Section 409-J. Case management

1. As used in this title, "case management"
  shall refer to a method of providing necessary  prevention  and  support
  services,  directly  or by purchase of services, to recipients of public
  assistance and shall require the facilitating of such services  for  the
  purpose  of  insuring  family  stability and assistance in achieving the
  greatest degree of economic independence.
    2. Appropriate local social services  staff  shall  be  designated  as
  responsible  on  a  case  by  case basis, for the assessment of services
  needed by the adolescent or teenage recipient to achieve defined service
  goals, and for the planning  and  referral  of  services  and  follow-up
  activities,   including   the  monitoring  and  evaluation  of  services
  provided. Designated case management  staff  shall  be  responsible  for
  performing such activities for a specified period prescribed pursuant to
  department  regulations  dependent on such factors as age, education and
  job skills attainment of the individual, household size and stability of
  the family unit.
    3. When referrals to services are provided  under  other  state-funded
  programs  or are directly purchased by the social services district, the
  district may request that  the  provider  obtain  and  transmit  to  the
  district  the  information  necessary  to  perform  the  case management
  function.
    4. The provisions of this title shall apply to those  cases  involving
  pregnant  adolescents  and teen parents in receipt of public assistance,
  including any males and females under eighteen  years  of  age  who  are
  designated  payees  of their own cases, payees of their children's cases
  or those public  assistance  recipients  under  eighteen  years  of  age
  identified  pursuant  to  rules and regulations as at-risk youth needing
  prevention services, where appropriate. At local option, case management
  services may be provided to those cases headed by persons eighteen years
  of age or older but under twenty-one years of age.
    5. In the event that an adolescent or  teenage  recipient  refuses  to
  accept  services  identified by social services district staff as needed
  by the adolescent or teenager, such refusal shall not carry  any  threat
  of fiscal sanctions.
    6.  Case  records  developed  by  social  services districts and other
  agencies for persons eligible for or receiving services pursuant to  the
  provisions  of  this  section  shall  be  confidential and maintained in
  accordance with the provisions of section one hundred thirty-six of this
  chapter and the regulations of the department.