Section 3600. Declaration of legislative findings and intent

The
  legislature hereby finds and declares that the provision of high quality
  home care services to residents of New York state is a priority concern.
  Expanding these services to make them available throughout the state  as
  a  viable  part  of  the  health  care  system  and as an alternative to
  institutional care should be a primary focus of the state's actions.
    Home health care has only recently been recognized legislatively as an
  integral part of the health care delivery system and has proven to  have
  an  important  and  valuable  role  in  patient care. The certified home
  health agencies render a coordinated array of services  to  patients  in
  their    homes,   thereby   avoiding   prolonged   institutionalization,
  concomitant  high  costs  and  associated  adverse  social  and  medical
  implications.
    The  legislature  intends  that  there  be  a public commitment to the
  appropriate  provision  and  expansion  of  services  rendered  to   the
  residents  of  the  state  by  certified  home  health  agencies, to the
  maintenance of a consistently high level of services by  all  home  care
  services agencies, to the central collection and public accessibility of
  information  concerning  all  organized  home  care services, and to the
  adequate regulation and coordination of existing home care services.