What's happening
This bill increases the state reimbursement rate for preventative child protective services from 65% to 75%.
Why it matters
Increases local funding capacity for prevention. By raising the state’s reimbursement rate, counties and cities may be more willing and able to invest in preventive child protective services, potentially expanding the reach and quality of support for at-risk families before crises escalate.
Potential for reduced foster care placements. More robust funding for prevention might help keep more children safely with their families, lowering the need for foster care—which is often more costly and disruptive for children.
Shifts financial burden from local to state government. This change decreases the proportion of costs that local governments must cover, possibly alleviating budget pressures at the county level but increasing the state’s fiscal responsibility.
Signals a policy emphasis on prevention. By prioritizing preventive services, the law reflects a broader shift in child welfare policy toward early intervention, which research suggests is more effective and humane than responding only after harm occurs.
Albany, before your first meeting.
Every bill that moved yesterday, summarized in a sentence and ranked by impact. The Albany Scorecard follows on Sundays.
Free. Unsubscribe in one click. Want alerts on specific bills? Create an account.
Who cares
Headline styles
Boost Child Protection Funding
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
History
- Referred to ways and means
- Reported referred to ways and means
- Referred to children and families
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
487
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY (Prefiled)
January 8, 2025
Introduced by M. of A. HEVESI, SHIMSKY, DE LOS SANTOS, RAGA -- read once and referred to the Committee on Children and Families
AN ACT to amend the social services law, in relation to increasing the state reimbursement rate for preventative child protective services
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Paragraph (a) of subdivision 1 of section 153-k of the social services law, as added by section 15 of part C of chapter 83 of the laws of 2002, is amended to read as follows:
(a) Expenditures made by social services districts for child protective services, preventive services provided, as applicable, to eligible children and families of children who are in and out of foster care placement, independent living services, aftercare services, and adoption administration and services other than adoption subsidies provided pursuant to article six of this chapter and the regulations of the department of family assistance shall, if approved by the office of children and family services, be subject to [sixty-five] seventy-five percent state reimbursement exclusive of any federal funds made available for such purposes, in accordance with the directives of the department of family assistance and subject to the approval of the director of the budget.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately; provided, however, that the amendments to paragraph (a) of subdivision 1 of section 153-k of the social services law made by section one of this act shall not affect the repeal of such section and shall be deemed repealed therewith.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD01520-01-5
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.