N.Y. Executive Law § 532-b: Powers and duties of runaway and homeless youth crisis services programs

§ 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.