During the past year, the heads of state agencies concerned with providing services to juvenile delinquents, young people in need of supervision, neglected, abused and dependent youth and children with handicapping conditions have been meeting informally to coordinate their efforts and the efforts of local units subject to their supervision in the provision of such services. To encourage the continued development of creative and imaginative programs in these vital areas, I, Malcolm Wilson, Governor of the State of New York, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the State of New York, do hereby formally establish in the Executive Department an interdepartmental commission, to be known as the Interdepartmental Commission on Services to Children and Youth, to consist of the Commissioners of Mental Hygiene, Education, Health, and Social Services, the Executive Director of the Board of Social Welfare, the Chairman of the Drug Abuse Control Commission, and the Directors of the Division for Youth, the Division of Probation, and the Office of Planning Services.

The Chairman and the Vice-Chairman of the Commission shall be appointed by the Governor.

I. General Powers

The Commission shall direct its activities at services relating to juvenile delinquents, young people in need of supervision, neglected, abused and dependent youth and children with handicapping conditions.

The Commission shall provide continuing advice to the Governor as to the legislative and administrative approaches through which public and private services to children and youth in the State may be made more efficient and effective.

The Commission shall review program and planning efforts among governmental and non-governmental agencies, organizations and groups providing services to children and youth, in programs financed in whole or in part by the State or subject to the supervision, visitation or inspection by any State agency. The Commission's review should identify program goals, standards and results.

The Commission shall seek to develop collaborative approaches by all agencies providing services to children and youth in order to improve access to such services and to achieve economies in the provision of such services. The Commission shall make efforts to resolve problems of conflicting jurisdiction between State agencies or State and local agencies, problems of conflicting or inappropriate eligibility criteria for services provided by publicly sponsored agencies, problems of the under use or unavailability of services caused by the inadequacy of channels of information, and other relevant administrative problems.

The Commission shall have the power to make and support studies necessary to carry out its duties and may call upon concerned State and local agencies, including judicial agencies, to participate, provide manpower and other resources in carrying out such duties.

The Commission may enter into contracts, within the amount available by appropriation therefor, with individuals, organizations and institutions in the exercise of the powers or the performance of its duties.

The Commission shall submit to the Governor an annual report on its activities and the status of services for children and youth in the State.

In exercising its powers, functions and duties, the Commission shall be responsible to the Governor and shall consult and work closely with the State Advisory Council to the Interdepartmental Commission on Services to Children and Youth. The Commission shall also, to the extent practicable, cooperate with the Temporary State Commission on Child Welfare in supplying that body with information pertinent to its evaluation of child welfare services, and in developing administrative approaches in response to the recommendation of the Temporary Commission.

II. Advisory Council to the Interdepartmental Commission on Services to Children and Youth

A State Advisory Council to the Interdepartmental Commission to Services to Children and Youth is hereby established, to consist of twenty-five representatives of non-governmental agencies, organizations and groups concerned with services to children and youth, to advise the Commission in the exercise of its powers, functions and duties under this order, both with respect to the development of administrative policies and with respect to the day-to-day implementation of those policies on the local level. The members of the Advisory Council shall be appointed by the Governor.

The members of the Advisory Council shall serve without salary but each member shall be entitled to reimbursement for the actual and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of his official duties, within the amounts made available therefor by appropriation.

III. Grants or Gifts

The Commission, with the approval of the Director of the Budget, may accept or agree to accept as agent of the State any grant, including federal grants, or any gift for any of the purposes of this order. Any money so received may be expended by the Chairman of the Commission to effectuate any purpose of this order, subject to the same limitations as to approval of the expenditures and audit as are prescribed for State moneys appropriated for purposes of this order.

IV. Personnel

The Chairman of the Commission may employ such additional personnel as he may deem necessary or desirable to fulfill the functions of the Commission and provide compensation, within the amounts available therefor by appropriation. The Chairman may designate an employee of the Commission to act as Secretariat to the Advisory Council.