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Assembly passes amendment allowing some former foster youth to seek court‑ordered services through age 23
Summary
A chapter amendment to Family Court and Social Services laws permits certain youth who lacked court‑ordered services to file a motion to reenter care before turning 23; debate centered on fiscal responsibility, potential indefinite service windows, and use of Chafee and Title IV‑E funds.
The Assembly passed a chapter amendment to the Family Court Act and Social Services Law that narrows and clarifies a reentry process for young people who aged out of foster care without receiving court‑ordered services.
Sponsor Hevesy said the measure removes voluntary foster-care agencies from post‑discharge service obligations and creates a limited window — motions must be filed before the youth turns 23 — to seek fulfillment of prior court orders. The sponsor framed the change as a way to allow eligible youth to access federal funds including Chafee and Title IV‑E to obtain housing, legal representation and other services they were previously denied.
Opponents raised cost and scope questions. One member called it an "unfunded mandate," warning that if many youths seek reentry and residential placements the fiscal exposure for counties could be significant. "It is an unfunded mandate to some extent… We don't fully know what it is going to be on our localities," a member said on the floor. The sponsor said the policy aims to fulfill existing court orders and that many services were already budgeted through local social services mechanisms; he estimated roughly 600 youths a year might be affected.
The Assembly recorded a party vote; the bill passed, Ayes 108, Noes 40.
