NY State Senate Bill 2009-S5714

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Finance Committee

Introduced
- In Committee Assembly
- In Committee Senate
- On Floor Calendar Assembly
- On Floor Calendar Senate
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
Delivered to Governor
Signed By Governor

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Actions

View Actions

	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Feb 02, 2010	reported and committed to finance
Jan 06, 2010	referred to children and families
Jun 01, 2009	referred to children and families

Votes

- Feb 2, 2010 - Children And Families Committee Vote
  S5714
  
  5
  
  Aye
  
  0
  
  Nay
  
  1
  
  Aye with Reservations
  
  0
  
  Absent
  
  0
  
  Excused
  
  0
  
  Abstained
  - - Children And Families Committee Vote: Feb 2, 2010
      
      aye (5)
      
      Duane
      
      Huntley
      
      McDonald
      
      Montgomery
      
      Schneiderman
      
      aye wr (1)
      
      Marcellino

2009-S5714 (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A6362
Current Committee:: Senate Finance
Law Section:: Social Services Law
Laws Affected:: Add Art 6 Title 1-B §394, Soc Serv L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:: 2011-2012: S370, A4337
2013-2014: S1371, A3169
2015-2016: S907, A3977, A9287
2017-2018: S3725, A3617
2019-2020: A1529
2021-2022: A3371
2023-2024: A3255

2009-S5714 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Establishes the youth in progress advisory board and regional teams for adolescents in foster care to provide mentorship of youths in foster care; requires reporting.

2009-S5714 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                 BILL NUMBER:  S5714

 TITLE OF BILL :

An act to amend the social services law, in relation to establishing
the youth in progress advisory board and regional teams for
adolescents in foster care for the state


 PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL :

The purpose of this bill is to establish a statewide youth advisory
board for adolescents in foster care. The board shall be a vehicle for
youth advocacy and input on policies affecting youth in care.

 SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS :

Section 1, amends article 6 of the social services law by adding a new
title 1-8. Titled Youth In Progress.

A new section 394, paragraph (1), establishes a statewide youth in
progress advisory board comprised of youth age 14 and older, recruited
by local social services departments, authorized agencies serving
adolescents in foster care and the office of children and family
services.  These youth must be either currently or were formerly in
the foster care system and must be able to discuss issues, share

common experiences and advocate for the concerns of their peers;

Paragraph (2) and (3), requires the office of children and family
services to create a regional team structure for membership to the
state wide advisory board and create adult mentor partnerships for
each youth member. Outlines youth in progress advisory board
membership composition and meeting requirements;

Paragraph (4)(a)(b), requires the youth in progress advisory board to
create an annual report with recommendations; authorize the office of
children and family services to provide technical assistance to
distribute annual report but prohibit the agency from altering the
report. The commissioner of the office of children and family services
is required to submit to the youth in progress advisory board, at
least sixty days prior to final approval, all non-emergency rules and
regulations for review and recommendations.

§ 2, establish an effective date of 16 days after becoming law.

 EFFECTS OF PRESENT LAW WHICH THIS BILL WOULD ALTER :

Article 6 of the Social Services Law is amended by adding a new title
1-B.

 JUSTIFICATION :

Unlike California, Massachusetts and New Jersey, who have formal
mechanism to solicit input from foster care youth about policy
affecting their care, New York State has no such mechanism. For 16
years, foster care youth from across New York State voiced their
opinions and concerns at the Office of Children and Families Services
(OCFS) regional events know as "speak outs." Former OCFS Commissioner
John Johnson, visited many of these speak outs and listened to stories
from youth in attendance. He too, recognized the need to strengthen
and enhance the dialog with foster care youth.

In 2003, the Office of Children and Family Services actively seeking
to create an opportunity for foster care youth to add their voices to
those of other youth in addressing the issues that impact their lives,
undertook a new initiative to develop a statewide foster care youth
leadership advisory team called "Youth In Progress" (YIP). This
leadership team was established through the development of a unique
partnership between OCFS and it's other affiliates. Together, they
reached out to local districts and voluntary agencies seeking foster
care youth leaders, each with a adult mentor to complete the team.
Today, the YIP team is comprised of youth leaders from each of the six
OCFS mapped regions and provide youth input on foster care policies
and services, in order to make targeted improvements in the quality of
care for foster youth.

Since its formation, Youth In Progress has made many accomplishments
and contribution that include: presentations at the local, regional,
state and national levels on the problems affecting youth in foster
care and identifying possible solutions. The group has hosted and
presented annual workshops at regional foster care youth speakouts;
serve on leadership boards for agencies, local social services
districts and national organizations. YIP has also been actively
providing training, as co-trainers and panelists, for OCFS staff.
More importantly, many of the youth who participate on this leadership
team, become a part of a valuable focus group on foster care issues
and serve as foster care experts in various settings across New York
State.

To build upon these accomplishments, it is important that this group
be formal recognized within state law.

 PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY :

2008: A.11494-A (Scarborough) referred to children and families;
reported to ways and means, amended and recommit.

 FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS :

No additional cost to state or local governments

 EFFECTIVE DATE :
This act shall take effect 60 days after it shall have become a law.

2009-S5714 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                            
                    S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________

                                  5714

                       2009-2010 Regular Sessions

                            I N  S E N A T E

                              June 1, 2009
                               ___________

Introduced  by  Sen.  MONTGOMERY  -- read twice and ordered printed, and
  when printed to be committed to the Committee on Children and Families

AN ACT to amend the social services law, in relation to establishing the
  youth in progress advisory board and regional teams for adolescents in
  foster care for the state

  THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  Section 1. Article 6 of the social services law is amended by adding a
new title 1-B to read as follows:

                                TITLE 1-B
                            YOUTH IN PROGRESS

SECTION 394. YOUTH IN PROGRESS.
  S 394. YOUTH IN PROGRESS.  1. THE YOUTH IN PROGRESS STATEWIDE ADVISORY
BOARD  IS HEREBY ESTABLISHED FOR THE PURPOSES OF BRINGING TOGETHER YOUTH
AGE FOURTEEN AND OLDER WHO ARE OR HAVE BEEN IN FOSTER CARE IN  ORDER  TO
DISCUSS  COMMON  EXPERIENCES,  IDEAS  AND  CONCERNS.  THE  LOCAL  SOCIAL
SERVICES DEPARTMENTS, AUTHORIZED AGENCIES SERVING ADOLESCENTS IN  FOSTER
CARE, THE OFFICE OF CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES, AND CONTRACTORS OF THE
OFFICE  MAY  RECRUIT  APPROPRIATE  YOUTH  TO PARTICIPATE IN THE YOUTH IN
PROGRESS ADVISORY BOARD AND REGIONAL TEAMS ON A VOLUNTARY BASIS.
  2. THE OFFICE OF CHILDREN AND FAMILY  SERVICES  SHALL  FACILITATE  THE
FORMATION  OF REGIONAL YOUTH IN PROGRESS TEAMS AND ASSIST IN IDENTIFYING
AN ADULT MENTOR FOR EACH  YOUTH  TEAM  MEMBER.  THE  REGIONAL  YOUTH  IN
PROGRESS TEAMS AND ADULT MENTORS SHALL MEET ON A REGULAR BASIS AND SHALL
CONDUCT  PERIODIC  REGIONAL FORUMS FOR FOSTER CARE YOUTH TO SPEAK OUT ON
ISSUES OF INTEREST TO ADOLESCENTS IN FOSTER CARE.
  3. THE YOUTH IN PROGRESS STATEWIDE ADVISORY  BOARD,  SHALL  INCLUDE  A
REPRESENTATIVE  FROM  THE  REGIONAL TEAMS THAT WILL ADVISE THE OFFICE OF
CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES AND THE COUNCIL ON CHILDREN AND FAMILIES ON

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                           LBD04459-01-9

S. 5714                             2

ISSUES RELATING TO FOSTER CARE. IN EACH OF THE SIX  OFFICE  OF  CHILDREN
AND FAMILY SERVICES REGIONS THE YOUTH IN PROGRESS REGIONAL TEAM OR TEAMS
SHALL  NOMINATE  UP  TO  FOUR  YOUTH  MEMBERS AND THEIR ADULT MENTORS TO
PARTICIPATE  IN THE STATEWIDE YOUTH IN PROGRESS ADVISORY BOARD. IN ADDI-
TION, FOUR YOUTH CURRENTLY OR FORMERLY PLACED WITH THE OFFICE  OF  CHIL-
DREN AND FAMILY SERVICES' DIVISION OF JUVENILE JUSTICE AND OPPORTUNITIES
FOR  YOUTH  SHALL  BE  SELECTED BY THE MEMBERS OF THE STATEWIDE YOUTH IN
PROGRESS ADVISORY BOARD, TO BE MEMBERS OF THE ADVISORY  BOARD'S  MEMBER-
SHIP.  THE  STATEWIDE  YOUTH IN PROGRESS ADVISORY BOARD SHALL HAVE UP TO
TWENTY-EIGHT YOUTH PARTICIPANTS AND SHALL MEET AT LEAST THREE TIMES EACH
YEAR.
  4. (A) THE STATEWIDE YOUTH IN  PROGRESS  BOARD  MAY  ISSUE  AN  ANNUAL
REPORT  WITH ITS RECOMMENDATIONS ON ISSUES OF INTEREST TO ADOLESCENTS IN
FOSTER CARE. THE REPORT MAY INCLUDE OTHER INFORMATION ON THE  ACTIVITIES
OF  THE  YOUTH  IN  PROGRESS  BOARD.  THE  OFFICE OF CHILDREN AND FAMILY
SERVICES SHALL PROVIDE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO THE  STATEWIDE  YOUTH  IN
PROGRESS  BOARD,  INCLUDING  DISTRIBUTION  OF  THE  ANNUAL  REPORT. SUCH
REPORTS SHALL BE MADE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC AND SHALL BE SUBMITTED TO:
THE GOVERNOR, THE LEGISLATURE, THE DIRECTOR OF THE COUNCIL  ON  CHILDREN
AND  FAMILIES,  AND  THE  MEMBER AGENCIES OF THE COUNCIL ON CHILDREN AND
FAMILIES. THE CONTENTS OF THE YOUTH IN PROGRESS ANNUAL REPORT  SHALL  BE
SOLELY  THE WORK PRODUCT OF THE YOUTH IN PROGRESS BOARD AND ITS MEMBERS,
AND SHALL NOT BE REVISED OR EDITED BY THE OFFICE OF CHILDREN AND  FAMILY
SERVICES.
  (B)  AT  LEAST  SIXTY  DAYS PRIOR TO THE COMMISSIONER OF THE OFFICE OF
CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES FINAL APPROVAL  OF  RULES  AND  REGULATIONS
PERTAINING  TO  FOSTER  CARE OR SERVICES FOR ADOLESCENTS WHO ARE OR HAVE
BEEN IN FOSTER CARE, OTHER THAN EMERGENCY  RULES  AND  REGULATIONS,  THE
COMMISSIONER  SHALL  SUBMIT  THE  PROPOSED  RULES AND REGULATIONS TO THE
STATEWIDE YOUTH IN PROGRESS ADVISORY BOARD  FOR  REVIEW.  THE  STATEWIDE
YOUTH  IN  PROGRESS  BOARD MAY REPORT ITS RECOMMENDATIONS THEREON TO THE
COMMISSIONER OF THE OFFICE OF CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES WITHIN  SIXTY
DAYS.
  S  2.  This  act  shall take effect on the sixtieth day after it shall
have become a law.

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Senate Bill S5714

Sponsored By

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Finance Committee

Feb 2, 2010 - Children And Families Committee Vote

Children And Families Committee Vote: Feb 2, 2010

2009-S5714 (ACTIVE) - Details

2009-S5714 (ACTIVE) - Summary

2009-S5714 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2009-S5714 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments

Senate Bill S5714

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Sponsored By

Velmanette Montgomery

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Finance Committee

2009-S5714 (ACTIVE) - Details

2009-S5714 (ACTIVE) - Summary

2009-S5714 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2009-S5714 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments