N.Y.
Social Services Law Section 422
Statewide central register of child abuse and maltreatment
1.
There shall be established in the office of children and family services a statewide central register of child abuse and maltreatment reports made pursuant to this title.2.
(a) The central register shall be capable of receiving telephone calls alleging child abuse or maltreatment and of immediately identifying prior reports of child abuse or maltreatment and capable of monitoring the provision of child protective service twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. To effectuate this purpose, but subject to the provisions of the appropriate local plan for the provision of child protective services, there shall be a single statewide telephone number that all persons, whether mandated by the law or not, may use to make telephone calls alleging child abuse or maltreatment and that all persons so authorized by this title may use for determining the existence of prior reports in order to evaluate the condition or circumstances of a child. In addition to the single statewide telephone number, there shall be a special unlisted express telephone number and a telephone facsimile number for use only by persons mandated by law to make telephone calls, or to transmit telephone facsimile information on a form provided by the commissioner of children and family services, alleging child abuse or maltreatment, and for use by all persons so authorized by this title for determining the existence of prior reports in order to evaluate the condition or circumstances of a child. When any allegations contained in such telephone calls could reasonably constitute a report of child abuse or maltreatment, after utilizing protocols that would reduce implicit bias from the decision-making process, such allegations and any previous reports to the central registry involving the subject of such report or children named in such report, including any previous report containing allegations of child abuse and maltreatment alleged to have occurred in other counties and districts in New York state shall be immediately transmitted orally or electronically by the office of children and family services to the appropriate local child protective service for investigation. The inability of the person calling the register to identify the alleged perpetrator shall, in no circumstance, constitute the sole cause for the register to reject such allegation or fail to transmit such allegation for investigation. If the records indicate a previous report concerning a subject of the report, the child alleged to be abused or maltreated, a sibling, other children in the household, other persons named in the report or other pertinent information, the appropriate local child protective service shall be immediately notified of the fact. If the report involves either (i) an allegation of an abused child described in paragraph (i), (ii) or (iii) of subdivision (e) of section one thousand twelve of the family court act or sexual abuse of a child or the death of a child or (ii) suspected maltreatment which alleges any physical harm when the report is made by a person required to report pursuant to § 413 (Persons and officials required to report cases of suspected child abuse or maltreatment)section four hundred thirteen of this title within six months of any other two reports that were indicated, or may still be pending, involving the same child, sibling, or other children in the household or the subject of the report, the office of children and family services shall identify the report as such and note any prior reports when transmitting the report to the local child protective services for investigation.(b)
Any telephone call made by a person required to report cases of suspected child abuse or maltreatment pursuant to § 413 (Persons and officials required to report cases of suspected child abuse or maltreatment)section four hundred thirteen of this chapter containing allegations, which if true would constitute child abuse or maltreatment shall constitute a report and shall be immediately transmitted orally or electronically by the department to the appropriate local child protective service for investigation.(c)
Whenever a telephone call to the statewide central register described in this section is received by the department, and the department finds that the person allegedly responsible for abuse or maltreatment of a child cannot be a subject of a report as defined in subdivision four of § 412 (General definitions)section four hundred twelve of this chapter, but believes that the alleged acts or circumstances against a child described in the telephone call may constitute a crime or an immediate threat to the child’s health or safety, the department shall convey by the most expedient means available the information contained in such telephone call to the appropriate law enforcement agency, district attorney or other public official empowered to provide necessary aid or assistance.3.
The central register shall include but not be limited to the following information: all the information in the written report; a record of the final disposition of the report, including services offered and services accepted; the plan for rehabilitative treatment; the names and identifying data, dates and circumstances of any person requesting or receiving information from the register; and any other information which the commissioner believes might be helpful in the furtherance of the purposes of this chapter.4.
(A) Reports made pursuant to this title as well as any other information obtained, reports written or photographs taken concerning such reports in the possession of the office or local departments shall be confidential and shall only be made available to:(a)
a physician who has before him or her a child whom he or she reasonably suspects may be abused or maltreated;(b)
a person authorized to place a child in protective custody when such person has before him or her a child whom he or she reasonably suspects may be abused or maltreated and such person requires the information in the record to determine whether to place the child in protective custody;(c)
a duly authorized agency having the responsibility for the care or supervision of a child who is reported to the central register of abuse and maltreatment;(d)
any person who is the subject of the report or other persons named in the report;(e)
a court, upon a finding that the information in the record is necessary for the determination of an issue before the court;(f)
a grand jury, upon a finding that the information in the record is necessary for the determination of charges before the grand jury;(g)
any appropriate state legislative committee responsible for child protective legislation;(h)
any person engaged in a bona fide research purpose provided, however, that no information identifying the subjects of the report or other persons named in the report shall be made available to the researcher unless it is absolutely essential to the research purpose and the department gives prior approval;(i)
a provider agency as defined by subdivision three of § 424-A (Access to information contained in the statewide central register of child abuse and maltreatment)section four hundred twenty-four-a of this chapter, or a licensing agency as defined by subdivision four of § 424-A (Access to information contained in the statewide central register of child abuse and maltreatment)section four hundred twenty-four-a of this chapter, subject to the provisions of such section;(j)
the justice center for the protection of people with special needs or a delegate investigatory entity in connection with an investigation being conducted under article 11 (Protection of People With Special Needs)article eleven of this chapter;(k)
a probation service conducting an investigation pursuant to article three or seven or section six hundred fifty-three of the family court act where there is reason to suspect the child or the child’s sibling may have been abused or maltreated and such child or sibling, parent, guardian or other person legally responsible for the child is a person named in an indicated report of child abuse or maltreatment and that such information is necessary for the making of a determination or recommendation to the court; or a probation service regarding a person about whom it is conducting an investigation pursuant to article three hundred ninety of the criminal procedure law, or a probation service or the department of corrections and community supervision regarding a person to whom the service or department is providing supervision pursuant to article sixty of the penal law or article eight of the correction law, where the subject of investigation or supervision has been convicted of a felony under article one hundred twenty, one hundred twenty-five or one hundred thirty-five of the penal law or any felony or misdemeanor under article one hundred thirty, two hundred thirty-five, two hundred forty-five, two hundred sixty or two hundred sixty-three of the penal law, or has been indicted for any such felony and, as a result, has been convicted of a crime under the penal law, where the service or department requests the information upon a certification that such information is necessary to conduct its investigation, that there is reasonable cause to believe that the subject of an investigation is the subject of an indicated report and that there is reasonable cause to believe that such records are necessary to the investigation by the probation service or the department, provided, however, that only indicated reports shall be furnished pursuant to this subdivision;(l)
a criminal justice agency, which for the purposes of this subdivision shall mean a district attorney, an assistant district attorney or an investigator employed in the office of a district attorney; a sworn officer of the division of state police, of the regional state park police, of a county department of parks, of a city police department, or of a county, town or village police department or county sheriff’s office or department; or an Indian police officer, when:(i)
such criminal justice agency requests such information stating that such information is necessary to conduct a criminal investigation or criminal prosecution of a person, that there is reasonable cause to believe that such person is the subject of a report, and that it is reasonable to believe that due to the nature of the crime under investigation or prosecution, such person is the subject of a report, and that it is reasonable to believe that due to that nature of the crime under investigation or prosecution, such records may be related to the criminal investigation or prosecution; or(ii)
such criminal justice agency requests such information stating that: such agency is conducting an investigation of a missing child; such agency has reason to suspect such child’s parent, guardian or other person legally responsible for such child is or may be the subject of a report, or, such child or such child’s sibling is or may be another person named in a report of child abuse or maltreatment and that any such information is or may be needed to further such investigation;(m)
the New York city department of investigation provided however, that no information identifying the subjects of the report or other persons named in the report shall be made available to the department of investigation unless such information is essential to an investigation within the legal authority of the department of investigation and the state department of social services gives prior approval;(n)
chief executive officers of authorized agencies, directors of day care centers and directors of facilities operated or supervised by the department of education, the office of children and family services, the office of mental health or the office for people with developmental disabilities, in connection with a disciplinary investigation, action, or administrative or judicial proceeding instituted by any of such officers or directors against an employee of any such agency, center or facility who is the subject of an indicated report when the incident of abuse or maltreatment contained in the report occurred in the agency, center, facility or program, and the purpose of such proceeding is to determine whether the employee should be retained or discharged; provided, however, a person given access to information pursuant to this subparagraph shall, notwithstanding any inconsistent provision of law, be authorized to redisclose such information only if the purpose of such redisclosure is to initiate or present evidence in a disciplinary, administrative or judicial proceeding concerning the continued employment or the terms of employment of an employee of such agency, center or facility who has been named as a subject of an indicated report and, in addition, a person or agency given access to information pursuant to this subparagraph shall also be given information not otherwise provided concerning the subject of an indicated report where the commission of an act or acts by such subject has been determined in proceedings pursuant to article ten of the family court act to constitute abuse or neglect;(o)
a provider or coordinator of services to which a child protective service or social services district has referred a child or a child’s family or to whom the child or the child’s family have referred themselves at the request of the child protective service or social services district, where said child is reported to the register when the records, reports or other information are necessary to enable the provider or coordinator to establish and implement a plan of service for the child or the child’s family, or to monitor the provision and coordination of services and the circumstances of the child and the child’s family, or to directly provide services; provided, however, that a provider of services may include appropriate health care or school district personnel, as such terms shall be defined by the department; provided however, a provider or coordinator of services given access to information concerning a child pursuant to this subparagraph (o) shall, notwithstanding any inconsistent provision of law, be authorized to redisclose such information to other persons or agencies which also provide services to the child or the child’s family only if the consolidated services plan prepared and approved pursuant to § 34-A (Services planning requirements)section thirty-four-a of this chapter describes the agreement that has been or will be reached between the provider or coordinator of service and the local district. An agreement entered into pursuant to this subparagraph shall include the specific agencies and categories of individuals to whom redisclosure by the provider or coordinator of services is authorized. Persons or agencies given access to information pursuant to this subparagraph may exchange such information in order to facilitate the provision or coordination of services to the child or the child’s family;(p)
a disinterested person making an investigation pursuant to Domestic Relations Law § 116 (Orders of investigation and order of adoption)section one hundred sixteen of the domestic relations law, provided that such disinterested person shall only make this information available to the judge before whom the adoption proceeding is pending;(s)
a child protective service of another state when such service certifies that the records and reports are necessary in order to conduct a child abuse or maltreatment investigation within its jurisdiction of the subject of the report and shall be used only for purposes of conducting such investigation and will not be redisclosed to any other person or agency;(t)
an attorney for a child, appointed pursuant to the provisions of section one thousand sixteen of the family court act, at any time such appointment is in effect, in relation to any report in which the respondent in the proceeding in which the attorney for a child has been appointed is the subject or another person named in the report, pursuant to sections one thousand thirty-nine-a and one thousand fifty-two-a of the family court act;(u)
a child care resource and referral program subject to the provisions of subdivision six of § 424-A (Access to information contained in the statewide central register of child abuse and maltreatment)section four hundred twenty-four-a of this title;(v)
(i) officers and employees of the state comptroller or of the city comptroller of the city of New York, or of the county officer designated by law or charter to perform the auditing function in any county not wholly contained within a city, for purposes of a duly authorized performance audit, provided that such comptroller shall have certified to the keeper of such records that he or she has instituted procedures developed in consultation with the department to limit access to client-identifiable information to persons requiring such information for purposes of the audit and that appropriate controls and prohibitions are imposed on the dissemination of client-identifiable information contained in the conduct of the audit. Information pertaining to the substance or content of any psychological, psychiatric, therapeutic, clinical or medical reports, evaluations or like materials or information pertaining to such child or the child’s family shall not be made available to such officers and employees unless disclosure of such information is absolutely essential to the specific audit activity and the department gives prior written approval.(ii)
any failure to maintain the confidentiality of client-identifiable information shall subject such comptroller or officer to denial of any further access to records until such time as the audit agency has reviewed its procedures concerning controls and prohibitions imposed on the dissemination of such information and has taken all reasonable and appropriate steps to eliminate such lapses in maintaining confidentiality to the satisfaction of the office of children and family services. The office of children and family services shall establish the grounds for denial of access to records contained under this section and shall recommend as necessary a plan of remediation to the audit agency. Except as provided in this section, nothing in this subparagraph shall be construed as limiting the powers of such comptroller or officer to access records which he or she is otherwise authorized to audit or obtain under any other applicable provision of law. Any person given access to information pursuant to this subparagraph who releases data or information to persons or agencies not authorized to receive such information shall be guilty of a class A misdemeanor;(w)
members of a local or regional fatality review team approved by the office of children and family services in accordance with § 422-B (Local and regional fatality review teams)section four hundred twenty-two-b of this title;(x)
members of a local or regional multidisciplinary investigative team as established pursuant to subdivision six of § 423 (Child protective service responsibilities and organization)section four hundred twenty-three of this title;(y)
members of a citizen review panel as established pursuant to § 371-B (Citizen review panels)section three hundred seventy-one-b of this article; provided, however, members of a citizen review panel shall not disclose to any person or government official any identifying information which the panel has been provided and shall not make public other information unless otherwise authorized by statute;(z)
an entity with appropriate legal authority in another state to license, certify or otherwise approve prospective foster parents, prospective adoptive parents, prospective relative guardians, prospective successor guardians or child care program where disclosure of information regarding such prospective foster or prospective adoptive parents or prospective relative or prospective successor guardians and other persons over the age of eighteen residing in the home of such persons or where child care is provided, as required under either title IV-E of the federal social security act or the federal child care and development block grant act (section nine thousand eight hundred fifty-eight, et seq. of title forty-two of the United States Code); and(aa)
a social services official who is investigating whether an adult is in need of protective services in accordance with the provisions of § 473 (Protective services)section four hundred seventy-three of this chapter, when such official has reasonable cause to believe such adult may be in need of protective services due to the conduct of an individual or individuals who had access to such adult when such adult was a child and that such reports and information are needed to further the present investigation.(bb)
an entity with appropriate legal authority in another state to license, certify or otherwise approve residential programs for foster children where disclosure of information regarding any prospective or current employee of such program is required by paragraph twenty of subdivision (a) of section six hundred seventy-one of title forty-two of the United States code. After a child, other than a child in residential care, who is reported to the central register of abuse or maltreatment reaches the age of eighteen years, access to a child’s record under subparagraphs (a) and (b) of this paragraph shall be permitted only if a sibling or off-spring of such child is before such person and is a suspected victim of child abuse or maltreatment. In addition, a person or official required to make a report of suspected child abuse or maltreatment pursuant to § 413 (Persons and officials required to report cases of suspected child abuse or maltreatment)section four hundred thirteen of this chapter shall receive, upon request, the findings of an investigation made pursuant to this title. However, no information may be released unless the person or official’s identity is confirmed by the office. If the request for such information is made prior to the completion of an investigation of a report, the released information shall be limited to whether the report is “indicated”, “unfounded” or “under investigation”, whichever the case may be. If the request for such information is made after the completion of an investigation of a report, the released information shall be limited to whether the report is “indicated” or “unfounded”, whichever the case may be. A person given access to the names or other information identifying the subjects of the report, or other persons named in the report, except the subject of the report or other persons named in the report, shall not divulge or make public such identifying information unless he or she is a district attorney or other law enforcement official and the purpose is to initiate court action or the disclosure is necessary in connection with the investigation or prosecution of the subject of the report for a crime alleged to have been committed by the subject against another person named in the report. Nothing in this section shall be construed to permit any release, disclosure or identification of the names or identifying descriptions of persons who have reported suspected child abuse or maltreatment to the statewide central register or the agency, institution, organization, program or other entity where such persons are employed or the agency, institution, organization or program with which they are associated without such persons’ written permission except to persons, officials, and agencies enumerated in subparagraphs (e), (f), (h), (j), (l), (m) and (v) of this paragraph. To the extent that persons or agencies are given access to information pursuant to subparagraphs (a), (b), (c), (j), (k), (l), (m), (o) and (q) of this paragraph, such persons or agencies may give and receive such information to each other in order to facilitate an investigation conducted by such persons or agencies. (B) Notwithstanding any inconsistent provision of law to the contrary, a city or county social services commissioner may withhold, in whole or in part, the release of any information which he or she is authorized to make available to persons or agencies identified in subparagraphs (a), (k), (l), (m), (n), (o), (p) and (q) of paragraph (A) of this subdivision if such commissioner determines that such information is not related to the purposes for which such information is requested or when such disclosure will be detrimental to the child named in the report. (C) A city or county social services commissioner who denies access by persons or agencies identified in subparagraphs (a), (k), (l), (m), (n), (o), (p) and (q) of paragraph (A) of this subdivision to records, reports or other information or parts thereof maintained by such commissioner in accordance with this title shall, within ten days from the date of receipt of the request fully explain in writing to the person requesting the records, reports or other information the reasons for the denial. (D) A person or agency identified in subparagraphs (a), (k), (l), (m), (n), (o), (p) and (q) of paragraph (A) of this subdivision who is denied access to records, reports or other information or parts thereof maintained by a local department pursuant to this title may bring a proceeding for review of such denial pursuant to article seventy-eight of the civil practice law and rules.5.
(a) Unless an investigation of a report conducted pursuant to this title that is commenced on or before December thirty-first, two thousand twenty-one determines that there is some credible evidence of the alleged abuse or maltreatment or unless an investigation of a report conducted pursuant to this title that is commenced on or after January first, two thousand twenty-two determines that there is a fair preponderance of the evidence that the alleged abuse or maltreatment occurred, all information identifying the subjects of the report and other persons named in the report shall be legally sealed forthwith by the central register and any local child protective services which investigated the report. Such unfounded reports may only be unsealed and made available:(i)
to the office of children and family services for the purpose of supervising a social services district;(ii)
to the office of children and family services and local or regional fatality review team members for the purpose of preparing a fatality report pursuant to section twenty or four hundred twenty-two-b of this chapter;(iii)
to a local child protective service, the office of children and family services, or all members of a local or regional multidisciplinary investigative team or the justice center for the protection of people with special needs when investigating a subsequent report of suspected abuse, neglect or maltreatment involving a subject of the unfounded report, a child named in the unfounded report, or a child’s sibling named in the unfounded report pursuant to this article or article eleven of this chapter;(iv)
to the subject of the report; and(v)
to a district attorney, an assistant district attorney, an investigator employed in the office of a district attorney, or to a sworn officer of the division of state police, of a city, county, town or village police department or of a county sheriff’s office when such official verifies that the report is necessary to conduct an active investigation or prosecution of a violation of subdivision four of section 240.50 of the penal law.(b)
Persons given access to unfounded reports pursuant to subparagraph (v) of paragraph (a) of this subdivision shall not redisclose such reports except as necessary to conduct such appropriate investigation or prosecution and shall request of the court that any copies of such reports produced in any court proceeding be redacted to remove the names of the subjects and other persons named in the reports or that the court issue an order protecting the names of the subjects and other persons named in the reports from public disclosure. The local child protective service or state agency shall not indicate the subsequent report solely based upon the existence of the prior unfounded report or reports. Notwithstanding § 415 (Reporting procedure)section four hundred fifteen of this title, section one thousand forty-six of the family court act, or, except as set forth herein, any other provision of law to the contrary, an unfounded report shall not be admissible in any judicial or administrative proceeding or action; provided, however, an unfounded report may be introduced into evidence:(i)
by the subject of the report where such subject is a respondent in a proceeding under article ten of the family court act or is a plaintiff or petitioner in a civil action or proceeding alleging the false reporting of child abuse or maltreatment; or(ii)
in a criminal court for the purpose of prosecuting a violation of subdivision four of section 240.50 of the penal law. Legally sealed unfounded reports shall be expunged ten years after the receipt of the report.(c)
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the office of children and family services may, in its discretion, grant a request to expunge an unfounded report where:(i)
the source of the report was convicted of a violation of subdivision three of section 240.55 of the penal law in regard to such report; or(ii)
the subject of the report presents clear and convincing evidence that affirmatively refutes the allegation of abuse or maltreatment; provided however, that the absence of a fair preponderance of the evidence supporting the allegation of abuse or maltreatment shall not be the sole basis to expunge the report. Nothing in this paragraph shall require the office of children and family services to hold an administrative hearing in deciding whether to expunge a report. Such office shall make its determination upon reviewing the written evidence submitted by the subject of the report and any records or information obtained from the state or local agency which investigated the allegations of abuse or maltreatment. 5-a. Upon notification from a local social services district, that a report is part of the family assessment and services track pursuant to subparagraph (i) of paragraph (c) of subdivision four of § 427-A (Differential response programs for child protection assessments or investigations)section four hundred twenty-seven-a of this title, the central register shall forthwith identify the report as an assessment track case and legally seal such report. Access to reports assigned to, and records created under the family assessment and services track and information concerning such reports and records is governed by paragraph (d) of subdivision five of § 427-A (Differential response programs for child protection assessments or investigations)section four hundred twenty-seven-a of this title.6.
In all other cases, the record of the report to the statewide central register shall be expunged ten years after the eighteenth birthday of the youngest child named in the report. In the case of a child in residential care the record of the report to the statewide central register shall be expunged ten years after the reported child’s eighteenth birthday. In any case and at any time, the commissioner of the office of children and family services may amend any record upon good cause shown and notice to the subjects of the report and other persons named in the report. Provided however, any report indicated for maltreatment based solely on the purchase, possession or consumption of cannabis, without a showing that the child’s physical, mental or emotional condition was impaired or was in imminent danger of becoming impaired in accordance with the definition of child maltreatment as provided for in § 412 (General definitions)section four hundred twelve of this title is established by a fair preponderance of the evidence shall immediately be sealed upon a request pursuant to subdivision eight of this section or section four hundred twenty-four-a of this title.7.
At any time, a subject of a report and other persons named in the report may receive, upon request, a copy of all information contained in the central register; provided, however, that the commissioner is authorized to prohibit the release of data that would identify the person who made the report or who cooperated in a subsequent investigation or the agency, institution, organization, program or other entity where such person is employed or with which he is associated, which he reasonably finds will be detrimental to the safety or interests of such person.8.
(a) (i) At any time subsequent to the completion of the investigation but in no event later than ninety days after the subject of the report is notified that the report is indicated the subject may request the commissioner to amend the record of the report. If the commissioner does not amend the report in accordance with such request within ninety days of receiving the request, the subject shall have the right to a fair hearing, held in accordance with paragraph (b) of this subdivision, to determine whether the record of the report in the central register should be amended on the grounds that it is inaccurate or it is being maintained in a manner inconsistent with this title.(ii)
Upon receipt of a request to amend the record of a child abuse and maltreatment report the office of children and family services shall immediately send a written request to the child protective service which was responsible for investigating the allegations of abuse or maltreatment for all records, reports and other information maintained by the service pertaining to such indicated report. Where a proceeding pursuant to article ten of the family court act based on the same allegations that were indicated is pending, the request to amend shall be stayed until the disposition of such family court proceeding. The service shall as expeditiously as possible but within no more than twenty working days of receiving such request, forward all records, reports and other information it maintains on such indicated report to the office of children and family services, including a copy of any petition or court order based on the allegations that were indicated. Unless such request to amend has been stayed, the office of children and family services shall as expeditiously as possible but within no more than fifteen working days of receiving such materials from the child protective service or state agency, review all such materials in its possession concerning the indicated report and determine, after affording such service a reasonable opportunity to present its views, whether there is a fair preponderance of the evidence to find that the subject committed the act or acts of child abuse or maltreatment giving rise to the indicated report and whether, based on guidelines developed by the office of children and family services pursuant to subdivision five of § 424-A (Access to information contained in the statewide central register of child abuse and maltreatment)section four hundred twenty-four-a of this title, such act or acts could be relevant and reasonably related to employment of the subject of the report by a provider agency, as defined by subdivision three of § 424-A (Access to information contained in the statewide central register of child abuse and maltreatment)section four hundred twenty-four-a of this title, or relevant and reasonably related to the subject of the report being allowed to have regular and substantial contact with children who are cared for by a provider agency, or relevant and reasonably related to the approval or disapproval of an application submitted by the subject of the report to a licensing agency, as defined by subdivision four of § 424-A (Access to information contained in the statewide central register of child abuse and maltreatment)section four hundred twenty-four-a of this title.(iii)
If it is determined at the review held pursuant to this paragraph that there is not a fair preponderance of the evidence in the record to find that the subject committed an act or acts of child abuse or maltreatment, the office of children and family services shall amend the record to indicate that the report is “unfounded” and notify the subject forthwith.(iv)
If it is determined at the review held pursuant to this paragraph that there is a fair preponderance of the evidence in the record to find that the subject committed such act or acts but that such act or acts could not be relevant and reasonably related to the employment of the subject by a provider agency or to the subject being allowed to have regular and substantial contact with children who are cared for by a provider agency or the approval or disapproval of an application which could be submitted by the subject to a licensing agency, the office of children and family services shall be precluded from informing a provider or licensing agency which makes an inquiry to such office pursuant to the provisions of § 424-A (Access to information contained in the statewide central register of child abuse and maltreatment)section four hundred twenty-four-a of this title concerning the subject that the person about whom the inquiry is made is the subject of an indicated report of child abuse or maltreatment. The office of children and family services shall notify forthwith the subject of the report of such determinations and that a fair hearing has been scheduled pursuant to paragraph (b) of this subdivision. The sole issue at such hearing shall be whether the subject has been shown by a fair preponderance of the evidence to have committed the act or acts of child abuse or maltreatment giving rise to the indicated report.(v)
If it is determined at the review held pursuant to this paragraph that there is a fair preponderance of the evidence in the record to prove that the subject committed an act or acts of child abuse or maltreatment and that such act or acts could be relevant and reasonably related to the employment of the subject by a provider agency or to the subject being allowed to have regular and substantial contact with children cared for by a provider agency or the approval or disapproval of an application which could be submitted by the subject to a licensing agency, the office of children and family services shall notify forthwith the subject of the report of such determinations and that a fair hearing has been scheduled pursuant to paragraph (b) of this subdivision.(b)
(i) If the department, within ninety days of receiving a request from the subject that the record of a report be amended, does not amend the record in accordance with such request, the department shall schedule a fair hearing and shall provide notice of the scheduled hearing date to the subject, the statewide central register and, as appropriate, to the child protective service or the state agency which investigated the report.(ii)
The burden of proof in such a hearing shall be on the child protective service which investigated the report. In such a hearing, where a family court proceeding pursuant to article ten of the family court act has occurred and where the petition for such proceeding alleges that a respondent in that proceeding committed abuse or neglect against the subject child in regard to an allegation contained in a report indicated pursuant to this section: (A) where the court finds that such respondent did commit abuse or neglect there shall be an irrebuttable presumption in a fair hearing held pursuant to this subdivision that said allegation is substantiated by a fair preponderance of the evidence as to that respondent on that allegation; and (B) where such child protective service withdraws such petition with prejudice, where the family court dismisses such petition, or where the family court finds on the merits in favor of the respondent, there shall be an irrebuttable presumption in a fair hearing held pursuant to this subdivision that said allegation as to that respondent has not been proven by a fair preponderance of the evidence.(c)
(i) If it is determined at the fair hearing that there is not a fair preponderance of the evidence in the record to find that the subject committed an act or acts of child abuse or maltreatment, the office of children and family services shall amend the record to reflect that such a finding was made at the administrative hearing, order any child protective service which investigated the report to similarly amend its records of the report, and shall notify the subject forthwith of the determination.(ii)
Upon a determination made at a fair hearing scheduled pursuant to the provisions of subparagraph (v) of paragraph (a) of this subdivision that the subject has been shown by a fair preponderance of the evidence to have committed the act or acts of child abuse or maltreatment giving rise to the indicated report, the hearing officer shall determine, based on guidelines developed by the office of children and family services pursuant to subdivision five of § 424-A (Access to information contained in the statewide central register of child abuse and maltreatment)section four hundred twenty-four-a of this title, whether such act or acts are relevant and reasonably related to employment of the subject by a provider agency, as defined by subdivision three of § 424-A (Access to information contained in the statewide central register of child abuse and maltreatment)section four hundred twenty-four-a of this title, or relevant and reasonably related to the subject being allowed to have regular and substantial contact with children who are cared for by a provider agency or relevant and reasonably related to the approval or disapproval of an application submitted by the subject to a licensing agency, as defined by subdivision four of § 424-A (Access to information contained in the statewide central register of child abuse and maltreatment)section four hundred twenty-four-a of this title. Upon a determination made at a fair hearing that the act or acts of abuse or maltreatment are relevant and reasonably related to employment of the subject by a provider agency or the subject being allowed to have regular and substantial contact with children who are cared for by a provider agency or the approval or denial of an application submitted by the subject to a licensing agency, the office of children and family services shall notify the subject forthwith. The office of children and family services shall inform a provider or licensing agency which makes an inquiry to such office pursuant to the provisions of § 424-A (Access to information contained in the statewide central register of child abuse and maltreatment)section four hundred twenty-four-a of this title concerning the subject that the person about whom the inquiry is made is the subject of an indicated child abuse or maltreatment report. The failure to determine at the fair hearing that the act or acts of abuse and maltreatment are relevant and reasonably related to the employment of the subject by a provider agency or to the subject being allowed to have regular and substantial contact with children who are cared for by a provider agency or the approval or denial of an application submitted by the subject to a licensing agency shall preclude the office of children and family services from informing a provider or licensing agency which makes an inquiry to such office pursuant to the provisions of § 424-A (Access to information contained in the statewide central register of child abuse and maltreatment)section four hundred twenty-four-a of this title concerning the subject that the person about whom the inquiry is made is the subject of an indicated child abuse or maltreatment report.(d)
The commissioner or his or her designated agent is hereby authorized and empowered to make any appropriate order respecting the amendment of a record to make it accurate or consistent with the requirements of this title.(e)
Should the office of children and family services grant the request of the subject of the report pursuant to this subdivision either through an administrative review or fair hearing to amend an indicated report to an unfounded report, such report shall be legally sealed and shall be released and expunged in accordance with the standards set forth in subdivision five of this section.9.
Written notice of any expungement or amendment of any record, made pursuant to the provisions of this title, shall be served forthwith upon each subject of such record, other persons named in the report, the commissioner, and, as appropriate, the applicable local child protective service, the justice center for the protection of people with special needs, department of education, office of mental health, office for people with developmental disabilities, the local social services commissioner or school district placing the child, any attorney for the child appointed to represent the child whose appointment has been continued by a family court judge during the term of a child’s placement, and the director or operator of a residential care facility or program. The local child protective service or the state agency which investigated the report, upon receipt of such notice, shall take the appropriate similar action in regard to its child abuse and maltreatment register and records and inform, for the same purpose, any other agency which received such record.12.
Any person who willfully permits and any person who encourages the release of any data and information contained in the central register to persons or agencies not permitted by this title shall be guilty of a class A misdemeanor.13.
There shall be a single statewide telephone number for use by all persons seeking general information about child abuse, maltreatment or welfare other than for the purpose of making a report of child abuse or maltreatment.14.
The office shall refer suspected cases of falsely reporting child abuse and maltreatment in violation of subdivision four of section 240.50 of the penal law to the appropriate law enforcement agency or district attorney.
Source:
Section 422 — Statewide central register of child abuse and maltreatment, https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/SOS/422 (updated Apr. 8, 2022; accessed Oct. 26, 2024).
