§ 110-a. Special provisions for legal services to enforce support to
recover costs of public assistance and care and to establish paternity.
1. Any inconsistent provision of law notwithstanding, the appropriating
body of a social services district may authorize and make provision for
the social services commissioner of such district to obtain: (a)
necessary legal services on a fee for service basis or other appropriate
basis which the department may approve, to obtain support from spouses
and parents, to recover costs of public assistance and care granted, to
establish paternity, and to initiate and prosecute proceedings for the
commitment of the guardianship and custody of destitute or dependent
children to authorized agencies, pursuant to the provisions of this
chapter and the domestic relations law, the family court act and other
laws, and (b) necessary services of private investigators, licensed
pursuant to section seventy of the general business law, on a fee for
service or other appropriate basis which the department may approve, to
provide investigative assistance in efforts of the district to locate
absent parents and fathers of children born out of wedlock.

2. Expenditures made by a social services district for the costs of
such services shall be subject to reimbursement by the state pursuant to
the provisions of section one hundred fifty-three or other appropriate
provisions of this chapter.