The proposed bill would require the Commissioner of the Administration for Children’s Services (ACS) to coordinate meetings, referred to as ChildStat, to improve ACS’ functioning with respect to child welfare practices. The meetings would be held at least once a week, and shall consist of a comprehensive review of the practices of one zone. ACS divides its child welfare division into 13 separate zones across the City based on geographic area. The bill would require the commissioner, and other senior staff to attend the meetings. At the meetings, data trends comparing the zone to all of ACS would be reviewed. There would also be an in-depth review of a randomly selected case. ACS would be required to produce semiannual reports on the results of the ChildStat meetings.
- Filed (End of Session)
History
Int. No. 1601
By Council Members Levin, the Speaker (Council Member Mark-Viverito), Rosenthal, Gentile, Grodenchik and Kallos
A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to childstat meetings
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 by adding a new section 21-911 to read as follows:
§ 21-911 Childstat. a. Definitions. For the purposes of this section, the following terms shall have the following meanings:
Borough commissioner. The term “borough commissioner” means the individual who exercises oversight of ACS practices in each borough.
Deputy director of operations. The term “deputy director of operations” means the individual who reports directly to the director of operations, or the individual who exercises oversight over the work of a zone if no director of operations exists for such zone.
Director of operations. The term “director of operations” means the individual who exercises oversight over the work of a zone.
b. The commissioner shall coordinate meetings to improve overall agency functioning with respect to child welfare practices. Such meetings shall be held at least once a week, and shall consist of a comprehensive review of the practices of one zone. Each zone shall be the subject of a separate meeting. At a minimum, the commissioner, at least one deputy commissioner, the borough commissioner for the borough where the zone under review is located, the director or deputy director of operations for the zone under review, and any other staff as determined by the commissioner shall attend such meetings. At each such meeting, at a minimum, the following information shall be reviewed:
1. Aggregate data analysis of indicators established by the commissioner, including but not limited to indicators addressing workload management, timeliness, and case practices. Such aggregate data shall be compiled to examine trends. The trends for the zone under review shall be compared with the trends of ACS as a whole.
2. An in-depth analysis of at least one randomly selected open case from the zone under review. Such analysis shall include, but not be limited to, an examination of the case history, the current status of the case, and any decision making related to the case.
c. The commissioner shall submit to the speaker and post on its website semiannual reports regarding the meetings required pursuant to this section. Each six-month period shall be deemed to end on June 30 and December 31 of each calendar year. Each report shall be submitted within 60 days after end of such period. The first such report shall be due 60 days after June 30, 2017. Such reports shall include the number of times each zone was under review during the period, examples of data trends that were examined, and any agency practices that were created, reformed or ended as a result of the meetings required pursuant to this section. The reports required pursuant to this section shall remain permanently accessible on ACS’ website.
§ 2. This local law takes effect immediately.
AV
LS #9465/9902
2/4/17