S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   3590
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             January 28, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by M. of A. WOERNER -- read once and referred to the Commit-
   tee on Governmental Operations
 
 AN ACT to amend the executive law, in relation to establishing  a  twen-
   ty-four  hour,  toll-free hotline and website for runaway and homeless
   youth
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Paragraphs (g) and (h) of subdivision 1 of section 532-b of
 the  executive law, as added by section 3 of part M of chapter 56 of the
 laws of 2017, are amended and a new paragraph (i) is added  to  read  as
 follows:
   (g)  contact  the  appropriate local social services district if it is
 believed that the youth may be  a  destitute  child,  as  such  term  is
 defined  in section one thousand ninety-two of the family court act. The
 office of children and family services shall provide  appropriate  guid-
 ance to the runaway and homeless youth crisis services program on how to
 accurately identify a youth that may be a destitute child; [and]
   (h)  provide  information  to  eligible  youth  about their ability to
 re-enter foster care in accordance with  article  ten-B  of  the  family
 court  act,  and  in  appropriate cases, refer any such youth who may be
 interested in re-entering foster care to  the  applicable  local  social
 services  district.  The  office  of  children and family services shall
 provide the runaway and homeless youth crisis services program with  the
 appropriate  educational  materials  to give to eligible youth regarding
 their ability to re-enter foster care. The office of children and family
 services shall also provide appropriate  guidance  to  the  runaway  and
 homeless  youth  crisis  services  program on how to accurately identify
 youth that may be eligible to re-enter foster care and how to refer such
 youth  to   the   applicable   local   social   services   district   if
 appropriate[.]; AND
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD07637-01-5
 A. 3590                             2
              

 
   (I)  ESTABLISH  A  TWENTY-FOUR HOUR, TOLL-FREE HOTLINE AND WEBSITE FOR
 RUNAWAY AND HOMELESS YOUTH THAT SHALL PROVIDE IMMEDIATE SUPPORT,  REFER-
 RALS, RESOURCE LISTS AND OTHER INFORMATION TO SUCH YOUTH, INCLUDING, BUT
 NOT  LIMITED  TO,  THE LOCATION AND PHONE NUMBER OF RELEVANT SERVICES OR
 PROGRAMS  IN  THE  AREA OF THE STATE WHERE THE YOUTH IS LOCATED, SUCH AS
 FOOD  AND  HYGIENE  PANTRIES,  PUBLIC  TRANSPORTATION,  SHELTERS,  YOUTH
 CENTERS,  MENTAL  HEALTH  CLINICS,  SUICIDE  PREVENTION PROGRAMS, GENDER
 IDENTITY COUNSELING, REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH CLINICS, IMMIGRATION  SERVICES,
 VETERAN'S  ASSISTANCE,  DISABILITY SERVICES, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND CRIME
 VICTIMS  SERVICES,  ADDICTION  COUNSELING,  RAPE  AND   SEXUAL   ASSAULT
 PREVENTION  AND  COUNSELING, POLICE STATIONS, MEDICAL CLINICS, AND LEGAL
 AID OFFICES, AS WELL AS INFORMATION ON OBTAINING  LEGAL  IDENTIFICATION.
 THE HOTLINE SHALL PROVIDE LINGUISTIC AND CULTURALLY COMPETENT ADVICE FOR
 HIGH-RISK AND SPECIALIZED POPULATIONS.
   §  2. This act shall take effect one year after it shall have become a
 law.