NY State Senate Bill 2015-S907

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Children And Families Committee

Introduced
- In Committee Assembly
- In Committee Senate
- On Floor Calendar Assembly
- On Floor Calendar Senate
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
Delivered to Governor
Signed By Governor

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Actions

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	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Jan 06, 2016	referred to children and families
Jan 07, 2015	referred to children and families

co-Sponsors

2015-S907 (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A9287
Current Committee:: Senate Children And Families
Law Section:: Social Services Law
Laws Affected:: Add Art 6 Title 1-B §394, Soc Serv L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:: 2009-2010: S5714, A6362
2011-2012: S370, A4337
2013-2014: S1371, A3169
2017-2018: S3725, A3617
2019-2020: A1529
2021-2022: A3371
2023-2024: A3255
2025-2026: A1760

2015-S907 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Establishes the youth in progress advisory board and regional teams for adolescents in foster care to provide mentorship of youths in foster care; requires reporting.

2015-S907 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                BILL NUMBER:S907

TITLE OF BILL:  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

PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:

This bill establishes a statewide youth advisory board for adolescents
in foster care. The board shall be a vehicle for youth advocacy and
input on policies affecting youth in care.

SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:

Section 1, amends article 6 of the social services law by adding a new
title 1-B. Titled Youth In Progress.

A new section 394, paragraph (1), establishes a statewide youth in
progress advisory board comprised of youth age 14 and older, recruited
by local social services departments, authorized agencies serving
adolescents in foster care and the office of children and family
services. These youth must be either currently or were formerly in the
foster care system and must be able to discuss issues, share common
experiences and advocate for the concerns of their peers;

Paragraph (2) and (3), requires the office of children and family

services to create a regional team structure for membership to the
statewide advisory board and create adult mentor partnerships for each
youth member. Outlines youth in progress advisory board membership
composition and meeting requirements;

Paragraph (4)(a)(b), requires the youth in progress advisory board to
create an annual report with recommendations; authorize the office of
children and family services to provide technical assistance to
distribute annual report but prohibit the agency from altering the
report. The commissioner of the office of children and family services
is required to submit to the youth in progress advisory board, at
least sixty days prior to final approval, all non-emergency rules and
regulations for review and recommendations.

§ 2, establishes an effective date of 60 days after becoming law.

JUSTIFICATION:

Unlike California, Massachusetts and New Jersey, New York has no
formal mechanisms to solicit input from foster care youth about
policies affecting their care. For 16 years, foster care youth from
across New York State voiced their opinions and concerns at the Office
of Children and Families Services (OCFS) regional events know as
"speakouts." Former OCFS commissioner John Johnson, visited many of
these speak outs and listened to stories from youth in attendance.  He
too, recognized the need to strengthen and enhance the dialogue with
foster care youth.

In 2003, the Office of Children and Family Services actively sought to
create an opportunity for foster care youth to add their voices to
those of other youth in addressing the issues that impact their lives.


Their new initiative was to develop a statewide foster care youth
leadership advisory team called "Youth In progress" (YIP). This
leadership team was established through the development of a unique
partnership between OCFS and its other affiliates. Together, they
reached out to local districts and voluntary agencies seeking foster
care youth leaders, each with a adult mentor to complete the team.

Today, the YIP team is comprised of youth leaders from each of the six
OCFS mapped regions. They provide input on foster care policies and
services, in order to make targeted improvements in the quality of
care for foster youth.

Since its formation, Youth In progress has made many accomplishments
and contributions that include presentations at the local, regional,
state and national levels on the problems affecting youth in foster
care and identifying possible solutions. The group has hosted and
presented annual workshops at regional foster care youth speak outs.
YIP has also been actively providing training, as co-trainers and
panelists, for OCFS staff. More importantly, many of the youth who
participate on this leadership team, become a part of a valuable focus
group on foster care issues and serve as foster care experts in
various settings across New York State.

This bill builds upon these accomplishments by formally recognizing
the group within the law.

PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

First introduced in 2010;
2011-2012: S.370 - Died in Committee;
2013-2014: S.1371 - Referred to Children and Families Committee, Died
in Finance Committee.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:

No additional cost to state or local governments.

EFFECTIVE DATE:

This act shall take effect 60 days after it shall have become a law.

2015-S907 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

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

                                   907

                       2015-2016 Regular Sessions

                            I N  S E N A T E

                             January 7, 2015
                               ___________

Introduced  by  Sen.  MONTGOMERY  -- read twice and ordered printed, and
  when printed to be committed 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
CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES AND THE COUNCIL ON CHILDREN AND FAMILIES ON

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                           LBD02293-01-5

S. 907                              2

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.

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Senate Bill S907

Sponsored By

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Children And Families Committee

co-Sponsors

2015-S907 (ACTIVE) - Details

2015-S907 (ACTIVE) - Summary

2015-S907 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2015-S907 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments

Senate Bill S907

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Sponsored By

Velmanette Montgomery

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Children And Families Committee

co-Sponsors

Leroy Comrie

Roxanne J. Persaud

2015-S907 (ACTIVE) - Details

2015-S907 (ACTIVE) - Summary

2015-S907 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2015-S907 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments