§ 352. Deserted or abandoned children; special provisions. 1. A
social services official who makes a family assistance allowance for the
benefit of a child who has been abandoned or deserted by a parent shall
promptly give notice thereof to the appropriate district attorney where
there is reason to believe such parent may have violated the provisions
of section 260.00 of the penal law.

2. The social services official providing family assistance allowances
pursuant to the provisions of this title, for the benefit of a child who
has an absent parent, shall have and shall perform the following duties
and powers in addition to others imposed or conferred upon him or her by
or pursuant to other provisions of this chapter or other law:

(a) to take such steps and make such efforts to locate any parent of
such child whose whereabouts are unknown to such official as all
available means will allow; such means shall include, and there shall be
utilization of, appropriate services offered by the department, by
agencies of other states and by the federal government;

(b) to determine the ability and potential ability of the parents of
each such child to support or to contribute to the support of such
child;

(c) to establish cooperative arrangements with the family court,
county attorneys, corporation counsels and other law enforcement
officials, for the location of missing parents of such children and for
the enforcement of their obligations to support or contribute to support
of such children to the extent of their ability;

(d) to provide pertinent information to such court and law
enforcement officials to enable them to assist in locating absent
parents of such children and in securing support payments therefrom,
provided that there is an agreement between such social services
official and such court and such law enforcement officials insuring that
such information will be used only for the purpose intended;

(e) to reimburse, to the extent that state and federal requirements
authorize or require, appropriate courts and law enforcement officials
for activities related to the requirements of this chapter and the
family court act with respect to enforcement of support obligations and
for services they have undertaken on behalf of such official.

3. For purposes of this section, "absent parent" shall mean any
person who is legally responsible for a spouse or child, who is absent
from the household, whether such person's location is known or unknown,
and fails to provide for the support of such spouse or child.