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“If you’re out hiking with your family or working on your farm and you get a tick bite, you should be able to get your hands on the tools you need to determine your level of risk and figure out your next steps,” said Maloney, who represents parts of Northern Westchester, Putnam, Dutchess and Orange counties. “This pilot program will help states like New York bring our public outreach and education into the 21st century and give our people some peace of mind when they’re out enjoying nature.”
The Tick Identification Pilot Program Act of 2017 works to educate the public on tick-bite prevention methods, engage the public on tick-borne illnesses to improve public health outcomes and collect data on tick populations as well as the frequency, seasonality, and geographic locations of tick encounters and/or bites.
The legislation would establish a pilot grant program under the CDC allowing states to apply for grants to establish tick identification programs. The tick identification programs would allow individuals to send pictures of ticks they encounter to a vector-borne biologist who would identify the tick and respond to the individual with information about the type of tick and what to do next.
Congressmen Eliot Engel (D-The Bronx) and John Faso (R-Kinderhook) are among the co-sponsors.
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