What's happening
This bill requires all child abuse reports made by hospital, medical, or law enforcement personnel to be investigated and establishes coordination protocols among hospitals, law enforcement, and child protective services.
Why it matters
Ensures all child abuse reports from hospital, medical, or law enforcement professionals must be investigated. , reducing the risk that serious cases are overlooked due to discretionary screening or miscommunication.
Mandates formal collaboration protocols between hospitals, law enforcement, and child protective services (CPS). , which can lead to more coordinated, efficient, and effective responses to suspected child abuse, minimizing delays or gaps in protecting at-risk children.
Requires standardized procedures for critical actions—such as holding a child in protective custody or discharging a child suspected of being abused. helping to clarify roles and responsibilities, reduce confusion, and ensure children's safety during transitions between agencies.
Improves communication and documentation standards among all parties involved in child protection. , potentially leading to better tracking of cases, increased accountability, and stronger safeguards for vulnerable children.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Investigate All Child Abuse Reports
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
3 Co-sponsors
2 Multi-sponsors
History
- Referred to children and families
- Referred to children and families
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
3610
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 29, 2019
Introduced by M. of A. GUNTHER, MOSLEY, MONTESANO, CROUCH -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. BARCLAY, COOK -- read once and referred to the Committee on Children and Families
AN ACT to amend the social services law, in relation to requiring investigation of all reports of child abuse made by a hospital or medical or law enforcement personnel
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Paragraph (b) of subdivision 2 of section 422 of the social services law, as added by chapter 717 of the laws of 1986, is amended to read as follows:
(b) (i) Any telephone call made by a person required to report cases of suspected child abuse or maltreatment pursuant to section four hundred thirteen of this [chapter] title containing allegations, which if true would constitute child abuse or maltreatment shall constitute a report and shall be immediately transmitted orally or electronically by the department to the appropriate local child protective service for investigation.
(ii) When a telephone call attempting to make a report of child abuse and maltreatment is made by a person required to make such reports pursuant to section four hundred thirteen of this title and such telephone call is received from a physician, registered nurse, hospital personnel engaged in the examination, care or treatment of persons, registered physician's assistant or from a social worker or psychologist; or by a law enforcement official, such telephone call shall, if not otherwise referred pursuant to paragraph (c) of this subdivision, constitute a report and shall be immediately transmitted to the appropriate child protective service for investigation in the manner provided for in subparagraph (i) of this paragraph.
§ 2. Section 424 of the social services law is amended by adding a new subdivision 9-a to read as follows:
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD01092-01-9
A. 3610 2
9-a. establish in cooperation and consultation with hospitals, medical clinics and law enforcement officials within the social services district, procedures and protocols for the cooperation and coordination of child protective services with mandated reporters and medical and law enforcement personnel serving the social services district. Such procedures and protocols shall include but shall not be limited to:
(i) establishment of standardized documentation and procedures by which a hospital may be directed by the child protective service to keep a child in protective custody pursuant to applicable provisions of the family court act and this chapter;
(ii) establishment of procedures for the identification of child protective services workers and the notification to hospitals that such workers are present and conducting investigations or interviews within the hospital;
(iii) coordination with hospitals and where appropriate, law enforcement officials regarding plans for the discharge of children suspected of being abused or maltreated from the hospital, including the responsibilities of the child's parents or guardians to provide medical or other therapeutic or preventive services to the child; and
(iv) establishment of systems of access and communication between hospitals, law enforcement and the child protective service to provide for the consistent and ongoing protection and supervision of children at risk within the district;
§ 3. This act shall take effect on the one hundred twentieth day after it shall have become a law.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.