Relates to transmitting the history of record of all previous reports and previous calls to the central registry to the local CPS for investigation

2 Co-sponsors

• Martin J. Golden
• Timothy M. Kennedy

BILL NUMBER:S7043

Title of bill

An act to amend the social services law, in relation to transmitting the history of record of all previous reports and previous calls to the central register to the appropriate local child protective services for investigation

Purpose

This bill would require the Office of Children and Family Services to transmit, with the allegation of child abuse or neglect, all previous reports and calls to the central register involving the subject of the report and children named in the report.

Summary of provisions

Section 1 amends paragraph (a) of subdivision 2 of section 422 of the Social Services Law to require the Office of Children and Family Services to transmit all previous reports and calls involving the subject of the report and children named in the report to the local child protective services agency when it transmits a new report of child abuse and maltreatment to that agency for investigation.

Section 2 sets the effective date.

Justification

Local child protective services agencies are required to investigate calls placed to the central register that contain an allegation which could reasonably constitute a report of child abuse or maltreatment. In order to investigate the case, child protective workers must review the history of reports made to the central register involving the subject of the report and children named in the report. Currently, local child protective services agencies must request information from other child protective agencies because they do not have access to full records outside of their jurisdiction. The Office of Children and Family Services, however, has access to all records in New York State. This bill would require the Office of Children and Family Services to provide all records involving the subject of the report and children named in the report to the local child protective services agency that is investigating the case. Providing these records to the agency will ensure that they have the necessary information to protect children at the start of the investigation and will allow workers to spend less time on paperwork and more time in the field.

This bill also requires the Office of Children and Family Services to provide all previous phone calls placed to the central register involving the subject of the report and children named in the report to the local child protective services agency that is investigating the case. Often, calls placed to the central register are not transmitted to the local child protective services agency because they did not contain an allegation which could reasonably constitute a report of child abuse or maltreatment. However, these phone calls could help the local child protective services agency provide a more thorough investigation, access additional contacts that they may not otherwise have, or prompt the agency to ask the subject of the report

or children named in the report questions that they may not have otherwise asked.

Legislative history

New bill.

Fiscal implications

Minimal.

Effective date

This act shall take effect on the first of April next succeeding the date on which it shall have become a law.