Children and Family Services, Office of

Agency Web Site: http://www.ocfs.state.ny.us/main/

Mission

The Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) serves New York's public by promoting the safety, permanency and well-being of our children, families and communities. OCFS achieves results by setting and enforcing policies, building partnerships, and funding and providing quality services.

Budget Highlights

The Executive Budget recommends $3.8 billion for OCFS. This is a decrease of $32.5 million from the 2012-13 budget. The decrease primarily reflects the net impact of the following actions: continued implementation of the New York City Close to Home Initiative and expansion to counties outside New York City for certain youth; increased utilization of Federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) dollars for child care subsidies; implementation of the State’s call center consolidation initiative; and, the transfer of funds to the new Justice Center for the Protection of People with Special Needs.

The Executive Budget recommends a workforce of 2,688 FTEs. This is a decrease of 575 FTEs from the 2012-13 budget. The decrease primarily reflects the net impact of the following actions: the continued closing and downsizing of youth facilities associated with the Close to Home Initiative; staff for program improvements at the remaining youth facilities; and, the movement of positions for the Justice Center for the Protection of People with Special Needs to that agency.

Major budget actions include:

• Continuing reforms to the Juvenile Justice System by closing costly State facilities and providing more appropriate placements and services to youth from counties outside New York City. In 2013-14, the reform would provide residential and community based services to youth that would otherwise require a non-secure setting under OCFS custody. This reform would result in an estimated net cost of $1.9 million in 2013-14, but would result in estimated net savings of $1.4 million when fully implemented in 2014-15.
• Eliminating the 2013-14 Human Services Cost of Living Adjustments (COLAs) and administrative trends to providers.
• Combining Youth Delinquency Prevention programs to improve and streamline youth delinquency prevention efforts. While there are no savings associated with this proposal, it will streamline program operations and administration for counties, making delivery of services more efficient.

For more information on this agency's budget recommendations located in the Executive Budget Briefing Book, click on the following link:

Briefing Book – Human Services (PDF)

Note: Most recent estimates as of 01/22/2013

Click for additional detailed appropriation tables