH IS GROWING.

YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S NO SECRET THAT DURING THE PANDEMIC A LOT OF PEOPLE LEFT PUBLIC HEALTH.

AND IN THE WAKE OF THE PANDEMIC, THOUGH, YOU TALK ABOUT 2022, YOU GAINED 800 PEOPLE BUT YOU ALSO LOST 800 PEOPLE.

THAT'S RIGHT.

IN '23, WE WERE PLUS 300.

SO FAR IN AGGREGATE NOW, WE'RE PLUS ANOTHER COUPLE HUNDRED.

WE'RE ABOVE PRE-PANDEMIC STAFFING.

SO WE'RE HEADING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.

I STILL HAVE VACANCIES BUT NOT MASSIVE AMOUNTS OF VACANCIES.

AN EXAMPLE-- I'LL TELL YOU THIS STORY.

WHEN I CAME TO INTERVIEW THE JOB FOR THE NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, I MET WITH DR. BASSET.

I MOVED BACK HOME FOR FAMILY.

I DIDN'T MOVE BACK FOR ANYTHING MORE THAN JUST BEING NEAR MY FAMILY.

DR. BASSET WAS LIKE, WHERE DO YOU WANT A JOB HERE?

WE'VE GOT OPENINGS EVERYWHERE.

AS PUBLIC HEALTH PHYSICIANS, LIKE WHERE DO YOU WANT TO WORK?

YOU HAVE A VERY DIVERSE RESUME.

YOU HAVE DONE EVERYTHING.

YOU CAN HAVE ANY JOB YOU WANT HERE BECAUSE THERE'S ALWAYS THESE OPENING.

I DON'T HAVE ANY OPENINGS FOR PHYSICIANS RIGHT NOW FOR NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH.

THAT'S AN EXAMPLE OF WHERE WE'VE ACTUALLY RECRUITED ALL THE PHYSICIANS WE NEED RIGHT NOW.

SO THAT'S AN EXAMPLE OF HOW WE MADE TANGIBLE PROGRESS.

YOU KNOW, CULTURE MATTERS, BY THE WAY.

NO MATTER WHAT ORGANIZATION YOU'RE RUNNING, YOU'VE GOT TO BUILD A POSITIVE CULTURE AND I'M VERY POSITIVELY TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT A VERY POSITIVE CULTURE.

YOU SPEND THE BEST HOURS OF YOUR DAY AT WORK.

I WOULD LIKE PEOPLE TO BE HAPPY AT WORK.

THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO ME.

WELL, FINALLY, DO YOU SEE THE JOB OF PUBLIC HEALTH CHANGING DRAMATICALLY IN THE NEAR FUTURE OR DOES IT REMAIN RELATIVELY CONSISTENT IN TERMS OF THE WAY PEOPLE APPROACH IT AND MAYBE THERE'S TECHNOLOGICAL UPGRADES, BUT THE BASIC PREMISE REMAINS THE SAME?

I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS ABOUT HEALTH EQUITY THAT I'M MOST INTERESTED IN SEEING HOW WE GO, MAKING SURE THAT PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THE WORD HEALTH EQUITY.

OKAY.

IT'S FUNNY.

PEOPLE USE THE WORD HEALTH EQUITY, ALTHOUGH, I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S A COMMON UNDERSTANDING OF IT.

BY THE WAY, ONE OF THE THINGS I'M A BIG BELIEVER IN IS TRYING TO TAKE TERMS AFTER PEOPLE HEAR IT AND MAKE SURE PEOPLE UNDERSTAND IT AFTER THEY HEAR IT ONE TIME.

BECAUSE NEW YORK STATE DEFINED EQUITY IN LAW, AND I THINK THAT'S GREAT.

BUT MOST PEOPLE CAN'T REMEMBER A PARAGRAPH AFTER READING IT ONE TIME.

SO THE WAY WE DEFINE HEALTH EQUITY AT THE NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH IS RECOGNIZING WHEN WE WORK IN HEALTH EQUITY, IT'S INTENTIONAL WORK.

WE RECOGNIZE NOT EVERYONE HAS THE SAME STARTING POINT IN LIFE.

NOT EVERYONE HAS THE SAME ADVANTAGES.

YET EVERYONE DESERVES A FAIR AND JUST OPPORTUNITY FOR THE BEST HEALTH OUTCOMES.

SO THERE'S AN INTENTIONALITY TO THAT.

SO A FAIR AND JUST OPPORTUNITY FOR THE BEST HEALTH OUTCOMES KIND OF MEANS YOU'RE GOING TO CUSTOMIZE AS BEST YOU CAN.

I THINK ONE OF THE BIGGEST THINGS ABOUT PUBLIC HEALTH IN THE FUTURE IS HOW DO WE HELP CUSTOMIZE OUR RESPONSES OF DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES GET THE RESPONSE THEY NEED?

AND I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS.

THERE IS ARE CERTAIN CORE FUNCTIONS OF PUBLIC HEALTH THAT ARE NEVER GOING TO GO AWAY.

CERTAINLY, OF COURSE, IT'S THE WAY WE INSPECT RESTAURANTS, OUR SURVEILLANCE FUNCTION FOR INFECTIOUS DISEASE THREATS, OUR PUBLIC INSURANCE FUNCTIONS FOR REGULATING PHYSICIANS AND PAS AND OTHER THINGS LIKE THE WIC PROGRAM, MEDICAID, NURSING HEALTH AND THERE'S ALL THESE FUNCTIONS THAT WILL PERSIST NO MATTER WHAT, AND THE FUTURE GOES ONE OF THE BIG THINGS THAT'S ONE OF MY BIG PRIORITIES AT THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH IS MAKING SURE WE SEE THIS FROM A FOUNDATION OF HEALTH EQUITY, AND I USE THE METAPHOR OF FOUNDATION WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT HEALTH EQUITY INTENTIONALLY.

A LOT OF PEOPLE TALK ABOUT THE LENS OF HEALTH EQUITY.

I DON'T LIKE THE METAPHOR LENS, BECAUSE IT'S GLASSES.

I CAN TAKE THEM ON OR TAKE THEM OFF.

I DON'T THINK THE WORK IN HEALTH EQUITY IS OPTIONAL.

YOU CANNOT BUILD A BUILDING WITHOUT A FOUNDATION AND YOU KNOW, AT THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, MY FEELING IT'S A SHARED RESPONSIBILITY OF EVERYONE WHO, WORKS AT THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH TO MAKE SURE THAT WORK CONNECTS TO HEALTH EQUITY, GIVING EVERYONE THAT FAIR AND JUST OPPORTUNITY FOR THE BEST HEALTH OUTCOMES.

THAT DOES TAKE INVESTMENT, BUT ONE OF THE KEY THINGS I THINK WE NEED TO GRAB AS A CULTURE IS WHEN WE ACHIEVE HEALTH EQUITY, EVERYONE BENEFITS.

ONE OF THE FAVORITE BOOKS I READ DURING THE PANDEMIC WAS HEATHER MCGEE'S BOOK, "THE SUM OF US."

ONE OF HER BIG POINTS WAS WHEN YOU ACHIEVE HEALTH EQUITY, EVERYONE BENEFITS.

FOR EXAMPLE, IT'S IN EVERYONE'S BEST INTEREST FOR EVERYONE TO HAVE SOME KIND OF HEALTH INSURANCE BECAUSE HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS GET PAID AND EVERYONE GETS CARE.

IT'S IN EVERYONE'S BEST INTEREST FOR CHILDREN TO BE NOURISHED.

SO WE WOULD LIKE OUR WIC PROGRAM TO BE, YOU KNOW, WELL-ENROLLED AND WELL-SUBSCRIBED.

SO WE HAVE THE RESOURCES TO MAKE SURE OUR KIDS ARE WELL-NOURISHED.

THESE ARE TWO EXAMPLES TO MAKING SURE WE MAXIMIZE WHAT WE'RE DOING BENEFITS EVERYONE.

WELL, COMMISSIONER MCDONALD, I THINK WE HAVE TO LEAVE THINGS THERE.

I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU MAKING THE TIME AND SHARING YOUR INSIGHTS.

THANKS FOR COMING.

LOOK FORWARD TO DOING IT AGAIN.

[ THEME MUSIC ] AND FOR MORE INFORMATION AND RESOURCES ON PUBLIC HEALTH IN NEW YORK, YOU CAN VISIT OUR WEBSITE.

AGAIN, THAT'S AT NYNOW.ORG.

YOU CAN ALSO SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER BY GOING TO NEWSLETTER.NYNOW.ORG, OR BY SCANNING THE QR CODE ON YOUR SCREEN.

WELL, THAT DOES IT FOR THIS EDITION OF "NEW YORK NOW."

THANK YOU FOR TUNING IN AND SEE YOU NEXT WEEK.

[ THEME MUSIC ] ANNOUNCER: FUNDING FOR "NEW YORK NOW" IS PROVIDED BY WNET.

[ THEME MUSIC ]