New York (State). Division for Youth

Ersa H. Poston was appointed Regional Director of the New York State Youth Commission in 1957 and continued in that capacity when the State Division for Youth superseded the Youth Commission in 1960. Poston directed the agency's operations in New York City, Long Island, and the counties of Westchester, Dutchess, Putnam, Rockland, Orange, Ulster, Sullivan, Delaware, Greene, and Columbia. In 1963, Poston was appointed to the position of Youth and Work Coordinator, with responsibility for overseeing the Division's statewide program of work training for high school dropouts.

The Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS), created by Executive Order in 1998, merged the former Division of Youth with the family and children's programs administered by the former Department of Social Services. The agency was created to facilitate the integration of services for the state's children, youth, families, and vulnerable populations. OCFS has numerous responsibilities including: foster care, adoption and adoption assistance, child protective services, preventive services for children and families, services for pregnant adolescents, child care and referral programs, and protective programs for vulnerable adults. Additionally, the agency operates forty-two juvenile residential facilities for youth remanded to the agency's custody and care by the family and criminal courts.

Responsibility for the administration of youth residential facilities was transferred from the Department of Social Services to the Division for Youth in 1971. Upon its creation, OCFS received the records in this series and various other records from its predecessor agencies.

CURRENT FUNCTIONS. The Division for Youth is responsible for preventing delinquency among the State's youth and for the care and rehabilitation of adjudicated juvenile offenders, juvenile delinquents, and persons in need of supervision. To fulfill these responsibilities the division operates over forty residential facilities for the rehabilitation of youth placed or sentenced by the courts and provides guidance and financial aid to localities to develop and operate delinquency prevention programs and to maintain locally operated youth detention or rehabilitation facilities.

ORGANIZATIONAL HISTORY. In 1944 Governor Thomas E. Dewey appointed an interdepartmental committee to study the problem of juvenile delinquency. Upon the recommendation of this committee, the New York State Youth Commission, a temporary state commission comprised of a chairperson appointed by the governor and the commissioners of the departments of Correction, Education, Health, Mental Hygiene, and Social Welfare, the industrial commissioner, and the chairperson of the Board of Parole, was established in 1945 (Chapter 556). The commission, which was extended until 1956, studied and made recommendations on the problems of youth guidance, prevention of juvenile delinquency, and treatment of youthful offenders and provided local municipalities with financial and technical aid for delinquency prevention projects.

In 1955 (Chapter 603), a year before the temporary state commission was scheduled to terminate, the Temporary State Commission on Youth and Delinquency--a bipartisan group of legislators, public officials, and laymen--was established to review public policy in this area. As a result of this commission's analysis, the State Youth Commission was reestablished as a permanent Executive Department agency in 1956 (Chapter 636). Commission membership was nine persons appointed by the governor for five-year terms.

Three years later, Governor Rockefeller appointed a Task Force on Youth and Juvenile Delinquency to again study state youth policy. Based on legislation drafted by this task force, the Division for Youth was created in 1960 (Chapter 881) to supersede the Youth Commission. This Division assumed all the functions of the former commission and was also authorized to establish and operate centers for the rehabilitation of delinquent adolescents. The Youth Commission was renamed the Council on Youth and continued to exist as an advisory body to the director of the division. Youth-care facilities operated by the Department of Social Services were transferred to the division in 1971 (Chapter 947).

In 1944 Governor Thomas E. Dewey appointed an interdepartmental committee to study the problem of juvenile delinquency. Upon the recommendation of this committee, the New York State Youth Commission, a temporary state commission comprised of a chairperson appointed by the governor and the commissioners of the departments of Correction, Education, Health, Mental Hygiene, and Social Welfare, the industrial commissioner, and the chairperson of the Board of Parole, was established in 1945 (Chapter 556). The commission, which was extended until 1956, studied and made recommendations on the problems of youth guidance, prevention of juvenile delinquency, and treatment of youthful offenders and provided local municipalities with financial and technical aid for delinquency prevention projects.

In 1955 (Chapter 603), a year before the temporary state commission was scheduled to terminate, the Temporary State Commission on Youth and Delinquency--a bipartisan group of legislators, public officials, and laymen--was established to review public policy in this area. As a result of this commission's analysis, the State Youth Commission was reestablished as a permanent Executive Department agency in 1956 (Chapter 636). Commission membership was nine persons appointed by the governor for five-year terms.

Three years later, Governor Rockefeller appointed a Task Force on Youth and Juvenile Delinquency to again study state youth policy. Based on legislation drafted by this task force, the Division for Youth was created in 1960 (Chapter 881) to supersede the Youth Commission. This Division assumed all the functions of the former commission and was also authorized to establish and operate centers for the rehabilitation of delinquent adolescents. The Youth Commission was renamed the Council on Youth and continued to exist as an advisory body to the director of the division. Youth-care facilities operated by the Department of Social Services were transferred to the division in 1971 (Chapter 947).