New York Wants to Make It Easier for Healthcare Workers to Report Violence

Every day, healthcare workers across New York face the risk of threats or violence while caring for patients. When something happens, the reporting process should be quick and straightforward, not another burden that pulls them away from the people who need them most.

That’s the motive behind Senate Bill S4906A/Assembly Bill A6055A, new legislation headed toward New York Governor Kathy Hochul’s desk. Sponsored by Assembly Member Patricia Fahy and Senator Carrie Woerner, it would allow healthcare workers to give statements about assaults to law enforcement officers when those officers respond to the incident, instead of the employee having to go to a police station to file a report afterward.

“Many nurses and health care staff don’t have the time to leave work and report incidents at their local police department, so these instances go unreported and the perpetrators go unpunished,” said Assembly Member Fahy. “This is simply unacceptable.”

A Simple Change That Makes a Real Difference

As Assembly Member Fahy pointed out, healthcare workers often do not have time to report incidents after working long shifts— and when violence goes unreported, offenders often face no consequences.

But the benefits of better reporting extend beyond simply holding someone accountable.

Workplace violence remains one of the most underreported challenges in healthcare. Making it easier for people to speak up while they’re still at work can have a ripple effect:

• More incidents get documented, so nothing slips through the cracks.
• Details and evidence are recorded right away, while everything is still fresh.
• Hospitals can use the data to make smart decisions about where to focus security improvements or apply for funding.
• Employee leadership can spot patterns, identifying high-risk areas or roles and providing extra training and support where it’s needed most
• Staff feel heard and protected, which helps build trust and confidence in the workplace.

Good reporting helps organizations see the full picture, respond faster, and work toward real prevention— not just punishment after the fact.

Why the Right Tools Matter

Better access to reporting is important, but having simple, reliable tools in place ensures staff can share what’s happening in the moment and helps organizations respond proactively.

At 911Cellular, we design our safety solutions to do exactly that. Tools like our Mobile Safety App, Computer Panic Button, and BadgeR+ wearable panic button make it easy for staff to discreetly signal for help and share real-time, critical details—such as their location and live audio or video of the incident—with responders.

These tools don’t just speed up response times, they also help capture information as events unfold, so leaders have what they need to follow up, document incidents properly, and make improvements that help prevent repeat situations. While the new bill focuses on removing hurdles to reporting, having reliable, easy-to-use safety technology in place makes it much more effective and supports a safer workplace overall.

A Step Toward Safer Workplaces

This bill is an encouraging step for New York’s healthcare workers. Making it easier for staff to share what’s happening helps ensure workplace violence is taken seriously and addressed properly, which benefits everyone.

Want to learn more about how our tools can help your team? Schedule a demo with one of our experts to learn more.