§ 532-b. Powers and duties of runaway and homeless youth crisis
services programs. 1. Notwithstanding any other provision of law,
pursuant to regulations of the office of children and family services a
runaway and homeless youth crisis services program is authorized to and
shall:

(a) provide assistance to any runaway or homeless youth or youth in
need of crisis intervention or respite services as defined in this
article;

(b) attempt to determine the cause for the youth's runaway or homeless
status;

(c) explain to the runaway or homeless youth his or her legal rights
and options of service or other assistance available to the youth;

(d) work towards reuniting such youth with his or her parent or
guardian as soon as practicable in accordance with section five hundred
thirty-two-c of this article;

(e) assist in arranging for necessary services for runaway or homeless
youth, and where appropriate, their families, including but not limited
to food, shelter, clothing, medical care, education and individual and
family counseling. Where the runaway and homeless youth crisis services
program concludes that such runaway or homeless youth would be eligible
for assistance, care or services from a local social services district,
it shall assist the youth in securing such assistance, care or services
as the youth is entitled to;

(f) immediately report to the statewide central register of child
abuse and maltreatment or vulnerable persons' central register, as
appropriate, where it has reasonable cause to suspect that the runaway
or homeless youth has been abused or neglected or when such youth
maintains such to be the case;

(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
guidance 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.

2. (a) A runaway youth may remain in a certified residential runaway
and homeless youth crisis services program on a voluntary basis for a
period not to exceed thirty days, or for a youth age fourteen or older
for a period up to sixty days when authorized in the applicable
municipality's approved comprehensive plan, from the date of admission
where the filing of a petition pursuant to article ten of the family
court act is not contemplated, in order that arrangements can be made
for the runaway youth's return home, alternative residential placement
pursuant to section three hundred ninety-eight of the social services
law, or any other suitable plan.

(b) If the runaway youth and the parent, guardian or custodian agree
in writing, the runaway youth may remain in such program up to sixty
days, or up to one hundred twenty days when authorized in the applicable
municipality's approved county comprehensive plan, without the filing of
a petition pursuant to article ten of the family court act, provided
that in any such case the facility shall first have obtained the
approval of the applicable municipal runaway and homeless youth services
coordinator, who shall notify the municipality's youth bureau of his or
her approval together with a statement as to the reason why such
additional residential stay is necessary and a description of the
efforts being made to find suitable alternative living arrangements for
such youth.

(c) A runaway youth may remain in a certified residential runaway and
homeless youth crisis services program beyond the applicable period
authorized by paragraph (a) or (b) of this subdivision, if the
municipality has notified the office of children and family services in
accordance with clause (iv) of subparagraph three of paragraph a of
subdivision two of section four hundred twenty of this chapter.