S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
242
2009-2010 Regular Sessions
I N A S S E M B L Y
(PREFILED)
January 7, 2009
___________
Introduced by M. of A. MAGNARELLI, LUPARDO -- read once and referred to
the Committee on Children and Families
AN ACT to amend the social services law, in relation to establishing
incremental funding for home visiting programs available to children
at risk of child abuse and neglect
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Subdivisions 1, 2 and 3 of section 429 of the social
services law, subdivisions 1 and 2 as amended by chapter 141 of the laws
of 2000 and subdivision 3 as added by chapter 170 of the laws of 1994,
are amended and two new subdivisions 8 and 9 are added to read as
follows:
1. In accordance with a plan developed by the office of children and
family services [and approved by the director of the budget and within
the amounts which the director of the budget determines should be made
available therefor, such office], in conjunction with the department of
health, SUCH OFFICE is authorized to issue grants for home visiting
programs to prevent child abuse and maltreatment, enhance positive
parent child interactions, increase healthy outcomes for families and
empower families to develop and achieve their self-sufficiency goals. To
the extent that federal funds are used to support home visiting
programs, such programs must be operated in accordance with all applica-
ble federal laws and regulations. To the extent possible and appropri-
ate, funding for the home visiting program shall be coordinated with
other available funding to maximize the effective use of federal, state
and local moneys and to promote the program's purposes.
2. Each home visiting program funded under this section shall include,
but not be limited to, the following activities:
(a) providing screening of families in the targeted geographical area
upon the birth of a child and prenatally, if possible;
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD00531-01-9
A. 242 2
(b) engaging those expectant parents and families with an infant
determined to be at risk of child abuse or maltreatment and/or poor
health outcomes to participate in the home visiting program;
(c) providing home visits by nurses or by community workers under the
supervision of a health or social services professional to those at risk
expectant parents and families who choose to participate in the program;
(d) requiring the home visitors to:
(i) assist parents in learning about child development principles;
(ii) assist parents in accessing appropriate preventive health care
for their children and themselves; and
(iii) link the families to other supports and activities in the commu-
nity;
(e) determining the frequency of the home visiting services provided
to each participating family based on the family's needs;
(f) continuing home visits for a particular family MINIMALLY until the
child IS TWO YEARS OF AGE AND UP TO THE TIME THE CHILD enters school or
a head start program, when necessary; and
(g) assisting families to develop and obtain the necessary supports to
achieve their self-sufficiency goals.
3. A request for proposals shall be issued to solicit applications for
home visiting programs. Priority for funding shall be given to appli-
cants from communities identified as high need by such factors as pover-
ty rates, rates of adolescent pregnancy, rates of child abuse and
maltreatment, immunization rates and infant mortality rates AND PRIORITY
SHOULD BE GIVEN TO THOSE COUNTIES WHERE HOME VISITING PROGRAMS ARE NOT
CURRENTLY AVAILABLE.
8. FUNDS SHALL BE MADE AVAILABLE FOR THE PURPOSES OF PROVIDING HOME
VISITING PROGRAMS TO FAMILIES AT RISK OF CHILD ABUSE AND MALTREATMENT.
SUCH FUNDS SHALL BE MADE AVAILABLE AS FOLLOWS: FOR THE YEAR TWO THOUSAND
TEN--TWO THOUSAND ELEVEN, THIRTY-FIVE MILLION TWO HUNDRED THOUSAND
DOLLARS; AND FOR THE YEAR TWO THOUSAND ELEVEN--TWO THOUSAND TWELVE,
FIFTY MILLION TWO HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS.
9. THE OFFICE OF CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES, IN CONSULTATION WITH
THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, SHALL PROVIDE A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN TO THE
GOVERNOR AND LEGISLATURE ON OR BEFORE JANUARY THIRTY-FIRST, TWO THOUSAND
ELEVEN TO IMPLEMENT A SYSTEM OF HOME VISITING PROGRAMS INCLUDING, BUT
NOT LIMITED TO, HEALTHY FAMILIES, NURSE-FAMILY PARTNERSHIP, AND THE
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH'S COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKER PROGRAM TO MEET THE NEEDS
OF ALL HIGH NEED AREAS ACROSS THE STATE.
S 2. This act shall take effect immediately.