Albany – Assemblywoman Amy Paulin (D-88) is proud to announce that A.2965/S.4172, legislation she authored, was passed by the New York State Assembly on Wednesday.

The legislation amends current social services law in relation to forwarding reports of abuse. The bill requires reports of suspected child abuse or maltreatment of a child be provided to the social services district charged with the care, custody or guardianship of such child when the child has been placed in a home under the care, custody or guardianship of an authorized agency which is not in the social services district that placed the child.

The care and custody of a child may be transferred by a social services district to an authorized agency and the child placed in foster care. There is no requirement that the authorized agency charged with the care and custody of the child and the child's foster home be located in the same social services district that transferred the care and custody of the child.

Problems arise, however, when the foster home is the subject of a report of child abuse or maltreatment and the foster home is not located in the social services district that placed the child in the foster home. There is no mechanism under current law that requires notice of such report to be provided to the placing social services district. Absent information that the foster home may be the subject of a report of child abuse or maltreatment, the placing social services district may continue to place children in the care and custody of that foster home.

“We must close gaps in communication between and among authorized agencies and social service districts responsible for the safety and welfare of our children,” Paulin said. “Placing agencies must be informed of reports of suspected abuse or maltreatment involving homes in which they have placed children so that they do not unwittingly place additional children in a situation that risks subjecting them to further abuse or maltreatment.”

Patrick Gallivan (R-59) sponsored the bill in the Senate.