Bill Text: NY S05932 | 2017-2018 | General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Relates to the appointment of a child advocate.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2018-01-09 - REPORTED AND COMMITTED TO FINANCE [S05932 Detail]

Download: New_York-2017-S05932-Introduced.html

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                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________
                                          5932
                               2017-2018 Regular Sessions
                    IN SENATE
                                       May 8, 2017
                                       ___________
        Introduced  by  Sen.  AVELLA -- 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 and the  family  court  act,  in
          relation to the appointment of a child advocate
          The  People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-
        bly, do enact as follows:
     1    Section 1. Section 421 of the social services law is amended by adding
     2  a new subdivision 9 to read as follows:
     3    9. report to family court for the  appointment  of  a  child  advocate
     4  pursuant  to  section  one  thousand  eighteen  of the family court act,
     5  following an incident that requires the care  of  a  healthcare  profes-
     6  sional,  and  where  the  healthcare  professional  and child protective
     7  services do not agree on an appropriate course of action for the child.
     8    § 2. Section 1018 of the family court act, as added by section  11  of
     9  part A of chapter 3 of the laws of 2005, is amended to read as follows:
    10    §  1018.  Conferencing  and  mediation. 1. In any proceeding initiated
    11  pursuant to this article, the court may, at  its  discretion,  authorize
    12  the  use of conferencing or mediation at any point in the proceedings to
    13  further a plan for the child that fosters the  child's  health,  safety,
    14  and  well-being.  Such  conferencing or mediation may involve interested
    15  relatives or other adults who are significant in the life of the child.
    16    2. A child advocate shall be appointed by the  court,  when  a  report
    17  pursuant  to  subdivision nine of section four hundred twenty-one of the
    18  social services law,  is  received.  Such  advocate  shall  mediate  any
    19  disputes between health care professionals and child protective services
    20  workers on the best course of action for the child.
    21    § 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD02466-01-7