NY Soc Serv L § 481-C (2021)
2021 New York Laws SOS - Social Services Article 10-A - William B. Hoyt Memorial Children and Family Trust Fund Act 481-C - Definitions.

§ 481-c. Definitions. As used in this article:   1.  "Domestic  violence" shall mean any crime or violation, as defined in the penal law, which has been alleged to have been committed  by  any family  or  household  member  against  any member of the same family or household.   2. "Family  or  household  members"  shall  mean  persons  related  by consanguinity or affinity or unrelated persons who are continually or at regular  intervals  living  or  in  the  past  continually or at regular intervals lived in the same household,  including  victims  and  persons accused of having committed acts of domestic violence.   3.  "Child  abuse  and  maltreatment"   shall have the same meaning as provided for in section four hundred twelve of this chapter.   4. "Public agency" shall  mean  a  local  office,  board,  department, bureau,  commission,  division,  agency,  other instrumentality of local government, or public or private educational institution.   5. "Family  violence"  shall  mean  any  act  which  would  constitute domestic  violence  as defined in subdivision one of this section or any act which would constitute child abuse and maltreatment  as  defined  in subdivision three of this section.   6. "Primary prevention" shall mean strengthening family functioning to insure  that  family  violence  never  takes  place or is less likely to occur. Primary prevention shall include: educating family  or  household members or prospective parents in order to avoid patterns which can lead to  family  violence; increasing in-home services to new and prospective parents; strengthening  the  relationships  among  community  resources, child  protective  service  units  and  citizen  groups  to  promote and encourage  the  development  of  family  violence  prevention  programs; increasing  the awareness of professionals and the public to the effects of stress, social isolation and the lack of social and parenting  skills for the purpose of making available programs deemed helpful for children and  adults;  and  any  other  program  deemed  helpful  in  the primary prevention of family violence.   7. "Secondary prevention" shall mean addressing  the  early  signs  of family  violence  or  risk  of  family  violence  through  treatment  of presenting  problems  to  prevent  further  problems  from   developing. Secondary  prevention  shall  include: providing supportive services and temporary shelter to family or household members who are  considered  at risk  of  family  violence;  strengthening  self-help groups composed of individuals with a history of or at risk of family violence;  increasing in-home  services  to  families  at  risk  of  violence;  promoting  and encouraging the development of community resources for the treatment of, and improving the response to family violence; providing information and referral  services  to  resources  and/or  establishing  linkages  among services  which  are  in  the  community;  and  any other program deemed helpful in the treatment of persons at risk of family violence.   8. "Family resource and support program" shall mean a community-based, prevention focused entity that:  (a) provides, through direct service, core services, including:  (1) parent education, support and leadership services,  together  with services    characterized   by   relationships   between   parents   and professionals that are based on equality and respect,  and  designed  to assist  parents  in  acquiring  parenting  skills,  learning about child development, and responding  appropriately  to  the  behavior  of  their children;  (2)  services  to  facilitate  the  ability  of  parents  to  serve as resources to one another (such as  through  mutual  support  and  parent self-help groups);  (3) outreach services provided through voluntary home visits and other methods  to  assist parents in becoming aware of and able to participate in family resources and support program activities;  (4)  community  and  social  services  to assist families in obtaining community resources; and  (5) follow-up services;  (b) provides, or arranges for the provision of,  other  core  services through contracts or agreements with other local agencies, including all forms of respite care services; and  (c)  provides  access  to  optional services, directly or by contract, purchase of service, or interagency agreement, including:  (1) child care, early childhood  development  and  early  intervention services;  (2) referral to self-sufficiency and life management skills training;  (3)  referral  to  education  services,  such  as scholastic tutoring, literacy training,  and general educational degree services;  (4) referral to services providing job readiness skills;  (5) child abuse and neglect prevention activities;  (6) referral to services that families with children with disabilities or special needs may require;  (7)  community  and   social   service   referral,   including   early developmental screening of children;  (8) peer counseling;  (9) referral for substance abuse counseling and treatment; and  (10) help line services.