NY proposes adding addiction programs to child abuse reporting.(New York)

Last week, Gov. David A. Paterson proposed legislation that would, for the first time, include programs operated or overseen by the Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services (OASAS) under New York's rules regarding child abuse in residential facilities for children. The bill also proposes two other significant changes in child abuse reporting: it explicitly defines certain acts as abuse, and it lays out what actions--including by law enforcement--must be taken following an allegation of abuse or neglect.

Currently, children in residential programs certified by OASAS do not fall under the purview of the Statewide Central Register of Child Abuse and Maltreatment …