Requires the office of children and family services to provide luggage to youth in foster care

Durable luggage for foster youth

The law requires New York’s child welfare agency (OCFS) to give durable, new or like-new luggage to foster youth who lack suitable bags. OCFS must provide it when youth enter care, change placements, leave care, go to college, or any other time luggage is needed. Bags must be real luggage, like a suitcase, duffel, or backpack—not a trash bag, disposable bag, or cardboard box. OCFS may, at its discretion, replace luggage that a youth reports lost, stolen, or damaged. No one can take the luggage back, including OCFS, local districts, foster agencies, or foster parents. OCFS sends new luggage to local districts based on foster child counts, and districts must pass it to children and contracted foster agencies. OCFS also reports each year by December 1 on how many youth got luggage, who still used disposable bags, and related costs and inventory.