Page 22

22 the welfare inspector general, or his or her authorized representative, the county board of supervisors, city council, town board or other board or body authorized and required to appropriate funds for public assistance and care in and for such county, city or town or its authorized representative or, by authority of the county, city or town social services official, to a person or agency considered entitled to such information. Nothing herein shall preclude a social services official from reporting to an appropriate agency or official, including law enforcement agencies or officials, known or suspected instances of physical or mental injury, sexual abuse or exploitation, sexual contact with a minor or negligent treatment or maltreatment of a child of which the official becomes aware in the administration of public assistance and care nor shall it preclude communication with the federal immigration and naturalization service regarding the immigration status of any individual. 3. Nothing in this section shall be construed to prevent registration in a central index or social service exchange for the purpose of preventing duplication and of coordinating the work of public and private agencies. 4. No person or agency shall solicit, disclose, receive, make use of, or authorize, knowingly permit, participate in, or acquiesce in the use of, any information relating to any applicant for or recipient of public assistance or care for commercial or political purposes. Nothing in this or the other subdivisions of this section shall be deemed to prohibit bona fide news media from disseminating news, in the ordinary course of their lawful business, relating to the identity of persons charged with the commission of crimes or offenses involving their application for or receipt of public assistance and care, including the names and addresses of such applicants or recipients who are charged with the commission of such crimes or offenses. 5. A social services official shall disclose to a federal, state or local law enforcement officer, upon request of the officer, the current address of any recipient of family assistance, or safety net assistance if the duties of the officer include the location or apprehension of the recipient and the officer furnishes the social services official with the name of the recipient and notifies the agency that such recipient is fleeing to avoid prosecution, custody or confinement after conviction, under the laws of the place from which the recipient is fleeing, for a crime or an attempt to commit a crime which is a felony under the laws of the place from which the recipient is fleeing, or which, in the case of the state of New Jersey, is a high misdemeanor under the laws of that state, or is violating a condition of probation or parole imposed under a federal or state law or has information that is necessary for the officer to conduct his or her official duties. In a request for disclosure pursuant to this subdivision, such law enforcement officer shall endeavor to include identifying information to help ensure that the social services official discloses only the address of the person sought and not the address of a person with the same or similar name. 18 NYCRR 357.1 Nature of information to be safeguarded. (c) Information to be safeguarded includes names and addresses of applicants, recipients, and their relatives, including lists thereof; information contained in applications and correspondence; reports of investigations; reports of medical examination, diagnostic tests and treatment, including reports on whether an applicant or recipient has had an HIV-related test or has been diagnosed as having AIDS, HIV infection or an HIV-related illness; resource