S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________

                                  6362

                       2009-2010 Regular Sessions

                          I N  A S S E M B L Y

                              March 2, 2009
                               ___________

Introduced by M. of A. SCARBOROUGH, N. RIVERA, JAFFEE -- Multi-Sponsored
  by  --  M. of A.  GREENE -- read once and referred to the Committee on
  Children and Families

AN ACT to amend the social services law, in relation to establishing the
  youth in progress advisory board and regional teams for adolescents in
  foster care for the state

  THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  Section 1. Article 6 of the social services law is amended by adding a
new title 1-B to read as follows:

                                TITLE 1-B
                            YOUTH IN PROGRESS

SECTION 394. YOUTH IN PROGRESS.
  S 394. YOUTH IN PROGRESS.  1. THE YOUTH IN PROGRESS STATEWIDE ADVISORY
BOARD  IS HEREBY ESTABLISHED FOR THE PURPOSES OF BRINGING TOGETHER YOUTH
AGE FOURTEEN AND OLDER WHO ARE OR HAVE BEEN IN FOSTER CARE IN  ORDER  TO
DISCUSS  COMMON  EXPERIENCES,  IDEAS  AND  CONCERNS.  THE  LOCAL  SOCIAL
SERVICES DEPARTMENTS, AUTHORIZED AGENCIES SERVING ADOLESCENTS IN  FOSTER
CARE, THE OFFICE OF CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES, AND CONTRACTORS OF THE
OFFICE  MAY  RECRUIT  APPROPRIATE  YOUTH  TO PARTICIPATE IN THE YOUTH IN
PROGRESS ADVISORY BOARD AND REGIONAL TEAMS ON A VOLUNTARY BASIS.
  2. THE OFFICE OF CHILDREN AND FAMILY  SERVICES  SHALL  FACILITATE  THE
FORMATION  OF REGIONAL YOUTH IN PROGRESS TEAMS AND ASSIST IN IDENTIFYING
AN ADULT MENTOR FOR EACH  YOUTH  TEAM  MEMBER.  THE  REGIONAL  YOUTH  IN
PROGRESS TEAMS AND ADULT MENTORS SHALL MEET ON A REGULAR BASIS AND SHALL
CONDUCT  PERIODIC  REGIONAL FORUMS FOR FOSTER CARE YOUTH TO SPEAK OUT ON
ISSUES OF INTEREST TO ADOLESCENTS IN FOSTER CARE.
  3. THE YOUTH IN PROGRESS STATEWIDE ADVISORY  BOARD,  SHALL  INCLUDE  A
REPRESENTATIVE  FROM  THE  REGIONAL TEAMS THAT WILL ADVISE THE OFFICE OF

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                           LBD04459-01-9
              

A. 6362                             2

CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES AND THE COUNCIL ON CHILDREN AND FAMILIES ON
ISSUES RELATING TO FOSTER CARE. IN EACH OF THE SIX  OFFICE  OF  CHILDREN
AND FAMILY SERVICES REGIONS THE YOUTH IN PROGRESS REGIONAL TEAM OR TEAMS
SHALL  NOMINATE  UP  TO  FOUR  YOUTH  MEMBERS AND THEIR ADULT MENTORS TO
PARTICIPATE IN THE STATEWIDE YOUTH IN PROGRESS ADVISORY BOARD. IN  ADDI-
TION,  FOUR  YOUTH CURRENTLY OR FORMERLY PLACED WITH THE OFFICE OF CHIL-
DREN AND FAMILY SERVICES' DIVISION OF JUVENILE JUSTICE AND OPPORTUNITIES
FOR YOUTH SHALL BE SELECTED BY THE MEMBERS OF  THE  STATEWIDE  YOUTH  IN
PROGRESS  ADVISORY  BOARD, TO BE MEMBERS OF THE ADVISORY BOARD'S MEMBER-
SHIP. THE STATEWIDE YOUTH IN PROGRESS ADVISORY BOARD SHALL  HAVE  UP  TO
TWENTY-EIGHT YOUTH PARTICIPANTS AND SHALL MEET AT LEAST THREE TIMES EACH
YEAR.
  4.  (A)  THE  STATEWIDE  YOUTH  IN  PROGRESS BOARD MAY ISSUE AN ANNUAL
REPORT WITH ITS RECOMMENDATIONS ON ISSUES OF INTEREST TO ADOLESCENTS  IN
FOSTER  CARE. THE REPORT MAY INCLUDE OTHER INFORMATION ON THE ACTIVITIES
OF THE YOUTH IN PROGRESS  BOARD.  THE  OFFICE  OF  CHILDREN  AND  FAMILY
SERVICES  SHALL  PROVIDE  TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO THE STATEWIDE YOUTH IN
PROGRESS BOARD,  INCLUDING  DISTRIBUTION  OF  THE  ANNUAL  REPORT.  SUCH
REPORTS SHALL BE MADE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC AND SHALL BE SUBMITTED TO:
THE  GOVERNOR,  THE LEGISLATURE, THE DIRECTOR OF THE COUNCIL ON CHILDREN
AND FAMILIES, AND THE MEMBER AGENCIES OF THE  COUNCIL  ON  CHILDREN  AND
FAMILIES.  THE  CONTENTS OF THE YOUTH IN PROGRESS ANNUAL REPORT SHALL BE
SOLELY THE WORK PRODUCT OF THE YOUTH IN PROGRESS BOARD AND ITS  MEMBERS,
AND  SHALL NOT BE REVISED OR EDITED BY THE OFFICE OF CHILDREN AND FAMILY
SERVICES.
  (B) AT LEAST SIXTY DAYS PRIOR TO THE COMMISSIONER  OF  THE  OFFICE  OF
CHILDREN  AND  FAMILY  SERVICES  FINAL APPROVAL OF RULES AND REGULATIONS
PERTAINING TO FOSTER CARE OR SERVICES FOR ADOLESCENTS WHO  ARE  OR  HAVE
BEEN  IN  FOSTER  CARE,  OTHER THAN EMERGENCY RULES AND REGULATIONS, THE
COMMISSIONER SHALL SUBMIT THE PROPOSED  RULES  AND  REGULATIONS  TO  THE
STATEWIDE  YOUTH  IN  PROGRESS  ADVISORY BOARD FOR REVIEW. THE STATEWIDE
YOUTH IN PROGRESS BOARD MAY REPORT ITS RECOMMENDATIONS  THEREON  TO  THE
COMMISSIONER  OF THE OFFICE OF CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES WITHIN SIXTY
DAYS.
  S 2. This act shall take effect on the sixtieth  day  after  it  shall
have become a law.