Bill > A00456

This bill establishes new standards for caseloads of child protective services (CPS) workers in New York State, aiming to improve worker capacity and child welfare outcomes. The legislation requires the Office of Children and Family Services to create regulations that limit the number of investigations assigned to CPS workers, specifically recommending no more than two initial investigations per week for each full-time equivalent worker. The bill mandates that the state will reimburse local social services districts 100% of the costs associated with implementing these caseload standards, provided that districts maintain their current level of child protective services expenditures. Additionally, the bill requires the state commissioner to include detailed monthly reporting about CPS workers in the annual report, such as the number of workers, their supervisory status, and average number of active cases. The regulations will also provide guidance on how investigations are assigned, taking into account the worker's current caseload and the complexity of each investigation. Importantly, the bill does not prohibit local districts from establishing even more stringent caseload standards than those proposed by the state. The provisions will take effect 730 days after the bill becomes law, allowing time for implementation and adjustment.

Education

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A456