§ 398. Additional powers and duties of commissioners of public welfare\nand certain city public welfare officers in relation to children.\nCommissioners of public welfare and city public welfare officers\nresponsible under the provisions of a special or local law for the\nchildren hereinafter specified shall have powers and perform duties as\nfollows:\n 1. As to destitute children:\n (a) offer preventive services in accordance with section four hundred\nnine-a of this article when necessary to avert an impairment or\ndisruption of a family which could result in the placement of the child\nin foster care;\n (b) report to the local criminal justice agency and to the statewide\ncentral register for missing children as described in section eight\nhundred thirty-seven-e of the executive law such relevant information as\nrequired on a form prescribed by the commissioner of the division of\ncriminal justice services, in appropriate instances; and\n (c) assume charge of and provide care and support for any child who is\na destitute child pursuant to paragraph (a) of subdivision three of\nsection three hundred seventy-one of this article who cannot be properly\ncared for in his or her home, and if required, petition the family court\nto obtain custody of the child in accordance with article ten-C of the\nfamily court act.\n 2. As to neglected, abused or abandoned children:\n (a) Investigate the alleged neglect, abuse or abandonment of a child,\noffer protective social services to prevent injury to the child, to\nsafeguard his welfare, and to preserve and stabilize family life\nwherever possible and, if necessary, bring the case before the family\ncourt for adjudication and care for the child until the court acts in\nthe matter and, in the case of an abandoned child, shall promptly\npetition the family court to obtain custody of such child.\n (b) Receive and care for any child alleged to be neglected, abused or\nabandoned who is temporarily placed in his care by the family court\npending adjudication by such court of the alleged neglect, abuse or\nabandonment including the authority to establish, operate, maintain and\napprove facilities for such purpose in accordance with the regulations\nof the department; and receive and care for any neglected, abused or\nabandoned child placed or discharged to his care by the family court.\n (c) Any facility designated as of the effective date of this act shall\nnot be disapproved except after consultation with the designating\nappellate division.\n (d) The local social services department shall list all facilities\napproved under this article for the temporary custody and care of\nchildren remanded by the family court and shall file a copy of that list\nperiodically with the clerk of the family court in each county in the\njudicial district in which the facility is located.\n (e) Report to the local registrar of vital statistics of the district\nin which the child was found the sex, color, approximate date of birth,\nplace of finding, and the name assigned to any child who may be found\nwhose parents are unknown, within ten days whenever possible after the\nchild is found, on a form prescribed therefor by the state commissioner\nof health, and report the subsequent identification of any such child to\nthe state commissioner of health; provided, however, that in the city of\nNew York such form shall be prescribed by, and such report shall be made\nto, the department of health.\n (f) Report to the local criminal justice agency and to the statewide\ncentral register for missing children as described in section eight\nhundred thirty-seven-e of the executive law such information as required\non a form prescribed by the commissioner of the division of criminal\njustice services within forty-eight hours after an abandoned child is\nfound.\n 3. As to delinquent children and persons in need of supervision:\n (a) Investigate complaints as to alleged delinquency of a child.\n (b) Bring such case
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