All topics / Health and Human Services
Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
Established in 1805 as the New York City Board of Health to combat yellow fever, and reorganized into the modern Department of Health in 1870, the agency took its current name in 2002 when it merged with the city's mental hygiene services. With an annual budget of $2.5 billion and more than 7,000 employees, DOHMH is the nation's oldest municipal public health agency and one of the largest public health agencies in the world, working to protect and promote the health of more than 8 million New Yorkers.
What's working
- How long does it take to respond to birth certificates by mail/online/in person?: 2.8 days — decreasing overall, despite a recent rise tied to Real ID-driven demand
- How long does it take to respond to death certificates by mail/online/in person?: 1.5 days — decreasing overall, despite a recent rise tied to Real ID-driven demand
- What is the COVID-19 hospitalizations rate?: 165.5 — decreasing as population immunity grew and variants became less severe
- and 9 more below
What's getting worse
- How many new tuberculosis cases are there?: 832 cases — increasing, part of a national trend; DOHMH cites staffing and funding gaps
- How many asthma-related emergency department visits among children ages 5-17 cases are there?: 143.7 — increasing as pandemic-era lows reverse, though still below the 2019 level
- How many congenital syphilis cases are there?: 37 cases — increasing, linked by the Health Department to late or missed prenatal screening
- and 9 more below
Critical indicators
With a numeric target
How many units of supportive housing available to people with or at risk for developing serious mental health and substance use disorders are there?
12,800 unitsBeats target by 300 units
How many units of supportive housing available to people with or at risk for developing serious mental health and substance use disorders are there?
12,800 unitsBeats target by 300 units
* Year to date — this fiscal year isn't complete, so it's not compared against prior years in the target/trend status above.
View as table
| Fiscal year | Actual | Target |
|---|---|---|
| FY22 | 10,600 units | 10,900 units |
| FY23 | 11,400 units | 11,400 units |
| FY24 | 12,100 units | 11,700 units |
| FY25 | 12,800 units | 12,500 units |
| FY26 (YTD) | Not available | 13,300 units |
12,800 units in FY25 — met the City's own target for this indicator (300 units above the 12,500 units target), and it has trended toward improvement over the past 3 years of reported data.
Why this is tracked
DOHMH oversees the City's response to overdose deaths, which have risen sharply as fentanyl -- powerful enough to be lethal in tiny, often undetected amounts -- has spread through the drug supply; a 2023 Health Department advisory found fentanyl present in 81% of NYC overdose deaths. The City's ThriveNYC initiative, launched in 2015 with roughly $850 million in planned funding, expanded access to mental health and substance-use services, and DOHMH-registered Opioid Overdose Prevention Programs have distributed well over 175,000 free naloxone kits. NYC Well, a 24/7 hotline, launched in 2016 as a single point of entry into these behavioral health services.
NYC Health - Commissioner's Advisory on Overdose Crisis, NYC Independent Budget Office - Detailing the Expansion of Behavioral Health Services (ThriveNYC)
What percent of children in public schools who are in compliance with required immunizations?
97.7%Misses target by 1.3%
What percent of children in public schools who are in compliance with required immunizations?
97.7%Misses target by 1.3%
* Year to date — this fiscal year isn't complete, so it's not compared against prior years in the target/trend status above.
View as table
| Fiscal year | Actual | Target |
|---|---|---|
| FY22 | 97% | 99% |
| FY23 | 96.4% | 99% |
| FY24 | 96.5% | 99% |
| FY25 | 97.7% | 99% |
| FY26 (YTD) | Not available | 99% |
97.7% in FY25 — missed the City's own target for this indicator (1.3% below the 99% target), though it has trended toward improvement over the past 3 years of reported data.
Why this is tracked
A privately organized 1865 survey of sanitary conditions across Manhattan's wards, prompted by fears of an approaching cholera epidemic, built the public support that led the state legislature to create New York's Metropolitan Board of Health in February 1866 -- the first municipal public health authority in the United States. When cholera arrived that spring, the Board's aggressive house-to-house inspections, quarantines, and sanitation orders kept New York's death toll well below that of other major American cities. DOHMH's modern disease-surveillance and control work is a direct descendant of that founding mission.
Metropolitan Board of Health - Wikipedia, New York Academy of Medicine - Cholera Comes to New York City
What is the infant mortality rate?
3.9Beats target by 0.2
What is the infant mortality rate?
3.9Beats target by 0.2
* Year to date — this fiscal year isn't complete, so it's not compared against prior years in the target/trend status above.
View as table
| Fiscal year | Actual | Target |
|---|---|---|
| FY22 | 4 | 4.1 |
| FY23 | 4.3 | 4.1 |
| FY24 | 4.2 | 4.1 |
| FY25 | 3.9 | 4.1 |
| FY26 (YTD) | Not available | 4.1 |
3.9 in FY25 — met the City's own target for this indicator (0.2 below the 4.1 target), and it has trended toward improvement over the past 3 years of reported data.
Why this is tracked
Under Mayor Bloomberg, NYC's Health Department became a national trendsetter in chronic disease prevention: the 2003 Smoke-Free Air Act banned smoking in bars and restaurants and helped cut the city's smoking rate by more than a quarter within a decade; a 2005 rule made New York the first city to force restaurants to phase out artificial trans fats, a policy the FDA later adopted nationwide; and in 2008 NYC became the first city to require calorie counts on chain restaurant menus. A later attempt to cap sugary-drink sizes was struck down in court, showing the limits of this approach, but the broader strategy of shaping the food and public environment to reduce chronic disease has persisted as a model other cities followed.
CNN - Three Bloomberg policies all of America now lives with, NPR - New York City's Bloomberg Leaves Mixed Results On Health
How long does it take to respond to birth certificates by mail/online/in person?
2.8 days — decreasing overall, despite a recent rise tied to Real ID-driven demandBeats target by 0.2 days
How long does it take to respond to birth certificates by mail/online/in person?
2.8 days — decreasing overall, despite a recent rise tied to Real ID-driven demandBeats target by 0.2 days
* Year to date — this fiscal year isn't complete, so it's not compared against prior years in the target/trend status above.
View as table
| Fiscal year | Actual | Target |
|---|---|---|
| FY22 | 5.4 days | 3 days |
| FY23 | 2 days | 3 days |
| FY24 | 1.6 days | 3 days |
| FY25 | 2.7 days | 3 days |
| FY26 (YTD) | 2.8 days | 3 days |
Birth certificate response times rose in fiscal 2025 and have stayed elevated because request volume jumped, largely driven by the federal Real ID policy pushing more New Yorkers to obtain certified birth certificates. The Health Department says it has kept response times within its 3-day target through process improvements like promoting online requests, even as order volume climbed further into fiscal 2026.
Researched July 15, 2026 — DOHMH, Fiscal 2025 Mayor's Management Report, DOHMH, Fiscal 2026 Preliminary Mayor's Management Report
Why this is tracked
Beyond its policy and inspection work, DOHMH runs many services that touch New Yorkers directly, including issuing birth and death certificates, operating sexual health clinics, and responding to public health inquiries. Because delays or poor service at these everyday touchpoints can mean someone doesn't get a needed document, referral, or answer in time, the agency treats responsiveness and service quality as a goal in its own right, alongside its broader public health mission.
NYC Health - About the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
How long does it take to respond to death certificates by mail/online/in person?
1.5 days — decreasing overall, despite a recent rise tied to Real ID-driven demandBeats target by 1.5 days
How long does it take to respond to death certificates by mail/online/in person?
1.5 days — decreasing overall, despite a recent rise tied to Real ID-driven demandBeats target by 1.5 days
* Year to date — this fiscal year isn't complete, so it's not compared against prior years in the target/trend status above.
View as table
| Fiscal year | Actual | Target |
|---|---|---|
| FY22 | 4.2 days | 3 days |
| FY23 | 1.3 days | 3 days |
| FY24 | 0.9 days | 3 days |
| FY25 | 1.4 days | 3 days |
| FY26 (YTD) | 1.5 days | 3 days |
Death certificate response times, like birth certificate response times, ticked up starting in fiscal 2025 as the Health Department's vital records office faced higher overall order volume tied to the federal Real ID policy driving increased demand for certified records. Response times have stayed well within the agency's 3-day target throughout.
Researched July 15, 2026 — DOHMH, Fiscal 2025 Mayor's Management Report, DOHMH, Fiscal 2026 Preliminary Mayor's Management Report
Why this is tracked
Beyond its policy and inspection work, DOHMH runs many services that touch New Yorkers directly, including issuing birth and death certificates, operating sexual health clinics, and responding to public health inquiries. Because delays or poor service at these everyday touchpoints can mean someone doesn't get a needed document, referral, or answer in time, the agency treats responsiveness and service quality as a goal in its own right, alongside its broader public health mission.
NYC Health - About the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
How many asthma-related emergency department visits among children ages 5-17 cases are there?
143.7 — increasing as pandemic-era lows reverse, though still below the 2019 levelMisses target by 10.6
How many asthma-related emergency department visits among children ages 5-17 cases are there?
143.7 — increasing as pandemic-era lows reverse, though still below the 2019 levelMisses target by 10.6
* Year to date — this fiscal year isn't complete, so it's not compared against prior years in the target/trend status above.
View as table
| Fiscal year | Actual | Target |
|---|---|---|
| FY22 | 79 | 133.1 |
| FY23 | 134.8 | 133.1 |
| FY24 | 143.7 | 133.1 |
| FY25 | Not available | 133.1 |
| FY26 (YTD) | Not available | 133.1 |
This metric hit a record low during the COVID-19 pandemic (2020), when children's asthma-related ER visits fell because people stayed indoors, reducing exposure to outdoor asthma triggers, and health care utilization patterns shifted generally. As pandemic conditions eased, visits rose for three straight years, though the Health Department notes the rate remains below its pre-pandemic (2019) level and represents a decline over the past 15 years overall.
Researched July 15, 2026 — DOHMH, Fiscal 2025 Mayor's Management Report
Why this is tracked
Under Mayor Bloomberg, NYC's Health Department became a national trendsetter in chronic disease prevention: the 2003 Smoke-Free Air Act banned smoking in bars and restaurants and helped cut the city's smoking rate by more than a quarter within a decade; a 2005 rule made New York the first city to force restaurants to phase out artificial trans fats, a policy the FDA later adopted nationwide; and in 2008 NYC became the first city to require calorie counts on chain restaurant menus. A later attempt to cap sugary-drink sizes was struck down in court, showing the limits of this approach, but the broader strategy of shaping the food and public environment to reduce chronic disease has persisted as a model other cities followed.
CNN - Three Bloomberg policies all of America now lives with, NPR - New York City's Bloomberg Leaves Mixed Results On Health
What percent of HPV vaccine series completion?
43%Misses target by 10%
What percent of HPV vaccine series completion?
43%Misses target by 10%
* Year to date — this fiscal year isn't complete, so it's not compared against prior years in the target/trend status above.
View as table
| Fiscal year | Actual | Target |
|---|---|---|
| FY22 | 43.5% | 53% |
| FY23 | 42.8% | 53% |
| FY24 | 42.1% | 53% |
| FY25 | 43% | 53% |
| FY26 (YTD) | Not available | 53% |
43% in FY25 — missed the City's own target for this indicator (10% below the 53% target), and it has trended in the wrong direction over the past 3 years of reported data.
Why this is tracked
A privately organized 1865 survey of sanitary conditions across Manhattan's wards, prompted by fears of an approaching cholera epidemic, built the public support that led the state legislature to create New York's Metropolitan Board of Health in February 1866 -- the first municipal public health authority in the United States. When cholera arrived that spring, the Board's aggressive house-to-house inspections, quarantines, and sanitation orders kept New York's death toll well below that of other major American cities. DOHMH's modern disease-surveillance and control work is a direct descendant of that founding mission.
Metropolitan Board of Health - Wikipedia, New York Academy of Medicine - Cholera Comes to New York City
What is the pregnancy-associated mortality ratio for Black women and birthing people?
127.3Misses target by 28.2
What is the pregnancy-associated mortality ratio for Black women and birthing people?
127.3Misses target by 28.2
* Year to date — this fiscal year isn't complete, so it's not compared against prior years in the target/trend status above.
View as table
| Fiscal year | Actual | Target |
|---|---|---|
| FY22 | 114.2 | 99.1 |
| FY23 | 127.3 | 99.1 |
| FY24 | Not available | 99.1 |
| FY25 | Not available | 98.1 |
| FY26 (YTD) | Not available | 97.1 |
127.3 in FY23 — missed the City's own target for this indicator (28.2 above the 99.1 target), and it has trended in the wrong direction over the past 1 year of reported data.
Why this is tracked
Under Mayor Bloomberg, NYC's Health Department became a national trendsetter in chronic disease prevention: the 2003 Smoke-Free Air Act banned smoking in bars and restaurants and helped cut the city's smoking rate by more than a quarter within a decade; a 2005 rule made New York the first city to force restaurants to phase out artificial trans fats, a policy the FDA later adopted nationwide; and in 2008 NYC became the first city to require calorie counts on chain restaurant menus. A later attempt to cap sugary-drink sizes was struck down in court, showing the limits of this approach, but the broader strategy of shaping the food and public environment to reduce chronic disease has persisted as a model other cities followed.
CNN - Three Bloomberg policies all of America now lives with, NPR - New York City's Bloomberg Leaves Mixed Results On Health
What percent of children ages 24-35 months with up-to-date immunizations?
64.5%Misses target by 5.5%
What percent of children ages 24-35 months with up-to-date immunizations?
64.5%Misses target by 5.5%
* Year to date — this fiscal year isn't complete, so it's not compared against prior years in the target/trend status above.
View as table
| Fiscal year | Actual | Target |
|---|---|---|
| FY22 | 61% | 70% |
| FY23 | 60.1% | 70% |
| FY24 | 66.1% | 70% |
| FY25 | 64.5% | 70% |
| FY26 (YTD) | Not available | 70% |
64.5% in FY25 — missed the City's own target for this indicator (5.5% below the 70% target), though it has trended toward improvement over the past 3 years of reported data.
Why this is tracked
A privately organized 1865 survey of sanitary conditions across Manhattan's wards, prompted by fears of an approaching cholera epidemic, built the public support that led the state legislature to create New York's Metropolitan Board of Health in February 1866 -- the first municipal public health authority in the United States. When cholera arrived that spring, the Board's aggressive house-to-house inspections, quarantines, and sanitation orders kept New York's death toll well below that of other major American cities. DOHMH's modern disease-surveillance and control work is a direct descendant of that founding mission.
Metropolitan Board of Health - Wikipedia, New York Academy of Medicine - Cholera Comes to New York City
Without a numeric target
How many deaths from unintentional drug overdose are there?
2,192 deaths
How many deaths from unintentional drug overdose are there?
2,192 deaths
* Year to date — this fiscal year isn't complete, so it's not compared against prior years in the target/trend status above.
View as table
| Fiscal year | Actual |
|---|---|
| FY22 | 2,696 deaths |
| FY23 | 3,070 deaths |
| FY24 | 3,046 deaths |
| FY25 | 2,192 deaths |
| FY26 (YTD) | Not available |
2,192 deaths in FY25 — has no numeric target set by the City, and it has trended toward improvement over the past 3 years of reported data.
Why this is tracked
DOHMH oversees the City's response to overdose deaths, which have risen sharply as fentanyl -- powerful enough to be lethal in tiny, often undetected amounts -- has spread through the drug supply; a 2023 Health Department advisory found fentanyl present in 81% of NYC overdose deaths. The City's ThriveNYC initiative, launched in 2015 with roughly $850 million in planned funding, expanded access to mental health and substance-use services, and DOHMH-registered Opioid Overdose Prevention Programs have distributed well over 175,000 free naloxone kits. NYC Well, a 24/7 hotline, launched in 2016 as a single point of entry into these behavioral health services.
NYC Health - Commissioner's Advisory on Overdose Crisis, NYC Independent Budget Office - Detailing the Expansion of Behavioral Health Services (ThriveNYC)
How many new tuberculosis cases are there?
832 cases — increasing, part of a national trend; DOHMH cites staffing and funding gaps
How many new tuberculosis cases are there?
832 cases — increasing, part of a national trend; DOHMH cites staffing and funding gaps
* Year to date — this fiscal year isn't complete, so it's not compared against prior years in the target/trend status above.
View as table
| Fiscal year | Actual |
|---|---|
| FY22 | 529 cases |
| FY23 | 535 cases |
| FY24 | 679 cases |
| FY25 | 832 cases |
| FY26 (YTD) | Not available |
New York City tuberculosis cases have risen sharply for several years running -- part of a nationwide increase -- driven in part by growth among high-risk populations and ongoing outbreaks in specific communities. The Health Department also says staffing gaps and restricted funding have limited its capacity for core TB control work like contact investigation and case management, and it has been actively hiring to close those gaps.
Researched July 15, 2026 — DOHMH, Fiscal 2025 Mayor's Management Report
Why this is tracked
A privately organized 1865 survey of sanitary conditions across Manhattan's wards, prompted by fears of an approaching cholera epidemic, built the public support that led the state legislature to create New York's Metropolitan Board of Health in February 1866 -- the first municipal public health authority in the United States. When cholera arrived that spring, the Board's aggressive house-to-house inspections, quarantines, and sanitation orders kept New York's death toll well below that of other major American cities. DOHMH's modern disease-surveillance and control work is a direct descendant of that founding mission.
Metropolitan Board of Health - Wikipedia, New York Academy of Medicine - Cholera Comes to New York City
How many childhood blood lead levels – number of children younger than age 6 with blood lead levels of 5 micrograms per deciliter or greater are there?
2,600 children
How many childhood blood lead levels – number of children younger than age 6 with blood lead levels of 5 micrograms per deciliter or greater are there?
2,600 children
* Year to date — this fiscal year isn't complete, so it's not compared against prior years in the target/trend status above.
View as table
| Fiscal year | Actual |
|---|---|
| FY22 | 2,557 children |
| FY23 | 2,713 children |
| FY24 | 2,803 children |
| FY25 | 2,600 children |
| FY26 (YTD) | Not available |
2,600 children in FY25 — has no numeric target set by the City, and it has trended in the wrong direction over the past 3 years of reported data.
Why this is tracked
DOHMH's Bureau of Food Safety and Community Sanitation is mandated to inspect all of the city's roughly 26,000 restaurants annually, along with school cafeterias and mobile food vendors, assigning the letter grades now posted in restaurant windows. Its Division of Environmental Health also investigates childhood lead poisoning cases through home risk assessments and lead testing, part of a broader mandate covering air and water quality, pest control, and occupational health. These functions exist because environmental and food hazards are often invisible until someone is harmed, so routine, unannounced inspection is the mechanism that catches problems early.
NYC Health - Food Establishment Inspections / Restaurant Grades, CDC - New York City Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Success Story
How many active group child care center full inspections are there?
5,832 inspections
How many active group child care center full inspections are there?
5,832 inspections
* Year to date — this fiscal year isn't complete, so it's not compared against prior years in the target/trend status above. The dashed marker projects a full-year estimate at the current year-to-date pace.
View as table
| Fiscal year | Actual |
|---|---|
| FY22 | 6,124 inspections |
| FY23 | 6,553 inspections |
| FY24 | 7,417 inspections |
| FY25 | 8,392 inspections |
| FY26 (YTD) | 5,832 inspections |
| FY26 (projected) | ~7,776 inspections |
5,832 inspections in FY26 — has no numeric target set by the City, and it has trended toward improvement over the past 3 years of reported data.
Why this is tracked
DOHMH's Bureau of Food Safety and Community Sanitation is mandated to inspect all of the city's roughly 26,000 restaurants annually, along with school cafeterias and mobile food vendors, assigning the letter grades now posted in restaurant windows. Its Division of Environmental Health also investigates childhood lead poisoning cases through home risk assessments and lead testing, part of a broader mandate covering air and water quality, pest control, and occupational health. These functions exist because environmental and food hazards are often invisible until someone is harmed, so routine, unannounced inspection is the mechanism that catches problems early.
NYC Health - Food Establishment Inspections / Restaurant Grades, CDC - New York City Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Success Story
What percent of adults who smoke?
7.5%
What percent of adults who smoke?
7.5%
* Year to date — this fiscal year isn't complete, so it's not compared against prior years in the target/trend status above.
View as table
| Fiscal year | Actual | Target |
|---|---|---|
| FY22 | 9.1% | 10% |
| FY23 | 8.7% | 9% |
| FY24 | 8.2% | Not available |
| FY25 | 7.5% | Not available |
| FY26 (YTD) | Not available | Not available |
7.5% in FY25 — has no numeric target set by the City, and it has trended toward improvement over the past 3 years of reported data.
Why this is tracked
Under Mayor Bloomberg, NYC's Health Department became a national trendsetter in chronic disease prevention: the 2003 Smoke-Free Air Act banned smoking in bars and restaurants and helped cut the city's smoking rate by more than a quarter within a decade; a 2005 rule made New York the first city to force restaurants to phase out artificial trans fats, a policy the FDA later adopted nationwide; and in 2008 NYC became the first city to require calorie counts on chain restaurant menus. A later attempt to cap sugary-drink sizes was struck down in court, showing the limits of this approach, but the broader strategy of shaping the food and public environment to reduce chronic disease has persisted as a model other cities followed.
CNN - Three Bloomberg policies all of America now lives with, NPR - New York City's Bloomberg Leaves Mixed Results On Health
What percent of compliance inspections found to be rat free?
28.3%
What percent of compliance inspections found to be rat free?
28.3%
* Year to date — this fiscal year isn't complete, so it's not compared against prior years in the target/trend status above.
View as table
| Fiscal year | Actual |
|---|---|
| FY22 | 30.1% |
| FY23 | 28% |
| FY24 | 27.3% |
| FY25 | 27.8% |
| FY26 (YTD) | 28.3% |
28.3% in FY26 — has no numeric target set by the City, and it has trended in the wrong direction over the past 3 years of reported data.
Why this is tracked
DOHMH's Bureau of Food Safety and Community Sanitation is mandated to inspect all of the city's roughly 26,000 restaurants annually, along with school cafeterias and mobile food vendors, assigning the letter grades now posted in restaurant windows. Its Division of Environmental Health also investigates childhood lead poisoning cases through home risk assessments and lead testing, part of a broader mandate covering air and water quality, pest control, and occupational health. These functions exist because environmental and food hazards are often invisible until someone is harmed, so routine, unannounced inspection is the mechanism that catches problems early.
NYC Health - Food Establishment Inspections / Restaurant Grades, CDC - New York City Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Success Story
What percent of restaurants scoring an ‘A’ grade?
89.5%
What percent of restaurants scoring an ‘A’ grade?
89.5%
* Year to date — this fiscal year isn't complete, so it's not compared against prior years in the target/trend status above.
View as table
| Fiscal year | Actual |
|---|---|
| FY22 | 92.7% |
| FY23 | 90% |
| FY24 | 86.9% |
| FY25 | 89.2% |
| FY26 (YTD) | 89.5% |
89.5% in FY26 — has no numeric target set by the City, and it has trended in the wrong direction over the past 3 years of reported data.
Why this is tracked
DOHMH's Bureau of Food Safety and Community Sanitation is mandated to inspect all of the city's roughly 26,000 restaurants annually, along with school cafeterias and mobile food vendors, assigning the letter grades now posted in restaurant windows. Its Division of Environmental Health also investigates childhood lead poisoning cases through home risk assessments and lead testing, part of a broader mandate covering air and water quality, pest control, and occupational health. These functions exist because environmental and food hazards are often invisible until someone is harmed, so routine, unannounced inspection is the mechanism that catches problems early.
NYC Health - Food Establishment Inspections / Restaurant Grades, CDC - New York City Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Success Story
How many New HIV diagnoses are there?
1,791 diagnoses
How many New HIV diagnoses are there?
1,791 diagnoses
* Year to date — this fiscal year isn't complete, so it's not compared against prior years in the target/trend status above.
View as table
| Fiscal year | Actual |
|---|---|
| FY22 | 1,602 diagnoses |
| FY23 | 1,591 diagnoses |
| FY24 | 1,700 diagnoses |
| FY25 | 1,791 diagnoses |
| FY26 (YTD) | Not available |
1,791 diagnoses in FY25 — has no numeric target set by the City, and it has trended in the wrong direction over the past 3 years of reported data.
Why this is tracked
A privately organized 1865 survey of sanitary conditions across Manhattan's wards, prompted by fears of an approaching cholera epidemic, built the public support that led the state legislature to create New York's Metropolitan Board of Health in February 1866 -- the first municipal public health authority in the United States. When cholera arrived that spring, the Board's aggressive house-to-house inspections, quarantines, and sanitation orders kept New York's death toll well below that of other major American cities. DOHMH's modern disease-surveillance and control work is a direct descendant of that founding mission.
Metropolitan Board of Health - Wikipedia, New York Academy of Medicine - Cholera Comes to New York City
What percent of active group child care center initial inspections that do not require a compliance inspection?
85.6%
What percent of active group child care center initial inspections that do not require a compliance inspection?
85.6%
* Year to date — this fiscal year isn't complete, so it's not compared against prior years in the target/trend status above.
View as table
| Fiscal year | Actual |
|---|---|
| FY22 | 81.7% |
| FY23 | 78.6% |
| FY24 | 78.9% |
| FY25 | 82.2% |
| FY26 (YTD) | 85.6% |
85.6% in FY26 — has no numeric target set by the City, and it has trended toward improvement over the past 3 years of reported data.
Why this is tracked
DOHMH's Bureau of Food Safety and Community Sanitation is mandated to inspect all of the city's roughly 26,000 restaurants annually, along with school cafeterias and mobile food vendors, assigning the letter grades now posted in restaurant windows. Its Division of Environmental Health also investigates childhood lead poisoning cases through home risk assessments and lead testing, part of a broader mandate covering air and water quality, pest control, and occupational health. These functions exist because environmental and food hazards are often invisible until someone is harmed, so routine, unannounced inspection is the mechanism that catches problems early.
NYC Health - Food Establishment Inspections / Restaurant Grades, CDC - New York City Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Success Story
How many childhood blood lead levels – number of children younger than age 18 with blood lead levels of 5 micrograms per deciliter or greater are there?
3,289 children
How many childhood blood lead levels – number of children younger than age 18 with blood lead levels of 5 micrograms per deciliter or greater are there?
3,289 children
* Year to date — this fiscal year isn't complete, so it's not compared against prior years in the target/trend status above.
View as table
| Fiscal year | Actual |
|---|---|
| FY22 | 3,036 children |
| FY23 | 3,243 children |
| FY24 | 3,456 children |
| FY25 | 3,289 children |
| FY26 (YTD) | Not available |
3,289 children in FY25 — has no numeric target set by the City, and it has trended in the wrong direction over the past 3 years of reported data.
Why this is tracked
DOHMH's Bureau of Food Safety and Community Sanitation is mandated to inspect all of the city's roughly 26,000 restaurants annually, along with school cafeterias and mobile food vendors, assigning the letter grades now posted in restaurant windows. Its Division of Environmental Health also investigates childhood lead poisoning cases through home risk assessments and lead testing, part of a broader mandate covering air and water quality, pest control, and occupational health. These functions exist because environmental and food hazards are often invisible until someone is harmed, so routine, unannounced inspection is the mechanism that catches problems early.
NYC Health - Food Establishment Inspections / Restaurant Grades, CDC - New York City Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Success Story
What percent of diabetes management among adult New Yorkers?
74.3%
What percent of diabetes management among adult New Yorkers?
74.3%
* Year to date — this fiscal year isn't complete, so it's not compared against prior years in the target/trend status above.
View as table
| Fiscal year | Actual |
|---|---|
| FY22 | 71.8% |
| FY23 | 74% |
| FY24 | 75% |
| FY25 | 74.3% |
| FY26 (YTD) | Not available |
74.3% in FY25 — has no numeric target set by the City, and it has trended toward improvement over the past 3 years of reported data.
Why this is tracked
Under Mayor Bloomberg, NYC's Health Department became a national trendsetter in chronic disease prevention: the 2003 Smoke-Free Air Act banned smoking in bars and restaurants and helped cut the city's smoking rate by more than a quarter within a decade; a 2005 rule made New York the first city to force restaurants to phase out artificial trans fats, a policy the FDA later adopted nationwide; and in 2008 NYC became the first city to require calorie counts on chain restaurant menus. A later attempt to cap sugary-drink sizes was struck down in court, showing the limits of this approach, but the broader strategy of shaping the food and public environment to reduce chronic disease has persisted as a model other cities followed.
CNN - Three Bloomberg policies all of America now lives with, NPR - New York City's Bloomberg Leaves Mixed Results On Health
How many congenital syphilis cases are there?
37 cases — increasing, linked by the Health Department to late or missed prenatal screening
How many congenital syphilis cases are there?
37 cases — increasing, linked by the Health Department to late or missed prenatal screening
* Year to date — this fiscal year isn't complete, so it's not compared against prior years in the target/trend status above.
View as table
| Fiscal year | Actual |
|---|---|
| FY22 | 24 cases |
| FY23 | 21 cases |
| FY24 | 35 cases |
| FY25 | 37 cases |
| FY26 (YTD) | Not available |
Congenital syphilis cases (passed from a pregnant person to their infant) have more than doubled over five years, though the pace of increase slowed in the most recent year. The Health Department reports that more than half of birthing parents whose infants were born with congenital syphilis in 2024 had late or no prenatal screening -- the primary opportunity to catch and treat syphilis during pregnancy -- and that Manhattan saw the largest borough-level rise alongside a drop in prenatal screening rates there.
Researched July 15, 2026 — DOHMH, Fiscal 2025 Mayor's Management Report
Why this is tracked
A privately organized 1865 survey of sanitary conditions across Manhattan's wards, prompted by fears of an approaching cholera epidemic, built the public support that led the state legislature to create New York's Metropolitan Board of Health in February 1866 -- the first municipal public health authority in the United States. When cholera arrived that spring, the Board's aggressive house-to-house inspections, quarantines, and sanitation orders kept New York's death toll well below that of other major American cities. DOHMH's modern disease-surveillance and control work is a direct descendant of that founding mission.
Metropolitan Board of Health - Wikipedia, New York Academy of Medicine - Cholera Comes to New York City
What is the COVID-19 hospitalizations rate?
165.5 — decreasing as population immunity grew and variants became less severe
What is the COVID-19 hospitalizations rate?
165.5 — decreasing as population immunity grew and variants became less severe
* Year to date — this fiscal year isn't complete, so it's not compared against prior years in the target/trend status above.
View as table
| Fiscal year | Actual |
|---|---|
| FY22 | 632.4 |
| FY23 | 602 |
| FY24 | 214.7 |
| FY25 | 165.5 |
| FY26 (YTD) | Not available |
COVID-19 hospitalization rates fell steadily and substantially from 2022 through 2025. The Health Department attributes the decline to growing population immunity from vaccination and prior infection, along with shifts in circulating COVID-19 variants that caused less severe illness.
Researched July 15, 2026 — DOHMH, Fiscal 2025 Mayor's Management Report
Why this is tracked
A privately organized 1865 survey of sanitary conditions across Manhattan's wards, prompted by fears of an approaching cholera epidemic, built the public support that led the state legislature to create New York's Metropolitan Board of Health in February 1866 -- the first municipal public health authority in the United States. When cholera arrived that spring, the Board's aggressive house-to-house inspections, quarantines, and sanitation orders kept New York's death toll well below that of other major American cities. DOHMH's modern disease-surveillance and control work is a direct descendant of that founding mission.
Metropolitan Board of Health - Wikipedia, New York Academy of Medicine - Cholera Comes to New York City
What is the adult heart failure hospitalizations rate?
341.3
What is the adult heart failure hospitalizations rate?
341.3
* Year to date — this fiscal year isn't complete, so it's not compared against prior years in the target/trend status above.
View as table
| Fiscal year | Actual |
|---|---|
| FY22 | 320 |
| FY23 | 323.9 |
| FY24 | 341.3 |
| FY25 | Not available |
| FY26 (YTD) | Not available |
341.3 in FY24 — has no numeric target set by the City, and it has trended toward improvement over the past 2 years of reported data.
Why this is tracked
Under Mayor Bloomberg, NYC's Health Department became a national trendsetter in chronic disease prevention: the 2003 Smoke-Free Air Act banned smoking in bars and restaurants and helped cut the city's smoking rate by more than a quarter within a decade; a 2005 rule made New York the first city to force restaurants to phase out artificial trans fats, a policy the FDA later adopted nationwide; and in 2008 NYC became the first city to require calorie counts on chain restaurant menus. A later attempt to cap sugary-drink sizes was struck down in court, showing the limits of this approach, but the broader strategy of shaping the food and public environment to reduce chronic disease has persisted as a model other cities followed.
CNN - Three Bloomberg policies all of America now lives with, NPR - New York City's Bloomberg Leaves Mixed Results On Health
How many infectious syphilis cases are there?
1,469 cases — decreasing, mirroring a national trend possibly tied to preventive antibiotic use
How many infectious syphilis cases are there?
1,469 cases — decreasing, mirroring a national trend possibly tied to preventive antibiotic use
* Year to date — this fiscal year isn't complete, so it's not compared against prior years in the target/trend status above.
View as table
| Fiscal year | Actual |
|---|---|
| FY22 | 2,236 cases |
| FY23 | 2,310 cases |
| FY24 | 1,762 cases |
| FY25 | 1,469 cases |
| FY26 (YTD) | Not available |
Infectious syphilis cases declined across every gender, race/ethnicity, age group, and borough between 2023 and 2024, echoing a national trend. The Health Department suggests the decrease may be partly linked to growing use of doxy PEP, a preventive antibiotic taken after sex to reduce the risk of certain bacterial STIs including syphilis, though it notes racial and neighborhood disparities in case rates persist.
Researched July 15, 2026 — DOHMH, Fiscal 2025 Mayor's Management Report
Why this is tracked
A privately organized 1865 survey of sanitary conditions across Manhattan's wards, prompted by fears of an approaching cholera epidemic, built the public support that led the state legislature to create New York's Metropolitan Board of Health in February 1866 -- the first municipal public health authority in the United States. When cholera arrived that spring, the Board's aggressive house-to-house inspections, quarantines, and sanitation orders kept New York's death toll well below that of other major American cities. DOHMH's modern disease-surveillance and control work is a direct descendant of that founding mission.
Metropolitan Board of Health - Wikipedia, New York Academy of Medicine - Cholera Comes to New York City