[HISTORY: Adopted by the Suffolk County Legislature 11-25-1986 by L.L. No.
1-1987 (Ch. 304 of the 1985 Code). Amendments noted
where applicable. Uncodified sections of local laws amending these
provisions after 1990 are included at the end of this chapter.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Aid to families with dependent children — See Ch. 281.
Child sex abuse hot-line service agencies — See Ch. 378.
Day-care facilities and home-care services — See Ch. 396.
Emergency shelters — See Ch. 438.
Homemaking services — See Ch. 519.
Nursing homes — See Ch. 627.
Child protection — See Ch. 880.
Social Services Department — See Ch. 1127.
This Legislature hereby finds that Suffolk County funds individuals
who provide foster care and adoptive care services. The purpose of
this chapter is to protect the health, safety and general welfare
of minors enrolled in foster care homes or being placed for adoption.
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the
meanings indicated:
A family registered with or applying to the Suffolk County
Department of Social Services to adopt a minor child.
Any person(s) under contract with the County of Suffolk to
provide foster care services for individuals preparing for an adoptive
placement.
The Suffolk County Department of Social Services.
Homes certified or applying to be certified by the Suffolk
County Department of Social Services as a twenty-four-hour-a-day shelter
for children in need of care.
Any permanent member of the home over the age of 18.
B.Â
The Department shall be responsible for conducting the above screening
process, and, in addition, any criminal history record (CHR) reply
supplied by the State of New York Division of Criminal Justice Services
shall be received and reviewed by the Department consistent with provisions
of New York State Executive Law § 296. Any person disqualified
from the Department's foster care or adoptive program due solely
or in part to the Department's review of the criminal history
record supplied by the New York State Division of Criminal Justice
Services shall have the right to appeal the disqualification by contacting
New York State and conducting a record review and challenge.
C.Â
A foster-care family must have all the adult members of the household
over the age of 18 fingerprinted at the time it makes application
to become a foster-care family. An adoptive family, when it registers
for adoptive placement, must have fingerprints made of all members
of the household over 18 years of age. Any such foster-care family
or adoptive family is authorized to have the required fingerprinting
conducted by an appropriate County agency or department.
D.Â
The Commissioner of the Suffolk County Department of Social Services shall review all fingerprinting records for foster-care and adoptive families. If this review or the screening required by Subsection A of this section results in a finding that such persons have been convicted of a felony or misdemeanor which, in the judgment of the Commissioner of the Department, endangers the health, safety, physical and mental well-being of the recipient of foster-care services or jeopardizes the adoptive placement, the Commissioner will not proceed with the finalization of the foster-care or adoptive placement.
The Commissioner of the Suffolk County Department of Social
Services shall issue, promulgate and adopt such rules and regulations
as she shall deem necessary and sufficient to carry out and implement
the terms and conditions of this chapter. The rules and regulations
shall be compatible with any rules adopted by the New York State Department
of Social Services in relation to criminal history record checks.
