New York State Citizen Review Panels for Child Protective Services

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Governance

The 1996 amendments to the federal Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) required states that receive federal funding under that legislation to create volunteer Citizen Review Panels for Child Protective Services. In response to the federal amendments, the NYS Legislature passed Chapter 136 of the Laws of 1999, establishing three Citizen Review Panels.

Purpose

The purpose of the Citizen Review Panels is to assess whether state and local agencies are effectively carrying out their child protection responsibilities under CAPTA. The panels are directed to examine the policies, procedures and practices of state and local agencies; review specific cases, when warranted; and review other matters the panels may consider important to child protection.

The panels must meet at least once every three months and produce an annual public report containing a summary of their activities and recommendations to improve the child protection system at the state and local levels. The panels are authorized to hold public hearings and to evaluate the extent to which agencies are effectively discharging their child protection responsibilities. The panels also advocate for legislation that can have a positive impact on child welfare services in the state.

Membership and Proceedings

Each panel is comprised of up to 13 members, who are volunteers with a breadth of experience and knowledge in the prevention and treatment of child abuse and neglect, child welfare practice, policy, law, social work, education and technology. The Governor appoints seven members and the President Pro Tempore and Majority Leader of the NYS Senate and the Speaker of the NYS Assembly appoint three members each. Each panel is to elect a chairperson and shall be composed of volunteer members who broadly represent the communities in which the panel is established. No person employed by federal, state, county or municipal agencies, which directly deliver child welfare services, may be a panel member.

The members are not compensated for their work but may be reimbursed for expenses incurred when traveling to a meeting, conference or training on the panel’s behalf.

The panels must meet at least once every three months and produce an annual public report containing a summary of their activities and recommendations to improve the child protection system at the state and local levels.

Current Membership

Visit the Citizen Review Panels NY website for a current list of members on each of the three panels.

Meetings

Visit the Citizen Review Panels NY website to find current and archived meeting information and minutes.

Reports

Visit the Citizen Review Panels NY website for a current list of annual reports.

Contact

Departmental Affiliation

New York State Office of Children and Family Services

Contact Information

Address: New York Citizen Review Panels, c/o WRI Solutions, 14 Columbia Circle, Suite 104, Albany, NY 12203

Website: citizenreviewpanelsny.org