A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to runaway and homeless youth entering department of homeless services shelters

Int. No. 1705-A

By Council Members Salamanca, Johnson, Dromm, Menchaca, Mendez, Torres, Vacca, Van Bramer, Rosenthal, Levin, Espinal, Rose, Eugene, Reynoso, Levine, Lander, Kallos, Chin, Greenfield and Cumbo

A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to runaway and homeless youth entering department of homeless services shelters

Be it enacted by the Council as follows:

Section 1.  Section 21-401 of the administrative code of the city of New York, subdivision a as added by local law number 81 for the year 1996 and subdivisions c, d and e as added by local law number 23 for the year 2013, is amended to read as follows:

                     § 21-401 Definitions. [Whenever used in] For the purposes of this chapter the following [words shall] terms have the following meanings:

                     [a. “Commissioner” shall mean] Commissioner. The term “commissioner” means the commissioner of the department  of youth and community development.

                     [b. “Department” shall mean] Department. The term “department” means the department of youth and community development.

                     Homeless young adult. The term “homeless young adult” has the same meaning as provided in section 532-a of the executive law.

                     Homeless youth. The term “homeless youth” has the same meaning as provided in section 532-a of the executive law. For the purposes of this chapter, the term “homeless youth” shall also include homeless young adults.

                     [c. “Runaway and homeless youth services” shall mean department administered] Runaway and homeless youth services. The term “runaway and homeless youth services” means department-funded street outreach and referral services, drop-in centers, runaway and homeless youth crisis [shelters] services programs, and transitional independent living [centers] support programs.

                     Runaway and homeless youth crisis services program. The term “runaway and homeless youth services program” has the same meaning as provided in section 532-a of the executive law.

                     Runaway youth. The term “runaway youth” has the same meaning as provided in section 532-a of the executive law

                     [d. “Sexually exploited child” shall have] Sexually exploited child. The term “sexually exploited child” has the same meaning as provided in subdivision one of section 447-a of the [New York State] social services law.

                     Shelter services. The term “shelter services” means residential programs within runaway and homeless youth crisis services programs and transitional independent living support programs.

                     Transitional independent living support program. The term “transitional independent living support program” has the same meaning as provided in section 532-a of the executive law.

                     [e. “Youth shall mean] Youth.  The term “youth” means any person under [twenty-four] 24 years of age.

                     § 2. Chapter 4 of title 21 of the administrative code of the city of New York is amended to add new section 21-405 to read as follows:

                     § 21-405 Intake and assessment of runaway and homeless youth.

                     a. Definitions. For the purposes of this section, the following terms have the following meanings:

Assessment shelter. The term “assessment shelter” means a facility operated by the department of homeless services or a provider under contract or similar agreement with such department where individuals undergo assessments required to reside in such department’s shelter system.

Homeless youth. The term “homeless youth” has the same meaning as provided in section 532-a of the executive law. For the purposes of this section, the term “homeless youth” shall also include homeless young adults to the extent that services to homeless young adults are included in department-funded runaway and homeless youth shelter services contracts.

Intake and assessment. The term “intake and assessment” means the process for entry into a shelter operated by the department of homeless services or a provider under contract or similar agreement with such department.

Intake center. The term “intake centers” means a facility operated by the department of homeless services or a provider under contract or similar agreement with such department where individuals or families apply to enter such department’s homeless services shelter system.

b. The department of homeless services and the department shall create and maintain an intake and assessment process for runaway youth and homeless youth who have reached the age and/or time limitations applicable to department-funded shelter services or, as designated by the department, other runaway or homeless youth receiving shelter services, and who seek to transition from runaway and homeless youth shelter services to a department of homeless services shelter.  Such process shall permit eligible runaway youth or homeless youth to bypass entry into an intake center or assessment shelter operated by the department of homeless services when the department, or an organization that receives funding from the department to provide shelter services, provides demographic and social services information for any such youth, as agreed upon between the department and the department of homeless services, in advance of such youth’s presentation to the department of homeless services shelter system. Such process shall originate at a transitional independent living support program or a runaway and homeless youth crisis services program funded by the department. The intake and assessment bypass permitted pursuant to this section and any necessary information sharing between the department of homeless services and the department-funded program or the department shall only occur with the consent of such youth.

c.  On or before July 31, 2018, and every six months thereafter, the department shall submit a report to the mayor and the speaker of the council which includes, but need not be limited to, the following information: a description of the intake and assessment process required by subdivision b of this section; the number of runaway and homeless youth referred through such process; where such youth were referred from; whether such youth accessed services through the process; and any recommendations for changes to the process.

                     § 3. This local law takes effect immediately.

AV

LS #7951

12/17/17, 6.28pm