New York Codes, Rules and Regulations
Title 18 - DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES
Chapter II - Regulations of the Department of Social Services
Subchapter B - Public Assistance
Article 1 - Determination of Eligibility-General
Part 357 - Confidential Nature Of Records
Section 357.2 - Prohibition against disclosure of information

(a) Officers and employees of social services districts shall not reveal information obtained in the course of administering public assistance for purposes other than those directly connected with the administration of public assistance, except for the name, address and the amount received by or expended for a recipient of public assistance when the appropriating body or social services official has authorized their disclosure to an agency or person deemed entitled to it pursuant to section 136 of the Social Services Law.

(b) Any release of information pursuant to this section which would reveal that a person has been the subject of an HIV-related test, or has HIV infection, HIV-related illness or AIDS, is subject to the provisions of section 2782 of the Public Health Law. In accordance with such section, confidential HIV-related information relating to a recipient of a health or social service as defined in section 2780 of the Public Health Law, may be disclosed to authorized employees of the department or of social services districts when reasonably necessary for such employees to supervise, monitor, administer or provide such service and such employees would, in the ordinary course of business, have access to records relating to the care of, treatment of or provision of a health or social service to such recipient.

(c) Each social services official shall designate the person, or persons, within the agency with authority to disclose information.