Establishes standards for caseloads for child protective services workers; requires the state to pay for one hundred percent of the costs associated with compliance of such caseload standard; makes related provisions.
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A7332A
SPONSOR: Hevesi TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the social services law, in relation to caseload stand-
ards for child protective services workers
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section one of this bill amends section 20-a of the Social Services Law
to provide that such section will not apply to any regulations estab-
lishing caseload standards promulgated pursuant to section 421(c) of the
Social Services Law.
Section two of this bill amends 153-k of the social services law to
require the state to pay for 100% of costs associated with compliance of
this provision, however, counties must maintain last year's level of CPS
funding.
Section three of this bill amends section 421 of the Social Services Law
by adding a new paragraph (c) to create caseload standards for child
protective services, which, to the extent possible, shall be no more
than two initial investigations per week, per full-time child protective
services worker.
Section four of this bill amends paragraph (c) of subdivision 1 of
section 423 of the Social Services Law to provide that the sufficient
staff requirement for child protective services offices will be subject
to section (c) of section 421 of the Social Services Law, as amended by
section 2 of this bill.
Section five of this bill amends 426 of the social services law to
increase various annual reporting requirements.
Section five of this bill provides that this act shall take effect on
the seven hundred thirtieth day after it shall have become a law.
JUSTIFICATION:
It has been shown that smaller caseloads are important to the success of
child protective services. New York City's Administration for Children's
Services has taken this approach and has substantially lowered their
caseload ratios to the benefit of the children. This proposal builds
upon a 2006 Office of Children and Family Services study, which was
required pursuant to Chapter 53 of the Laws of 2006, on Child Protective
Services caseloads.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2021: A.7332; 2020: A.7581-A (Jaffee),
2019: A.7581 (Jaffee); S5809A (2019-2020)
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:
$18 million to the state.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the seven hundred thirtieth day after it
shall have become a law.
