2500-I - Child food choking prevention.
§ 2500-i. Child food choking prevention. 1. The department shall establish criteria for determining which foods and food products may pose a significant choking risk for children in various age groups. 2. The department shall conduct an ongoing public awareness and education program under section two hundred seven of this chapter on choking risks, precautions and life-saving procedures, including, but not limited to, listing on its internet website information that assists members of the public in locating infant and child cardiopulmonary resuscitation classes. 3. The department shall produce and distribute educational materials on food choking risks, precautions and life-saving procedures. Such materials shall be made available to child care centers, pediatricians and nursery, elementary and secondary schools for distribution to persons in parental relation to children, and to hospitals, birthing centers and other appropriate health care providers for distribution to maternity patients. In addition, such materials shall be provided to health care professionals engaged in the care and treatment of children for distribution to such children and persons in parental relation. The department shall also provide information on food choking risks, precautions and life-saving procedures on the department's internet website. No provision of this subdivision shall be deemed to prohibit the utilization and distribution of educational materials relating thereto produced by any public, private or governmental entity, in lieu of the department's production of such materials. 4. The department shall periodically review available data on choking incidents in children and update the information on choking risks, precautionary measures and life-saving procedures provided in its educational materials and on its internet website, as appropriate. 5. The department shall annually report, on or before January first, to the governor, the temporary president of the senate and the speaker of the assembly on the implementation of this section and any recommendations for furthering the purpose of this section. 6. Implementation of this section shall be contingent upon and shall be conducted within appropriations made therefor.