532-B - Powers and duties of approved runaway program.
§ 532-b. Powers and duties of approved runaway program. 1. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, pursuant to regulations of the office of children and family services an approved runaway program is authorized to and shall: (a) provide assistance to any runaway or homeless youth or youth in need of crisis intervention or respite services as defined in this article; (b) attempt to determine the cause for the youth's runaway or homeless status; (c) explain to the runaway and homeless youth his legal rights and options of service or other assistance available to the youth; (d) work towards reuniting such youth with his parent or guardian as soon as practicable in accordance with section five hundred thirty-two-c of this article; (e) assist in arranging for necessary services for runaway or homeless youth, and where appropriate, their families, including but not limited to food, shelter, clothing, medical care, education and individual and family counseling. Where the approved runaway program concludes that such runaway or homeless youth would be eligible for assistance, care or services from a local social services district, it shall assist the youth in securing such assistance, care or services as the youth is entitled to; and (f) immediately report to the local child protective service where it has reasonable cause to suspect that the runaway or homeless youth has been abused or neglected or when such youth maintains such to be the case. 2. The runaway youth may remain in the program on a voluntary basis for a period not to exceed thirty days from the date of admission where the filing of a petition pursuant to article ten of the family court act is not contemplated, in order that arrangements can be made for the runaway youth's return home, alternative residential placement pursuant to section three hundred ninety-eight of the social services law, or any other suitable plan. If the runaway youth and the parent, guardian or custodian agree, in writing, the runaway youth may remain in the runaway program up to sixty days without the filing of a petition pursuant to article ten of the family court act, provided that in any such case the facility shall first have obtained the approval of the county runaway coordinator, who shall notify the county youth bureau of his approval together with a statement as to the reason why such additional residential stay is necessary and a description of the efforts being made to find suitable alternative living arrangements for such youth.