N.Y. Social Services Law § 352-a: Children born out of wedlock; special provisions

§ 352-a. Children born out of wedlock; special provisions. 1. The

social services official providing family assistance allowances,

pursuant to the provisions of this title, for the benefit of children

born out of wedlock, 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 ascertain who may be the putative father of such child born

out of wedlock, and take appropriate steps to establish the paternity

thereof in accordance with applicable provisions of law;

(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 take such steps and make such efforts to locate any such

parent 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;

(d) to establish cooperative arrangements with the family court,

county attorneys, corporation counsels and other law enforcement

officials, for the establishment of paternity and 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;

(e) to provide pertinent information to such court and law

enforcement officials to enable them to assist in locating putative

fathers and deserting parents of such children, in establishing

paternity 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;

(f) 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 establishment of paternity and for

services they have undertaken on behalf of such official.