Int. No. 1196

By Council Members Palma, Levin, Dromm, Salamanca, Eugene, Richards, Grodenchik, Chin, Miller, Johnson, Cohen and Mendez

A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to a report on permanency indicators

Be it enacted by the Council as follows:

Section 1.  Chapter 9 of title 21 of the administrative code of the city of New York is amended to add a new section 21-902.2 to read as follows:

§ 21-902.2 Report on permanency indicators a. Definitions. For the purposes of this section, the term “kinship guardianship assistance program (KinGAP)” means the permanency outcome for children in foster care who have been cared for by a relative for six consecutive months and for whom it has been determined that returning home or adoption are not viable options.

b. Not later than January 31, 2017, and no later than January 31 annually thereafter, ACS shall submit to the speaker of the council and post on its website a report on permanency indicators for children in foster care. Such report shall include, but not be limited to the following information:

1. The rate of substantiated incidents of abuse or neglect per 100,000 days in care for children in foster care during the calendar year beginning two years prior to the date the report required pursuant to this section is due;

2. The percentage of children with a substantiated allegation of abuse or neglect during the calendar year beginning two years prior to the date the report required pursuant to this section is due who had a subsequent substantiated allegation of abuse or neglect during the calendar year beginning one year prior to the date the report required pursuant to this section is due;

3. The percentage of children entering foster care during the calendar year beginning two years prior to the date the report required pursuant to this section is due who achieved permanency within 12 months from the date of their entry into foster care;

4. The percentage of children who were in foster care on the first day of the calendar year beginning two years prior to the date the report required pursuant to this section is due, and had been in care for 12-23 months prior to such period, who were discharged to permanency during the calendar year beginning two years prior to the date the report required pursuant to this section is due;

5. The percentage of children who were in foster care on the first day of the calendar year beginning two years prior to the date the report required pursuant to this section is due, and had been in care for 24 months or more prior to such period, who were discharged to permanency during the calendar year beginning two years prior to the date the report required pursuant to this section is due;

6. The percentage of children who entered foster care during the calendar year beginning three years prior to the date the report required pursuant to this section is due who were discharged to reunification or KinGAP during the calendar year beginning two years prior to the date the report required pursuant to this section is due, and who returned to foster care within 12 months after their discharge from foster care;

7. The rate of moves per 1,000 days for children in foster care for 8 or more days during the calendar year beginning two years prior to the date the report required pursuant to this section is due; and 

8. The percentage of children who were absent without leave from foster care during the calendar year beginning two years prior to the date the report required pursuant to this section is due, disaggregated by the number of months such children were absent without leave.

c. No report required pursuant to this section shall be removed from ACS’ website.

§ 2. This local law takes effect immediately.

AV

LS #6171

4/28/16