§ 427-a. Differential response programs for child protection\nassessments or investigations. 1. Any social services district may,\nupon the authorization of the office of children and family services,\nestablish a program that implements differential responses to reports of\nchild abuse and maltreatment. Such programs shall create a family\nassessment and services track as an alternative means of addressing\ncertain matters otherwise investigated as allegations of child abuse or\nmaltreatment pursuant to this title. Notwithstanding any other provision\nof law to the contrary, the provisions of this section shall apply only\nto those cases involving allegations of abuse or maltreatment in family\nsettings expressly included in the family assessment and services track\nof the differential response program, and only in those social services\ndistricts authorized by the office of children and family services to\nimplement a differential response program. Such cases shall not be\nsubject to the requirements otherwise applicable to cases reported to\nthe statewide central register of child abuse and maltreatment pursuant\nto this title, except as set forth in this section.\n 2. Any social services district interested in implementing a\ndifferential response program shall apply to the office of children and\nfamily services for permission to participate. The criteria for a social\nservices district to participate will be determined by the office of\nchildren and family services after consultation with the office for the\nprevention of domestic violence, however the social services district's\napplication must include a plan setting forth the following:\n (a) in conjunction with any additional requirements imposed by the\noffice of children and family services and the provisions of this\nsubdivision, the factors to be considered by the social services\ndistrict in determining which cases will be addressed through the family\nassessment and services track and the size of the population to be the\nsubject of the differential response program;\n (b) the types of services and interventions to be provided to families\nincluded in the family assessment and services track and a description\nof how the services will be offered;\n (c) a description of the process to be followed for planning and\nmonitoring the services provided under the family assessment and\nservices track;\n (d) a description of how the principles of family involvement and\nsupport consistent with maintaining the safety of the child will be\nimplemented in the family assessment and services track;\n (e) a description of how the differential response program will\nenhance the ability of the district to protect children, maintain the\nsafety of children and preserve families;\n (f) a description of how the district will reduce the involvement of\ngovernment agencies with families and maintain the safety of children\nthrough the use of community resources;\n (g) a description of the staff resources proposed to be used in the\nfamily assessment and services track, including the proposed staff\nworkloads and qualifications;\n (h) a description of the training that will be provided to district\nand any non-district staff to be used in the differential response\nprogram including, but not limited to, a description of the training\ninvolving maintaining the safety and well-being of children and any\ncross training planned for family assessment and investigative staff;\n (i) a description of the community resources that are proposed to be\nused in the family assessment and services track;\n (j) a description of any additional funding that may be utilized to\nenhance the differential response program; and\n (k) a description of the protocol to be followed for handling cases\nwhere domestic violence is present in order to maintain the safety of\nthe child through the family assessment and services track.\n 3. The criteria for determining which cases may be placed in the\
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