NY State Senate Bill 2023-S7819

Senate Bill S7819

2023-2024 Legislative Session

Authorizes and directs the office of children and family services to conduct a study on the family assessment response program

download bill text pdf

Current 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

View Actions

	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Jan 03, 2024	referred to children and families
Dec 20, 2023	referred to rules

2023-S7819 (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A8341
Current Committee:: Senate Children And Families
Law Section:: Children
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:: 2019-2020: S5827, A7855
2021-2022: S107, A5242

2023-S7819 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Authorizes and directs the office of children and family services to conduct a study on the family assessment response program; provides for the repeal of such provisions upon expiration thereof.

2023-S7819 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S7819

SPONSOR: PERSAUD
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act authorizing and directing the office of children and family
services to conduct a study on the family assessment response program;
and providing for the repeal of such provisions upon expiration thereof

 
PURPOSE:

This bill seeks to study the family assessment response program in order
to determine if it is working as designed, and if the program can be
improved.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1 of the bill authorizes and directs the office of children and
family services, in conjunction with the inspector general, to conduct a
study on the family assessment response program.

Section 2 of the bill directs the office of children and family

services, in conjunction with the inspector general, to publish a report
containing the findings of the study. Such report shall be delivered to
the governor, the temporary president of the senate, and the speaker of
the assembly no later than one year after the effective date of this
act.

Section 3 of the bill sets the effective date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

Family Assessment Response (FAR) is New York State's alternative Child
Protective response to some reports of child maltreatment. New York
State enacted FAR enabling legislation in 2007, and made it permanent in
2011. FAR does not require an investigation and determination of allega-
tions and individual culpability for families reported to the SCR. The
vast majority of reports received by CPS are for some form of maltreat-
ment, not abuse. Most of these families are not found to have maltreated
their children and want the best for their children, but sometimes
require assistance to provide a lifestyle conducive to this. It is an
alternative approach to providing protection to children by engaging
families in an assessment of child safety and of family needs, in find-
ing solutions to family problems and in identifying informal and formal
supports to meet their needs and increase their ability to care for
their children.

However, varying levels of success of the FAR program exist across the
state, In Monroe County, they suspended the program after a review of
the program, which had been precipitated by a death of a child in a
family being served by FAR. In 2013, Erie County suspended its FAR
program, because the program was found to be "seriously flawed." Yet in
NYC, the program has expanded citywide.

While the FAR program is the right direction for the future of CPS
investigations, it seems clear the program could benefit greatly from an
expert review, in order to make it work as best as possible for all the
people across the state of New York.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

2021-22: S.107 - Referred to Children and Families

2019-20: S.5827 - Referred to Children and Families

 
FISCAL IMPACT ON THE STATE:

To be determined.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately and shall expire and be deemed
repealed two years after such effective date.

2023-S7819 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   7819
 
                        2023-2024 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             December 20, 2023
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen. PERSAUD -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Rules
 
 AN ACT authorizing and directing  the  office  of  children  and  family
   services to conduct a study on the family assessment response program;
   and providing for the repeal of such provisions upon expiration there-
   of

   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. The office of children and family services, in  conjunction
 with  the  inspector  general,  is  authorized and directed to conduct a
 study on the family assessment response program. Such study shall:
   (a) determine if the program is accomplishing the  program's  intended
 goals;
   (b) determine if the program is being operated as designed;
   (c) identify areas where the program can be improved;
   (d)  suggest changes to the program to improve areas where the program
 needs improvement;
   (e) specify why certain areas of the program require changes;
   (f) identify if the application  and/or  approval  process  localities
 utilize for approval of family assessment response program plans require
 updates or modifications;
   (g)  determine  if  the  program  is worth expanding across the state,
 making the program either an opt-out or mandatory program;
   (h) examine the potential mandated expansion of the family  assessment
 response  program  in  the state of New York, including, but not limited
 to:
   (i) how has the program worked in localities which have  adopted  such
 family  assessment  response  program  via  application  approved by the
 office of children and family services;
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD02631-03-3
 S. 7819                             2

   (ii) the frequency with  which  child  protective  services'  investi-
 gations  are  initiated  into  a familial unit within six months of such
 familial unit completing a family assessment response case; and
   (iii)  the percentage of children alleged to be maltreated in a family
 assessment response case who are later determined to be maltreated in  a
 subsequent child protective services' investigation within six months of
 the closure of such family assessment response case; and
   (i)  study anything else the office of children and family services or
 the inspector general determines necessary to determine  if  the  family
 assessment  response  program  is  working  as  designed,  if  it can be
 improved, and if it is worth expanding and/or mandating state-wide.
   § 2. The office of children and family services, in  conjunction  with
 the inspector general, shall publish a report containing the findings of
 the study. Such report shall be delivered to the governor, the temporary
 president  of  the senate, and the speaker of the assembly no later than
 one year after the effective date of this act.
   § 3. This act shall take effect immediately and shall  expire  and  be
 deemed repealed two years after such effective date.

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