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Table of Contents
I. Introduction ................................................................................................................... 3
II. Circumstances Under Which a Youth is Considered AWOL or Absent from Program ........ 3
III. Preventing AWOLs and Program Absences ...................................................................... 5
IV. Steps to Take if a Youth is AWOL or Absent from Program .............................................. 5
V. AWOL Youth’s Return to Care ............................................................................................. 16
VI. Attachment
A. Report on Search Efforts Form
B. Warrant Form
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I. Introduction It is the policy of the Administration for Children’s Services (ACS) that non-secure and limited secure juvenile justice placement (NSP and LSP, respectively) providers must take steps to prevent youth from going absent without leave (AWOL) and to prevent program absences. Youth placed in NSP and LSP facilities are youth who have been found by the Family Court to require “supervision, treatment and confinement.” If a youth leaves or attempts to leave without permission, the provider must treat the event as an “immediately reportable incident”1 and a “significant incident,”2 and respond accordingly.
II. Circumstances under Which a Youth is Considered AWOL or Absent from Program
A. A youth is considered to be AWOL when:
1. A youth in LSP leaves the program without permission or leaves the presence of
the person responsible for supervision of the youth during an off-grounds trip or home visit. These youth are immediately considered AWOL.
2. A youth leaves the supervision of an NSP facility without permission and has been
missing for 24 hours. The 24-hour count begins at the point in time when the youth is last known to have been in program.
3. A youth in NSP leaves the presence of the person responsible for the supervision
of that youth without such person’s permission during a supervised off-grounds trip or a home visit, and has been missing for 24 hours.
4. A youth in an NSP facility has not returned to the facility on the assigned date and
at the assigned time during an unsupervised off-grounds trip or home visit, and has been missing for 24 hours.
5. In addition to the three (3) circumstances described above in subsections 2-4,
there are exceptions to the 24-hour rule for considering an NSP youth to be AWOL. These exceptions are outlined below in Section II. D. and require the ACS Movement Control and Communications Unit (MCCU) to issue a warrant immediately.
1 See ACS Policy and Procedure Incident Reporting for Juvenile Justice Placement. 2 See ACS Policy and Procedure Vulnerable Persons Central Register (VPCR) Reportable Incidents and Notification; see Incident Reporting for Juvenile Justice Placement.
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B. A youth is absent from program3 from NSP when: 1. A youth leaves the supervision of the facility without permission, has been missing
for less than 24 hours; 2. On a supervised off-grounds trip or home visit, the youth has left the presence of
the person responsible for supervision of that youth without such person’s permission, and has been missing for less than 24 hours; or
3. On an unsupervised off-grounds trip or home visit, the youth has not returned to
the facility on the assigned date and at the assigned time and has been missing for less than 24 hours.
C. If the youth does not return within 24 hours, diligent efforts have been made but the
youth has not been located, and/or there is reason to suspect that the youth’s safety may be at risk, the youth is then considered to be AWOL and the reporting requirements set forth below in Section IV. must begin.
D. Any youth designated as “high risk” by the Division of Youth and Family Justice (DYFJ) shall be immediately considered AWOL upon any unauthorized absence from program. A youth is considered “high risk” if any of the following situations apply:
1. A youth is placed in LSP; 2. All youth in specialized programs; 3. A youth with significant mental health issues is absent from program and requires
medication to stabilize as determined by a mental health provider and/or DYFJ; 4. A youth’s conduct in placement indicates that he or she is a danger to himself,
herself, or others (e.g., a youth has made homicidal statements prior to leaving program);
5. A youth has a history of being commercially sexually exploited; 6. A youth has a cognitive or physical impairment; 7. A youth has a history of substance abuse; 8. A youth is younger than 13 years of age; 9. A youth is suspected of having been abducted; 10. A youth is currently prescribed a rigorous medication regimen and non-adherence
puts the youth at risk of serious physical harm; or 11. A youth has a history of AWOLs or program absences during which the youth has
engaged in behavior that was harmful to self or others.
3 Note: Program absence only applies to youth in NSP and does not apply to youth in LSP.
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III. Preventing AWOLs and Program Absences
A. Juvenile justice placement provider agencies must make every effort to protect the safety of youth and the public by preventing AWOLs and program absences.
B. Consistent with ACS policies on safe intervention and consistent with the Family
Court’s determination that the youth requires “supervision, treatment or confinement,” provider staff shall attempt to prevent a youth from leaving a facility without permission by using the least restrictive approach possible, so that the youth does not place himself or herself at imminent risk or create a risk to public safety.4
C. Within 24 hours of a youth’s admission to an NSP or LSP facility, provider staff must
interview the youth and the youth’s discharge resource and create a list of people who the youth may contact or stay with, or locations where the youth may go if the youth leaves placement. This list must be documented in CONNECTIONS (CNNX) within 24 hours of its creation. After the creation of the initial list, provider staff must meet with the youth and the youth’s discharge resource on a monthly basis to determine whether there are any other people or locations that must be added to the list. Provider staff must document the subsequent meetings and any updates to the list in CNNX.
IV. Steps to Take if a Youth is AWOL or Absent From Program
A. Searching for the Whereabouts of a Youth 1. Provider staff members are required to actively pursue and physically search for a
youth who is AWOL or absent from program, particularly if the youth is within view and/or when staff have a reasonable basis to believe they will be able to locate or return the youth to the program.
2. Efforts must include initial contact with the entities listed below within 72 hours of the youth’s AWOL.5 Efforts to locate a missing youth must not be limited to business hours, but must continue through early mornings, nights, weekends, and holidays.
3. Staff shall continue such efforts as follows:
a. Daily contact with people identified by the youth and the youth’s discharge resources at intake;
4 See ACS Policy and Procedure Safe Intervention Policy for Juvenile Justice Placement. 5 See 18 NYCRR § 431.8.
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b. Daily contact with the local precinct; c. Daily scanning of social media accounts, such as Facebook and Twitter, etc.;
d. At least twice weekly contact with all members of the youth's family and extended family known to the provider, including the legal guardian of the youth.
i. The case planner’s discussions with family members must include efforts to determine family members’ most recent contact with the youth, people who the youth may contact while AWOL, and places/businesses frequented by the youth.
ii. The provider shall make contact using all known contact information for each person.
iii. Methods of contact include, but are not limited to: a) Initial face-to-face contact at the family member’s home within 72
hours; b) At least twice weekly telephone contact with family members; and/or c) A letter, email, and/or text message requesting that the family member
contact the provider and law enforcement with any information pertaining to the AWOL youth’s whereabouts or if the missing youth makes contact with the family member. The telephone numbers and email addresses of the case planner and the case planner’s supervisor must be included in the letter.
e. At least weekly contact using as many methods listed above as possible with
close friends and partners of the youth, where known;
f. Submitting supporting documentation for Extension of Placement and Permanency petitions;
g. Developing a plan, in consultation with the ACS Placement and Permanency
Specialist (PPS), for when the youth returns to the facility or is returned to a detention facility;
h. Completing Family Assessment Service Plans (FASPs) as required;
i. At least weekly contact with adults known to be working with the youth in
recreational or educational activities using as many methods listed above as possible;
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j. At least weekly contact with the child protective specialist (CPS) if the youth’s
family has an active child protective case;
k. At least twice weekly email or telephone contact with members of the youth's former foster family household, the agency boarding home or group home where the youth was placed in foster care prior to admission, or the youth’s prior foster care agency case planner, supervisor, or manager. Methods of contact may include, but are not limited to: i. Visits to the foster boarding/group home where the youth resided during
the past 12 months for a face-to-face conversation with the former foster family and agency staff;
ii. A letter requesting that the foster family contact the agency and law enforcement with any information pertaining to the AWOL youth’s whereabouts or if the missing youth makes contact with the foster family. The telephone numbers and email addresses of the case planner and the case planner’s supervisor must be included in the letter; and
iii. Telephone calls and follow up emails to request contact from the former
case planner to discuss the youth’s possible whereabouts and any contact information for any other resources the prior case planner may have who the placement provider can conduct outreach.
l. At least bimonthly contact with the youth's school principal, teacher(s), or
other appropriate staff at the school last attended if applicable.
m. At least monthly contact with professional persons involved with the youth’s development, including but not limited to, doctors, nurses, psychologists, psychiatrists or clinical social workers.
4. The provider must allow staff searching for youth to use a car service or agency
vehicles equipped with global positioning system (GPS) navigation devices. Staff shall also be permitted to use their job-issued cellular phones if they are equipped with such navigation devices.
5. The provider must contemporaneously document these efforts in CNNX (or other
specified/required database), as well as in the Report on Search Efforts Form and must include the following information: a. The type of contact made (e.g., in-person, phone, mail correspondence);
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b. The name of the person contacted; c. The location visited; d. The date and time of contact or attempted contact; e. The response received regarding the youth’s whereabouts; and f. A summary of next steps to be taken.
6. The provider must also check the following databases at least once per week:
a. The City of New York Department of Correction inmate lookup service at
http://services.doc.nycnet/inmatetracking/pages/common/find.jsf;
b. The Federal Bureau of Prisons at http://www.bop.gov/iloc2/LocateInmate.jsp; and
c. eCourts at https://iapps.courts.state.ny.us/webcivil/ecourtsMain.
7. The provider’s efforts in securing the youth’s return to care shall occur daily, for 30
calendar days following the date of the youth’s absence from program, if necessary. a. The provider must continue to appropriately document the youth on its facility
roster throughout the AWOL period.
b. The provider shall provide weekly updates to the assigned ACS PPS on all efforts to locate the youth and must document those efforts in CNNX and the Report on Search Efforts Form.
c. The provider shall email the Report on Search Efforts Form to the assigned ACS
PPS and the PP Director on a weekly basis.
d. At the end of the 30 day search period, the provider shall provide a final written report in CNNX to the PPS summarizing the agency’s search efforts.
e. Beyond 30 calendar days, the ACS PPS assumes primary responsibility of
locating AWOL youth.
f. Provider agency staff must keep track of each location that an AWOL or program absent youth is located. If a youth AWOLs or is absent from program, the provider agency case planner must search all locations where the youth was previously located. Information concerning these locations must also be provided to law enforcement personnel.
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8. ACS Investigative Consultant Referrals
a. If a youth is AWOL for more than three (3) days, the PPS must send a referral
to the Investigative Consultant Team, copying the Placement and Permanency Director and the Close to Home Assistant and Associate Commissioners, who work with local law enforcement. In order for the IC request to be accepted, the following is needed: i. A warrant for the youth;
ii. An Investigative Consultant Referral Form; and iii. A photo of the youth.
b. The PPS must document monthly contact with ICs, family/guardian and
NSP/LSP providers. The PPS must make sure that the CNNX case record reflects ongoing diligent efforts to locate the AWOL youth.
9. ACS Responsibilities for Youth AWOL 30 Days or Longer
a. The PPS must convene an initial AWOL meeting after the youth has been
AWOL for 30 days, and shall include the youth’s parent/guardian, the assigned Investigative Consultant, and the agency providers to discuss efforts made to locate the youth. Following this meeting, the PPS must make the following diligent efforts to locate the youth: i. Weekly family contact; ii. Weekly contact with the assigned Investigative Consultant; iii. Seeking a bench warrant; and iv. Searching the following websites:
a) The City of New York Department of Correction inmate lookup service
at http://services.doc.nycnet/inmatetracking/pages/common/find.jsf; b) The Federal Bureau of Prisons at
http://www.bop.gov/iloc2/LocateInmate.jsp; and c) eCourts at https://iapps.courts.state.ny.us/webcivil/ecourtsMain.
b. The PPS must convene an additional meeting if the youth is still AWOL at both
60 days and 90 days. Thereafter, the PPS must convene a meeting every 90 days the youth remains AWOL from Close to Home residential placement.
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c. Once the youth is located and is returned to care, the PPS must schedule a Red Flag Meeting in conjunction with an FECF.
d. The PPS must document the AWOL or program absence in CNNX and in the
Report on Search Efforts Form. The PPS must verify that the AWOL was accurately recorded in JJIS and CNNX.
B. Notification and Procedures that Provider Staff Must Follow in the Event of an AWOL
or Program Absence
The provider must take the following steps in accordance with Title 18 NYCRR § 431.8 and Social Services Law § 404(13):
1. Notify MCCU and the Justice Center’s VPCR, where applicable
a. Upon learning of an AWOL or program absence, the provider shall immediately
notify MCCU at 212-442-7100.
b. When the provider reports the AWOL or program absence to MCCU, the provider must also provide MCCU with all information required to issue a warrant: i. The name of caller; ii. The facility name; iii. The 24-hour facility contact number; iv. The name of the ACS PPS; v. The youth’s name and any known aliases; vi. The date and time of AWOL or program absence; vii. A description of how the youth went AWOL; viii. The youth’s date of birth; ix. The youth’s gender, ethnicity, height, weight, eye color, and hair color; x. Any scars/distinguishing marks that the youth has; xi. The youth’s placement date; xii. The youth’s home address; xiii. The placing court; xiv. A photograph of the youth; and xv. If the youth is considered “high risk” and the reason for the classification.
c. Upon discovery of any AWOL of a “high risk” youth, the provider must immediately make a report to the Justice Center’s Vulnerable Persons Central Register (VPCR) Hotline by calling 1-855-373-2122. All reports made to the VPCR must be reported to MCCU.
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2. Notify local law enforcement and the National Center for Missing and Exploited
Children a. Upon learning of an AWOL, the provider must immediately notify local law
enforcement for entry into the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) database, and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NMEC) at 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678), but no later than 24 hours after receiving notice of such absence.
b. The ACS PPS shall confirm that the notification has been made by the provider.
3. Notify the parent or guardian a. The provider must notify the youth’s parent/guardian as soon as possible, but
no later than two (2) hours after learning of the AWOL or program absence except when parental rights have been terminated or surrendered, or when the parent cannot be located.
b. The provider must notify the youth’s foster parent and/or foster care provider
case planner as soon as possible, but no later than two (2) hours after learning of the AWOL or program absence if the youth is currently known to ACS as the subject in a child protective case, has been designated as a destitute child or Person in Need of Supervision (PINS), or has been placed via a voluntary child welfare placement agreement. 6
4. Notify OCFS and the Family Court
a. MCCU must immediately send the warrant to law enforcement; the Office of
Children and Family Services (OCFS); and the NSP or LSP provider agency with a copy to FCLS; and a copy to the FCLS Assistant Director of Legal Compliance, and to the FCLS Legal Compliance Unit. The notification to FCLS shall include all pertinent information, such as the youth’s first name and the first letter of the youth’s last name, the ACS case number or docket number, the date and time of the absence from program, and the name of the NSP or LSP facility. The provider agency shall give copies of the warrant to any staff who will be searching for the youth. The provider agency shall notify the youth’s school that there is an open warrant for the youth and ask staff at the school contact
6 See Article 10 (a subject child in a child protective case), Article 10c (a destitute child) or Article 7 of the Family Court Act (a Person in Need of Supervision [PINS]); see section 358-a of the Social Services Law (a child placed via a voluntary placement agreement).
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the provider agency if any school staff members become aware of the youth’s whereabouts.
b. Upon receiving a report of an AWOL, FCLS will immediately provide a Notice of
AWOL to the Family Court, and provide a copy to the youth’s attorney and the ACS court liaison.
c. The provider must notify OCFS and the appropriate borough Family Court by
email using the addresses and template below, copying the appropriate PPS, the FCLS Assistant Director of Legal Compliance, and the FCLS Legal Compliance Unit:
i. BRONX COUNTY: [email protected] ii. KINGS COUNTY: [email protected] iii. NEW YORK COUNTY: [email protected] iv. QUEENS COUNTY: [email protected] v. RICHMOND COUNTY: [email protected]
This is to report that _______________ [name], __________ [birthdate], Docket # _________, is [choose one:] AWOL from __________ [facility]/has returned from AWOL to ____________ [facility] as of __________ [date]. [For AWOL:] See attached warrant. [signature and title of sender]
C. Issuing Warrants
1. ACS warrants can be issued only when there is a current court order placing the youth with ACS.
2. The issuance of a warrant is dependent upon the provider being able to supply the
necessary information as noted above [see IV. B. 1. b.]. A warrant may not be issued when the necessary information is not available. In such situations, the provider is required to have records and/or personnel available who can resolve these issues so that the warrant can be issued. Staff must have access to youth case files 24 hours a day, seven (7) days a week.
3. Providers shall keep a Warrant Form (Attachment B) with pre-filled demographic
and identifying information, and a recent photograph in each youth’s case file to
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expedite the process in the event of an AWOL.7 Providers shall also maintain a travel folder for each youth that contains the information listed under Section IV. B. 1. b. above. The travel folder shall accompany each youth on every transport.
4. When ACS issues a warrant to apprehend an AWOL youth, ACS must within 48
hours provide relevant law enforcement agencies with a photograph of the missing youth and any additional pertinent information.8 Any newly ascertained information regarding the missing youth’s possible whereabouts must also be immediately communicated to law enforcement on an ongoing basis.
5. In addition to the issuance of an administrative warrant, ACS may seek to obtain a
judicial warrant from the New York City Family Court for a youth who is AWOL. ACS may seek a judicial warrant if one or more of the following factors exist:
a. The youth has been AWOL a minimum of seven (7) days.
b. ACS intends to seek an upward modification upon the youth’s return from
AWOL status;
c. The youth has a history of aggressive or violent behavior, as demonstrated by a combination of the following: i. Charges on which the youth has been placed; ii. Behavior of the youth in placement; iii. Information provided in court reports; and iv. Unrelated arrests that may have occurred before or after placement
c. The youth has a history of being commercially sexually exploited;
d. The youth has severe mental health needs as determined by a mental health
provider and/or DYFJ; and
e. The youth’s presence is required at a hearing or proceeding in court as part of a child welfare matter.9
7 See ACS Policy and Procedure Required Log Books and Paper Files for Juvenile Justice Placement Facilities. 8 See SSL § 404(13)(e)(i). 9 See 18 NYCRR 431.8(d)(2).
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D. Documenting the AWOL or Program Absence
1. The provider shall document the AWOL or program absence in CNNX in progress notes10 and the Child Care Review Service (CCRS), in the Facility Activity/Communication Log, and on the Report on Search Efforts Form. a. The absence must be recorded within seven (7) calendar days in the Activities
window in CNNX. b. The absence must be recorded within 30 days in the case record in the FASP. c. Progress notes must include, at minimum, the names of the persons contacted,
dates of those contacts, and information pertaining to the youth’s absence.
2. In the Progress Notes in CNNX, the following must be documented by the provider: a. When the youth is initially determined to be missing;
i. The date the youth was determined to be missing, AWOL, or abducted; ii. The date the absence was reported to law enforcement, including the
report number assigned by the law enforcement agency, or information that the law enforcement agency refused to accept the report;
iii. The date the absence was reported to NCMEC; iv. The names of the persons contacted in efforts to locate the missing youth;
and v. The dates of those contacts.
b. When the youth returns, including:
i. The date of the return; ii. Actions taken upon the youth’s return which could include, but are not
limited to: a) Meeting the youth’s immediate needs; b) Safety planning; c) Screening for sex trafficking; d) Medical care, if necessary; e) Mental health counseling, if indicated; and f) Drug/alcohol abuse treatment, if indicated.
10 Once the Missing Child screen to report data on missing and absent youth has been developed and released, the information will be entered on that screen.
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iii. Information pertaining to the youth’s absence, including but not limited to: a) Primary factors contributing to the youth’s running away or otherwise
being absent without consent; b) Response to the youth’s absence, in both the current and future
placements; and c) Youth’s experiences while missing.
3. The Report on Search Efforts Form requests specific information regarding efforts
to locate the youth which may be copied and pasted directly from the notes entered in CNNX and must be updated daily until the missing youth returns to placement.
4. The provider must submit the Report on Search Efforts Form on a weekly basis to
the appropriate PPS. The provider shall also prepare incident reports within one (1) hour of the start of the program absence.11
E. Cooperation with Law Enforcement12
1. It is the policy of ACS that every effort shall be made to locate and retrieve youth who are AWOL or absent from program. ACS and the provider shall request assistance of police when appropriate in attempting to locate and retrieve an AWOL or program absent youth.
2. ACS and provider agencies shall render their full cooperation to the police and
other authorities investigating the whereabouts of a youth. ACS and provider agencies must share the names, addresses, and phone numbers of relatives and friends of the AWOL or program absent youth with local law enforcement to assist in locating the youth.
3. If the youth has a nickname, tattoos, etc., this information must be shared with
the police as it may assist in identifying and locating the youth.
4. ACS and provider agency staff must provide local law enforcement with photographs of the youth and information regarding any locations where an AWOL or program absent youth was previously located, the names and contact information of any individuals who were previously found with the youth, and the names of other youth with whom the youth previously left the program.
11 See ACS Policy and Procedure Incident Reporting for Juvenile Justice Placement. 12 See NY SSL 404(13)(e)(i).
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V. AWOL Youth’s Return to Care
A. AWOL Youth’s Whereabouts Known When an AWOL youth’s whereabouts become known to a provider agency staff member, that person shall contact the local precinct and/or state police immediately to execute the warrant, if applicable. If the staff member is present at a location where the youth is within sight, the staff member shall immediately call 911 to request that a police officer executes the warrant, if applicable. Staff must obtain the responding officer’s name and badge number, and record both in CNNX.
B. When a youth returns, whether voluntarily or involuntarily, to the provider or place or residence after being AWOL, the provider must immediately notify MCCU, email the appropriate borough Family Court using the addresses and template provided above in Section IV. B. 4. c., and copy the appropriate PPS, the FCLS Assistant Director of Compliance, and the FCLS Legal Compliant Unit.
C. Vacating Warrants
1. ACS-Issued Administrative Warrants
a. When a law enforcement authority returns a youth on an ACS warrant to Horizon Juvenile Center, Horizon staff shall advise MCCU who will notify the assigned PPS. DYFJ will then have 72 hours to either return the youth to placement or obtain interim relief from the Family Court (e.g., pursue an upward modification).
b. Whenever a youth is returned on an ACS-issued warrant to secure detention or
returns voluntarily to the provider, DYFJ must determine whether a judicial warrant has also been issued.
2. Judicial Warrants
a. If a judicial warrant has been issued, the youth must be brought as soon as possible during business hours to the Family Court in order to appear before the Court and have the warrant vacated.
b. When a law enforcement authority returns a youth on a judicial warrant to
Horizon Juvenile Center, Horizon staff shall advise the assigned PPS and PP Director. DYFJ will then have 72 hours to either return the youth to placement following a court appearance or obtain interim relief from the Family Court (e.g., pursue an upward modification).
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D. If an absent or AWOL youth is arrested on a new charge and the provider is aware of the arrest, the provider must notify MCCU, which will issue a detainer notice to the appropriate jurisdiction. The detainer notice will provide that the youth is to be returned to the provider upon release from detention or jail. Even if a detainer notice is issued, the original warrant may need to be vacated, if applicable.
E. If an absent or AWOL youth is apprehended and is being held upon direction from ACS, the provider is responsible for the return of the youth to the facility.
F. The provider must promptly notify MCCU of the youth’s return. MCCU will notify the
NYPD in order to have the warrant vacated, if one has been issued. If a detainer notice was issued, ACS must also confirm that the detainer notice is closed upon the youth’s return to placement and that any jurisdiction to which the notice was sent is informed that the detainer is no longer in effect.
G. In AWOL situations only, MCCU shall then notify FCLS Assistant Director of Legal
Compliance and the FCLS Legal Compliance Unit, who will notify the appropriate borough Close to Home attorney. The borough Close to Home attorney shall promptly complete a Notice of Return and submit it to the Court with copies to the youth’s attorney and the OCFS court liaison.
H. The provider shall promptly notify the PPS of the particulars of the youth's return and the status of any additional court appearances.
I. The provider shall notify the family of the youth's return. J. If a low risk youth’s program absence turns into an AWOL by reaching the 24-hour
point, MCCU is responsible for entering the AWOL and return dates into the Juvenile Justice Information System (JJIS) and communicating the amount of time the youth has been missing to the assigned PPS and FCLS attorney.
K. If the provider is notified that an AWOL or absent youth has been retrieved out of
state, the provider shall promptly report the available information to the PPS who shall work with the OCFS Office of Interstate Compact on Juveniles to arrange the return of the youth to the state and to the provider, if appropriate. If ACS is notified first, the PPS will inform the provider agency. This does not prevent the provider agency’s participation in the arrangements for return.
L. Debriefing the AWOL and Program Absence
1. In keeping with the provider’s treatment model or approach, the provider is required to debrief the AWOL or program absence with the youth within 48 hours upon the youth’s return.
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a. The purpose of debriefing is to help everyone understand the contributing
factors and circumstances surrounding the AWOL or program absence in order to prevent future instances.
b. Provider staff shall explore the role of the program in what happened as well as specific youth factors that contributed to the youth running away or otherwise being absent without consent. Provider staff shall document in the youth’s case record these factors and respond to the factors in the youth’s current and subsequent foster care placements to the extent possible.
c. Provider staff shall also explore the youth’s experiences while absent from
care, including screening the youth as a possible sex trafficking victim.
d. During the debrief, provider staff shall also question the youth about any other locations in which the youth sought refuge during the period of AWOL or program absence in addition to the location where the youth was found. This information must be documented in CNNX and placed in the youth’s travel folder.
2. The PPS and the youth’s parent or guardian shall participate in the debrief in
person or by phone. 3. If multiple youth were involved in the AWOL or program absence, the provider
staff shall debrief each youth separately. The provider shall also keep track of which youth were AWOL or absent from program together.
M. Services to be Provided Following the AWOL or Program Absence
1. When a youth returns to placement after being AWOL or absent from program,
provider staff shall make efforts to support the youth’s return to care. 2. Staff shall assess the need of the youth for rehabilitative services based on the
youth’s current and historical presentation and the unique circumstances of the AWOL or absence (e.g., factors that led to the AWOL or program absence, whether the youth experienced injury or other trauma during the AWOL or program absence, whether the youth engaged in substance abuse).
3. Such services may include, but are not limited to:
a. Counseling; b. Remedial educational services;
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c. Medical services;13 and d. Drug and alcohol abuse treatment.
4. If a determination is made that any such services are needed by the youth,
referrals to providers of such services must be made and such referrals must be documented in the Uniform Case Record.
5. Youth who have been identified as sex trafficking victims must be reported to law enforcement immediately and no later than 24 hours following identification.
13 See 18 § NYCRR 441.22.
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Attachment A Report on Search Efforts to Locate AWOL Youth
Report on Search Efforts to Locate AWOL Youth Date of Report: ____________________________
**********************************************************************************************************************
Youth’s Last Name: ______________________________________________ Youth’s First Name: ___________________________________
Youth’s Date of Birth: ___________________________________________ Youth’s Connections ID: _______________________________
**********************************************************************************************************************
Agency: ___________________________________________________ Agency Case Planner: _________________________________
Date/ Time AWOL Reported to MCCU: _____________________________ Warrant Number: ________________________________
Date/ Time Missing Person Report Secured: ________________________ MP Report #:________________________________________
NYPD Precinct: _______________________________________________ NYPD contact: _____________________________________
**********************************************************************************************************************
Date and Time of AWOL: ________________________________________________________________________________________________
Circumstances of AWOL (where, when, how it occurred): ______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Is This the Youth’s First AWOL? (circle one) Y N
(If no, provide start and end date(s) of previous AWOLs): _______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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Attachment A Report on Search Efforts to Locate AWOL Youth
Daily Chronology of Search Efforts, Contacts and Attempts:
Comprehensive efforts must be made DAILY to locate AWOL youth. This table must include every contact or attempted contact made by provider staff to locate the youth:
Date and Time of attempt or
contact
Staff Member Location of attempt or contact
(office, address etc.)
Type of attempt or contact
(call, home visit etc.)
New Information obtained from attempt
or contact
Summary of Status and Next Steps
M - 1/1/13
9 pm
Joe Smith Office Call to BM home Mom reported that youth is at father’s home
Visit will be made to father’s home.
M - 1/1/13
9:30 pm
Joe Smith Field
360 Jay Street # 33
Bklyn, NY
Home Visit to BF Child located Youth agreed to return to program with the staff member and was safely transported to the program site.
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Attachment A Report on Search Efforts to Locate AWOL Youth
Date and Time of attempt or
contact
Staff Member Location of attempt or contact
(office, address etc.)
Type of attempt or contact
(call, home visit etc.)
New Information obtained from attempt
or contact
Summary of Status and Next Steps
3
City Of New York Administration For Children’s Services
WARRANT
FOR RETURN OF ________________________ WARRANT # (if applicable) _____________
NAME: DATE OF BIRTH:
DATE OF RUNAWAY OR VIOLATION OF RELEASE:
DESCRIPTION
Gender: _____________ Height: ________________ Weight: _______________ Eye Color: _____________ Hair: ______________
Ethnicity: ______________________ Race: ____________________ Scars, Distinguishing Marks: ___________________________
Additional Information: __________________________________________________________________________________________________
Primary Address: ________________________________________________________________________________________________________
DATE OF PLACEMENT: NAME OF COURT MAKING PLACEMENT:
The undersigned states as follows:
A. The person named above was placed in the custody of the Administration for Children’s Services as a Juvenile Delinquent.
B. ☐ He/she has run away from and is considered AWOL from: ___________________________________________
☐ He/she has violated his/her Conditions of Release.
C. I now deem it necessary for his/her welfare and protection that he/she be returned to the custody of the Administration for Children’s Services.
THEREFORE, by the virtue of the authority vested in me under NY CLS Soc. Serv. § 404(13)(e), IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that he/she be forthwith apprehended and returned to:
Horizon Juvenile Center, 560 Brook Ave, Bronx, NY 10455
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED THAT any Police Officer or Peace Officer acting pursuant to his/her special duties be, and hereby is, authorized to apprehend said person and hold him/her until he/she is released in the custody of an agent of the Administration for Children’s Services.
This WARRANT may be executed any day or time including on Saturdays, Sundays, and Holidays.
If apprehended, please contact: ACS Movement Control and Communications Unit, 212-442-7100 or 212-442-7103
AUTHORIZED SIGNATURE: _________________________________________________ DATE:_____________________ REVIEWED AND APPROVED BY: _________________________________________________
ATTACH PHOTOGRAPH
HERE (IF AVAILABLE)
A, B, C FELONY FINDINGS ONLY
(AGE 13 AND OVER FOR C
ATTACHMENT B
