New York Codes, Rules and Regulations › Title 9 - EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT › Subtitle E - Office of Children and Family Services › Part 168 - State Schools And Centers › Section 168.5 - Powers and duties of the boards of visitors

Current through Register Vol. 46, No. 28, July 10, 2024
(a) Members of the boards of visitors shall
				be selected from a cross-section of lay people in the community, including but
				not limited to individuals in the fields of law, judiciary, education,
				sociology, psychology and other related fields who shall serve in an advisory
				capacity to the superintendent of the institution to which they are appointed.
				The boards may report to the Governor, directly, when they deem it appropriate
				in the performance of their duties. Members of the boards of visitors, because
				of their deep concern for the welfare of the youths in care within their
				respective institutions, are in a position to offer pertinent and valuable
				assistance, comments and advice to the superintendent and to the director of
				the Division for Youth, in order to improve the facility's treatment and
				training program.
(b) The boards of
				visitors shall hold at least six meetings per annum with the superintendent and
				cause a copy of the minutes and proceedings thereof to be sent forthwith to
				each member of the boards of visitors, to the superintendent of the institution
				and to the director of the Division for Youth.
(c) The boards of visitors, subject to the
				approval of the superintendent, have the authority to seek ways of establishing
				cooperation, understanding and mutual respect between the institution and the
				local community.
(d) The boards of
				visitors shall submit, by the 31st day of July each year, a detailed annual
				report of their visits and meetings and suggestions to the superintendent of
				the institution for the year ending on the 30th day of June preceding the day
				of such report, and such report shall be forwarded by the superintendent of the
				institution, together with the superintendent's response and commentary, to the
				director of the Division for Youth by the 31st day of August of each
				year.
(e) The boards of visitors,
				subject to the approval of the superintendent, have the authority to act as
				liaison with services within the institution, such as recreational,
				educational, cultural and therapeutic services which have not been provided in
				the regular institutional program.
(f) The boards of visitors, subject to the
				approval of the superintendent, have the authority to aid their respective
				institutions in the establishment of programs within the local community which
				will assist youths residing in the institution to secure local employment,
				educational, recreational, cultural and therapeutic services.
(g) Members of the boards of visitors shall
				have access to residents and shall have the right to inspect all physical
				areas, facilities and programs conducted under the auspices of their respective
				institutions. They may request of the superintendent the appearance of any
				staff member to attend regular meetings in order to remain fully briefed and
				knowledgeable as to institutional operations.
(h) The boards of visitors, as agents of the
				division, and with its approval, may receive and accept any grant, gift, devise
				or bequest of money or land to it, the State, board, division or institution,
				subject to the provisions of the State Finance Law. Any such acquisitions,
				including income therefrom, shall be applied or expended subject to the
				regulations of the division.
(i)
				Members of the boards of visitors, shall not receive any compensation for their
				services, but shall receive actual and necessary traveling and other expenses,
				to be paid after audit as other current expenditures of the
				institutions.