New York Codes, Rules and Regulations › Title 18 - DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES › Chapter II - Regulations of the Department of Social Services › Subchapter B - Public Assistance › Article 2 - Determination of Eligibility-Categorical › Part 361 - Case Management Activities For Pregnant And Parenting Adolescents › Section 361.7 - Initial contacts

Current through Register Vol. 46, No. 28, July 10, 2024
(a)
			 Method. Case management staff must contact each referred adolescent who
			 potentially is eligible for case management activities in order to arrange an
			 initial interview and needs assessment. The initial contact may be made by
			 letter, telephone or personal visit.
(b) Scheduling the initial interview. The
			 initial interview and assessment must occur within 30 calendar days from the
			 date the adolescent is referred to case management staff for case management
			 activities. Case management staff must make reasonable attempts to schedule the
			 initial interview at a place and time convenient to the adolescent, taking into
			 consideration that the adolescent's access to transportation and child care may
			 be limited.
(c) Confirming the
			 initial interview. Regardless of how the initial contact was made, the case
			 manager must provide the adolescent with a written confirmation of the initial
			 interview within a reasonable amount of time prior to the interview date so
			 that the adolescent has sufficient notice of the scheduled interview. The
			 confirmation must include information regarding: the purpose, time, date and
			 location of the initial interview; the voluntary nature of the activities; any
			 arrangements made for necessary child care and transportation; and the name and
			 telephone number of the individual the adolescent should contact regarding any
			 questions about the case management activities, any assistance needed in making
			 child care or transportation arrangements, or rescheduling the
			 interview.
(d) Recontact. Case
			 management staff must recontact an adolescent who fails to respond to the
			 initial contact, or who is unavailable for the initial interview, for the
			 purpose of rescheduling the initial interview so the interview will occur
			 within 30 calendar days from the date the adolescent was referred to case
			 management staff for case management activities or as soon thereafter as
			 possible.
(e) Refusal to
			 participate. If the adolescent, without explanation or cause, again fails to
			 contact the case manager or is unavailable for the rescheduled interview, then
			 the case manager may, but is not mandated to, consider such failure as a
			 refusal by the adolescent to participate in case management
			 activities.
(f) Record of referred
			 cases. Case management staff must maintain a log or other record containing
			 information about the adolescents referred for case management activities. The
			 social services district may use a format for this record which best meets the
			 district's purposes. The record must include, but need not be limited to: the
			 name of the referred adolescent; identifying information about the adolescent,
			 such as his or her client identification number, public assistance case number,
			 social security number and date of birth; the source and date of the referral
			 to case management staff for case management activities; the method and date of
			 the initial contact to arrange an initial interview and needs assessment; and
			 the referral's disposition, including, as appropriate, whether the case was
			 opened or the reasons for determining the adolescent was ineligible for case
			 management activities or the reasons the adolescent gave for refusing to
			 participate in such activities.