STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
6142
2015-2016 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
March 16, 2015
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Introduced by M. of A. CLARK -- read once and referred to the Committee
on Children and Families
AN ACT in relation to the establishment of a pilot program to match
certain children in foster care with adult mentors and providing for
the repeal of such provisions upon expiration thereof
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary,
2 the office of children and family services shall conduct a pilot program
3 in five school districts throughout the state with the highest popu-
4 lation of children in foster care who are fourteen years of age or older
5 under which the office contracts with a private or nonprivate entity to
6 pair children in foster care who are fourteen years of age or older with
7 volunteer adult mentors in order to foster relationships of support and
8 guidance in preparation for the children's transition to adult living.
9 § 2. The private or nonprivate entity selected by the office to admin-
10 ister the program must have a demonstrated record of successfully
11 providing services similar to those provided under the program.
12 § 3. An individual who volunteers as a mentor under the program is
13 subject to state and national criminal background checks.
14 § 4. Qualified volunteer mentors include graduate students in social
15 welfare, education, psychology, educational psychology programs or in
16 other relevant academic disciplines who are certified to teach or
17 provide counseling.
18 § 5. The office of children and family services shall encourage
19 substitute care providers to facilitate participation in the program by
20 a child who chooses to voluntarily participate in the program.
21 § 6. The commissioner of children and family services may adopt rules
22 for the administration of this act.
23 § 7. The office of children and family services shall report to the
24 governor and members of the legislature not later than January 1, 2017,
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD03365-01-5
A. 6142 2
1 on the activities conducted under the pilot program. The report must
2 include the office of children and family services' recommendations on
3 improvements to the program and whether the program should be continued
4 on a statewide basis.
5 § 8. The office of children and family services shall contract with a
6 non-profit organization or public institution of higher education
7 located in the geographic area serviced by the pilot program for the
8 institution to conduct an evaluation of the effectiveness of the
9 program. The institution selected to conduct an evaluation under this
10 section shall report its findings to the governor and members of the
11 legislature not later than January 1, 2017. The report must include the
12 institution's assessment of the effectiveness of the program and recom-
13 mendations on improvements to the program and whether the program should
14 be continued on a statewide basis.
15 § 9. This act shall take effect immediately and shall expire and be
16 deemed repealed January 1, 2018.
