S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
7296
2015-2016 Regular Sessions
I N A S S E M B L Y
May 4, 2015
___________
Introduced by M. of A. CLARK -- read once and referred to the Committee
on Children and Families
AN ACT to direct the office of children and family services to study
current policies regarding placement of children in kinship care to
avoid foster care placements and make recommendations for regulations
governing kinship care placements
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
1 Section 1. The office of children and family services shall examine,
2 evaluate and review current policies governing facilitation of placement
3 of children in kinship care to avoid foster care placements in the state
4 and shall develop recommendations for regulations governing kinship care
5 placements, which shall include recommendations related to:
6 (a) a description of the rights and responsibilities of local boards,
7 birth parents, and kinship caregivers;
8 (b) a process for the facilitation of placement or transfer of custo-
9 dy;
10 (c) a model disclosure letter to be provided to the parents and poten-
11 tial kinship caregivers, including information about the differences
12 between kinship care and kinship foster care, the impact of transferring
13 custody from the birth parent to the kinship caregiver, the birth
14 parent's role following transfer, and the plan requirements for custody
15 to be returned to the birth parent;
16 (d) a process for developing a safety or service plan for the family,
17 which shall include gathering input from birth parents, potential
18 kinship caregivers, and other community and family supports;
19 (e) a description of funding sources available to support safety or
20 service plans;
21 (f) a process for gathering and reporting data regarding the well-be-
22 ing and permanency of children in kinship care; and
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD10700-01-5
A. 7296 2
1 (g) a description of the training plan for local department of social
2 services workers.
3 S 2. The office of children and family services shall also review the
4 fiscal impact of proposed regulations.
5 S 3. The office of children and family services shall report its
6 recommendations and findings to the governor, the temporary president of
7 the senate, the speaker of the assembly, the minority leader of the
8 senate and the minority leader of the assembly by January 1, 2016.
9 S 4. This act shall take effect immediately.