Research

Administrative History

The National Health Planning and Resources Development Act of 1974 provided for the development of guidelines for national health planning and the establishment of area-wide and state health planning agencies to deal with needed planning for health services, manpower, and facilities. By executive order in 1975 (No. 6), Governor Hugh Carey directed the New York State Health Planning Commission, which had been created by Governor Nelson Rockefeller in 1967, to supervise implementation of and compliance with the federal act in New York State. The commission was tasked with "developing and implementing a state health plan aimed at assuring the effectiveness and efficiency of New York's health and mental health care delivery system."

In 1976, Governor Carey announced the creation of a twenty-eight-member Statewide Health Coordinating Council, composed of health care consumers and providers, to assist the Health Planning Commission in an advisory capacity and to prepare an annual State Health Plan and State Medical Facilities Plan. The Health Coordinating Council was also directed to review plans and budgets of health systems agencies and to approve state plans that included requests for federal funding. The governor appointed twenty-seven members of the council, with one final member being designated by the chief medical officer of the United States Veterans Administration.