Int. No. 1992
By Council Members Ayala, Gjonaj and Dinowitz
A Local Law in relation to establishing a pilot program in the administration for children’s services to train case workers who specialize in developmental, intellectual and physical disabilities
Be it enacted by the Council as follows:
Section 1. Definitions. For the purposes of this local law, the following terms have the following meanings:
ACS. The term “ACS” means the administration for children’s services, or any successor agency charged with operating the city’s child welfare system.
Case worker. The term “case worker” means a diagnostic child protective specialist employed by ACS.
Commissioner. The term “commissioner” means the commissioner of children’s services.
§ 2. No later than January 1, 2021, the commissioner shall establish a pilot program training case workers who specialize in developmental, intellectual and physical disabilities. The commissioner shall determine the number of case workers who participate in the pilot program, provided that such number shall comprise at least five percent of the total number of case workers employed by ACS at any time. Case workers who participate in the program shall be trained in how to provide reasonable accommodations that people with developmental, intellectual and physical disabilities may need, including the provision of (i) more time for case conferences and casework contacts, (ii) special assistance with travel to appointments, (iii) time management guidance, (iv) in-services and (v) classes that are available for people with developmental, intellectual or physical disabilities who are parents. Within such pilot program, where a parent presents to ACS with a possible developmental, intellectual or physical disability, ACS shall assess whether the parent is receiving any supportive services related to the perceived disability, coordinate the referral and evaluation process for the parent to receive appropriate services, and provide transitional services to the parent until those disability-related services are provided.
§ 3. Such pilot program shall continue until January 1, 2023, and may continue past that date in the discretion of the commissioner.
§ 4. No later than June 30, 2022, the commissioner shall submit a report to the mayor and the speaker of the city council on such pilot program, which shall include recommendations as to whether and how such pilot program should continue or be expanded.
§ 5. This local law takes effect 120 days after it becomes law, except that the commissioner shall take any actions necessary for the implementation of this local law, including the promulgation of rules, before such date.
CP
LS #7361
6/3/20 4:12 PM