News

The New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation (HHC) Board of Directors today approved the appointment of Patricia (“Patsy”) Yang, DrPH, to serve as Senior Vice President for Correctional Health Services, a new division of HHC that will provide physical, dental, and behavioral health services to inmates in New York City Department of Correction (DOC) facilities. Dr. Yang’s appointment becomes effective June 29.

As part of the de Blasio administration’s commitment to reform the city’s correctional system, the Mayor on June 10 announced that the City will transfer the management of correctional health services from the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) to HHC. That transfer formally will take effect on August 9.

“HHC steps forward when there is an important public health need, and I look forward to leveraging my experience as a former Chair of the New York City Board of Correction to help guide HHC as it assumes leadership for correctional health,” said Mr. Gordon Campbell, Acting Chair of the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation Board of Directors. “Dr. Yang has the passion, talent and experience to lead this effort.”

“HHC has always believed that all New Yorkers, regardless of their legal status, should receive a high level of health care,” said HHC President Dr. Ram Raju. “We will work with Commissioner Ponte to create a secure environment for patients and staff to bring HHC’s culture of patient safety, its superior level of medical treatment and its extensive experience as a behavioral health provider to this highly varied patient population.”

“Over recent months, on behalf of the Mayor’s Office, Patsy Yang has worked continuously and closely with HHC, DOHMH, DOC, and many other City agencies regarding the transfer of Correctional Health Services to HHC,” said Lilliam Barrios-Paoli, Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services. “She will continue to serve in this coordinating role on behalf of the Mayor’s Office until the full transition has been completed and stabilized.”

“I am honored to have this confidence placed in me and very much look forward to working with the Correctional Health team and our colleagues at HHC and DOC to improve the quality and continuity of care to our patients,” said Dr. Yang.

“As DOC works to further our top-to-bottom reform of our correctional system, we are pleased to have a seasoned professional of the caliber of Patsy Yang as the new head of HHC’s Division of Correctional Health,” said DOC Commissioner Joe Ponte. “We look forward to working closely with Dr. Yang in the months to come as HHC assumes responsibility for providing physical and behavioral healthcare services for our inmates and detainees.”

Dr. Yang has served as Director of Health Policy in the Office of the Mayor since May 2014, advising on health policy and operations, and serving as liaison to HHC, DOHMH, and the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner; and the Mayor’s Office for Criminal Justice as advisor on behavioral and physical health services to the justice-involved population.

Prior to working in the Mayor’s Office, she was Executive Deputy Commissioner of Health and Chief Operating Officer for DOHMH, where she oversaw administration, operations, human resources, finance, budget, audit, planning and program analysis, informatics and technology, capital programs and emergency preparedness. She also served as First Deputy Commissioner of Health and Acting Commissioner of Health for Westchester County, NY.

Dr. Yang has extensive prior experience at HHC as well, having served in the 1980s as Associate Executive Director at HHC Bellevue Hospital Center and at HHC Metropolitan Hospital Center, and in other positions involving planning and analysis.

Dr. Yang is a native New Yorker and holds a Bachelor of Arts from Brown University, and a Master and Doctor of Public Health with Distinction from Columbia University.

The HHC Board today also approved a resolution to negotiate and execute a Memorandum of Understanding with the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene to transfer to HHC the DOHMH staff and property currently used in the performance of correctional health functions.

Contact: Ian Michaels, (212) 788-3339
Press Office, (212) 788-3339

About NYC Health + Hospitals

NYC Health + Hospitals is a $6.7 billion integrated healthcare delivery system and is the largest municipal healthcare organization in the country. HHC provides a wide range of high quality and affordable healthcare services to 1.4 million New Yorkers every year and more than 475,000 are uninsured. HHC offers medical, mental health and substance abuse services, as well as specialized care for a wide range of health conditions through its numerous Centers of Excellence. Comprehensive, personalized care is available to all New Yorkers at HHC’s 11 acute care hospitals, five skilled nursing facilities, six large diagnostic and treatment centers and more than 70 community based clinics. HHC Health and Home Care also provides in-home services for New Yorkers. HHC’s own MetroPlus Health Plan is one of the New York area’s largest providers of government-sponsored health insurance and is the plan of choice for 445,000 New Yorkers. HHC was the 2008 recipient of the National Quality Forum and The Joint Commission’s John M. Eisenberg Award for Innovation in Patient Safety and Quality. Several HHC facilities have been recognized nationally for clinical excellence and commitment to quality achievements. For more information, visit www.nychealthandhospitals.org/hhc or find us on facebook.com/NYCHealthSystem or twitter.com/NYCHealthSystem.