S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
       ________________________________________________________________________
                                         1167
                              2011-2012 Regular Sessions
                                 I N  A S S E M B L Y
                                      (PREFILED)
                                    January 5, 2011
                                      ___________
       Introduced  by  M.  of  A. CLARK, SCARBOROUGH, ROBINSON -- read once and
         referred to the Committee on Children and Families
       AN ACT to amend the social services law and the domestic relations  law,
         in  relation to the provision of information on post-adoption services
         to adoptive parents
         THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
       BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
    1    Section  1.  Section  372-b  of  the social services law is amended by
    2  adding a new subdivision 4 to read as follows:
    3     4. A. EACH LOCAL SOCIAL  SERVICES  DISTRICT  SHALL  CREATE  AND  KEEP
    4  CURRENT  A  RESOURCE GUIDE DESCRIBING AVAILABLE LOCAL, AND TO THE EXTENT
    5  PRACTICABLE, REGIONAL POST-ADOPTION SERVICES, WHETHER PROVIDED  DIRECTLY
    6  BY THE DISTRICT OR BY A NON-GOVERNMENTAL ENTITY, INCLUDING A DESCRIPTION
    7  OF  SERVICES,  LOCATION  AND  CONTACT  INFORMATION  FOR  EACH APPLICABLE
    8  SERVICE PROVIDER, NOTING THAT THE DISTRICT IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR  COSTS
    9  THAT  THEY  WOULD  NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDE. SUCH SERVICES MAY INCLUDE, BUT
   10  SHALL NOT BE LIMITED TO, RESPITE,  COUNSELING,  MENTAL  HEALTH,  SUPPORT
   11  GROUPS  AND  OTHER  SERVICES  THE DISTRICT DEEMS APPROPRIATE IN ORDER TO
   12  FOSTER AND MAINTAIN PERMANENCY. SUCH RESOURCE GUIDE SHALL BE PROVIDED TO
   13  ADOPTIVE PARENTS IN THE APPLICABLE FAMILY COURT DURING, OR PRIOR TO, THE
   14  FINAL ADOPTION PROCEEDING.
   15    B. THE RESOURCE GUIDE SHALL BE MADE AVAILABLE TO THE FAMILY  COURT  BY
   16  MEANS  INCLUDED  BUT  NOT  LIMITED TO E-MAIL, FAX, OR HARD COPY SO AS TO
   17  GUARANTEE THAT THE FAMILY COURT WILL HAVE CONTINUED ACCESS TO SUCH DOCU-
   18  MENT AND THE FINALIZATION OF THE ADOPTION WILL NOT BE IMPEDED.
   19    S 2. Section 112 of the domestic relations law is amended by adding  a
   20  new subdivision 9 to read as follows:
   21    9.  THE RULES OF THE COURT SHALL REQUIRE THAT PRIOR TO THE GRANTING OF
   22  THE ORDER OF ADOPTION, THE PRESIDING JUDGE  OR  SURROGATE  SHALL  ENSURE
   23  THAT  THE  ADOPTIVE  PARENT  OR PARENTS HAVE RECEIVED INFORMATION ON THE
        EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                             [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                  LBD01552-02-1
       A. 1167                             2
    1  AVAILABILITY AND LOCATION OF POST-ADOPTION SERVICES IN  ACCORDANCE  WITH
    2  SECTION THREE HUNDRED SEVENTY-TWO-B OF THE SOCIAL SERVICES LAW.  FAILURE
    3  TO  PROVIDE  THE RESOURCE GUIDE SHALL NOT DELAY THE PROCEEDING OR AFFECT
    4  THE VALIDITY OF THE ADOPTION.
    5    S  3. Section 115 of the domestic relations law is amended by adding a
    6  new subdivision 14 to read as follows:
    7    14. THE RULES OF THE COURT SHALL REQUIRE THAT PRIOR TO THE GRANTING OF
    8  THE ORDER OF ADOPTION, THE PRESIDING JUDGE  OR  SURROGATE  SHALL  ENSURE
    9  THAT  THE  ADOPTIVE  PARENT  OR PARENTS HAVE RECEIVED INFORMATION ON THE
   10  AVAILABILITY AND LOCATION OF POST-ADOPTION SERVICES IN  ACCORDANCE  WITH
   11  SECTION THREE HUNDRED SEVENTY-TWO-B OF THE SOCIAL SERVICES LAW.  FAILURE
   12  TO  PROVIDE  THE RESOURCE GUIDE SHALL NOT DELAY THE PROCEEDING OR AFFECT
   13  THE VALIDITY OF THE ADOPTION.
   14    S 4. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day  after  it  shall
   15  have become a law.