N.Y. Social Services Law § 352: Deserted or abandoned children; special provisions

§ 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.