§ 255 — Cooperation of officials and organizations

§ 255. Cooperation of officials and organizations. (a) It is hereby\nmade the duty of, and the family court or a judge thereof may order, any\nstate, county, municipal and school district officer and employee to\nrender such assistance and cooperation as shall be within their legal\nauthority, as may be required, to further the objects of this act\nprovided, however, that with respect to a school district an order made\npursuant to this section shall be limited to requiring the performance\nof the duties imposed upon the school district and board of education or\ntrustees thereof pursuant to sections four thousand five, forty-four\nhundred two and forty-four hundred four of the education law, to review,\nevaluate, recommend, and determine the appropriate special services or\nprograms necessary to meet the needs of a handicapped child, but shall\nnot require the provisions of a specific special service or program, and\nsuch order shall be made only where it appears to the court or judge\nthat adequate administrative procedure to require the performance of\nsuch duties is not available. It is hereby made the duty of and the\nfamily court or judge thereof may order, any agency or other institution\nto render such information, assistance and cooperation as shall be\nwithin its legal authority concerning a child who is or shall be under\nits care, treatment, supervision or custody as may be required to\nfurther the objects of this act. The court is authorized to seek the\ncooperation of, and may use, within its authorized appropriation\ntherefor, the services of all societies or organizations, public or\nprivate, having for their object the protection or aid of children or\nfamilies, including family counselling services, to the end that the\ncourt may be assisted in every reasonable way to give the children and\nfamilies within its jurisdiction such care, protection and assistance as\nwill best enhance their welfare.\n (b) An order of the family court or a judge thereof directing a social\nservices district and/or social services official, as defined in section\ntwo of the social services law, to perform an action for the purpose of\nassisting a youth placed in foster care, shall remain enforceable after\nsuch youth is discharged from foster care pursuant to subdivision (d) of\nsection one thousand eighty-eight of this act.\n