§ 21-405 Intake and assessment of runaway and homeless youth.
AC § 21-405
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 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, a runaway and homeless youth crisis services program, or a drop-in center 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. (L.L. 2018/081, 1/19/2018, eff. 1/19/2018; Am. L.L. 2023/096, 7/9/2023, eff. 7/9/2023)
