NY State Senate Bill 2021-S6264

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Social Services 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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	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Jan 05, 2022	referred to social services
Apr 19, 2021	referred to social services

2021-S6264 (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A3873
Current Committee:: Senate Social Services
Law Section:: Social Services Law
Laws Affected:: Amd §§20-a, 153-k & 421, Soc Serv L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:: 2019-2020: A8761
2023-2024: A3446

2021-S6264 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Relates to the caseloads of preventative services caseworkers.

2021-S6264 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                
 
BILL NUMBER: S6264

SPONSOR: RYAN
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the social services law, in relation to caseload stand-
ards for preventative services caseworkers

 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:

To establish a caseload standard for preventative services caseworkers
within local departments of social services.

 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:

Section one of this bill amends section 20-a of the Social Services Law
to provide that such section will not apply to any regulations estab-
lishing caseload standards promulgated pursuant to section 421 (c) of
the Social Services Law.

Section two of this bill amends 153-k of the social services law to

require the state to pay for 100% of costs associated with compliance of
this provision, however, counties must maintain last year's level of
preventative services funding.

Section three of this bill amends section 421 of the Social Services Law
by adding a new subdivision 9 to create caseload standards for local
social service district preventative services caseworkers of no more
than 12 families per full-time caseworker.

Section four of this bill provides that this act shall take effect on
the seven hundred thirtieth day after it shall have become a law.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

In 2006, the Legislature required the Office of Children and Family
Services (OCFS) to commission a report to determine best practices for
caseloads for child protective services, preventative services, and
foster care services employees within local departments of social
services. While the report recommended optimal levels, no law has ever
been enacted to implement these recommendations. Based on this report
and other best practice data from across the country, this legislation
would require OCFS to issue a regulation that would limit caseloads for
full-time preventative service employees within local social service
districts to no more than 12 families.

Data continuously shows that lower caseloads for employees leads to
better outcomes for the children and family they are interacting with as
well as better outcomes for the workforce. Lower caseloads allow a case-
worker to spend more time on each case, provide better assistance to
youths and their families. In addition, it has been shown that high
caseloads are the top preventable reason for the voluntary resignation
of caseworkers in social service departments. This legislation will help
alleviate some of the stress that these caseworkers face on a daily
basis while ensuring families and youths in their care receive the time
and attention that they need.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

None.

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

To be determined.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the seven hundred thirtieth day after it
shall have become a law.

2021-S6264 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                            
 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   6264
 
                        2021-2022 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                              April 19, 2021
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  RYAN  --  read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Social Services
 
 AN ACT to amend the social services law, in relation to caseload  stand-
   ards for preventative services caseworkers
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Section 20-a of the social services law, as added by  chap-
 ter 107 of the laws of 1971, is amended to read as follows:
   § 20-a.  Local personnel; limitations on department's power.  Notwith-
 standing  any  inconsistent  provision  of  this chapter, the board, the
 commissioner or the department, acting singly or in  unison,  shall  not
 have  the  power,  directly  or  indirectly  to  prescribe the number of
 persons to be employed in any social  services  district  providing  the
 district  complies  with the minimum federal standards relating thereto.
 PROVIDED, HOWEVER, THAT THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION SHALL  NOT  APPLY
 TO  THE REGULATIONS OF THE OFFICE OF CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES ESTAB-
 LISHING CASELOAD  STANDARDS  FOR  PREVENTATIVE  CASE  PLANNING  SERVICES
 PROMULGATED  PURSUANT  TO SUBDIVISION NINE OF SECTION FOUR HUNDRED TWEN-
 TY-ONE OF THIS CHAPTER.
   § 2. Paragraph (a) of subdivision 1 of section  153-k  of  the  social
 services law, as added by section 15 of part C of chapter 83 of the laws
 of 2002, is amended to read as follows:
   (a)  Expenditures  made by social services districts for child protec-
 tive services, preventive services provided, as applicable, to  eligible
 children  and  families  of  children  who are in and out of foster care
 placement, independent living services, aftercare services, and adoption
 administration and  services  other  than  adoption  subsidies  provided
 pursuant  to  article  six  of  this  chapter and the regulations of the
 department of family assistance shall, if  approved  by  the  office  of
 children  and  family  services,  be subject to sixty-five percent state
 reimbursement exclusive of any federal funds  made  available  for  such
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.

                                                            LBD07492-01-1

 S. 6264                             2
 
 purposes,  in accordance with the directives of the department of family
 assistance and subject to the approval of the director  of  the  budget.
 PROVIDED  HOWEVER,  FOR  REQUIREMENTS  PRESCRIBED IN SUBDIVISION NINE OF
 SECTION FOUR HUNDRED TWENTY-ONE OF THIS CHAPTER, SUCH EXPENDITURES SHALL
 BE  SUBJECT  TO  ONE  HUNDRED PERCENT STATE REIMBURSEMENT, PROVIDED THAT
 LOCAL  SOCIAL  SERVICES  DISTRICTS  CONTINUE  TO  MAINTAIN  EXPENDITURES
 RELATED  TO  PREVENTATIVE  CASE PLANNING SERVICES AT A LEVEL EQUAL TO OR
 GREATER THAN EXPENDITURES FOR SUCH ACTIVITY DURING THE FISCAL YEAR IMME-
 DIATELY PRIOR TO THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THE CHAPTER OF THE  LAWS  OF  TWO
 THOUSAND TWENTY-ONE WHICH AMENDED THIS PARAGRAPH.
   § 3. Section 421 of the social services law is amended by adding a new
 subdivision 9 to read as follows:
   9.  PROMULGATE  REGULATIONS IN CONSULTATION WITH LOCAL SOCIAL SERVICES
 DISTRICTS, RELATING TO CASELOAD STANDARDS FOR PREVENTATIVE CASE PLANNING
 SERVICES. SUCH STANDARDS SHALL BE NO MORE THAN TWELVE FAMILIES PER FULL-
 TIME PREVENTATIVE CASE PLANNING SERVICES CASEWORKER PER MONTH.   NOTHING
 IN  THIS  SUBDIVISION  SHALL  BE  CONSTRUED  TO PROHIBIT THE OFFICE FROM
 PRESCRIBING LOCAL SOCIAL SERVICES DISTRICTS FROM  ESTABLISHING  CASELOAD
 GUIDELINES THAT ARE LESS THAN WHAT IS REQUIRED IN THIS SUBDIVISION.
   § 4. This act shall take effect two years after it shall have become a
 law;  provided,  however  that  the  amendments  to section 153-k of the
 social services law made by section two of this act shall not affect the
 repeal of such section and shall be deemed repealed therewith.

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Senate Bill S6264

Sponsored By

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Social Services Committee

2021-S6264 (ACTIVE) - Details

2021-S6264 (ACTIVE) - Summary

2021-S6264 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2021-S6264 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments

Senate Bill S6264

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Sponsored By

Sean M. Ryan

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Social Services Committee

2021-S6264 (ACTIVE) - Details

2021-S6264 (ACTIVE) - Summary

2021-S6264 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2021-S6264 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments