General Assembly Raised Bill No. 813
January Session, 2017 LCO No. 3726
*03726_______KID*
Referred to Committee on COMMITTEE ON CHILDREN
Introduced by:
(KID)
General Assembly
Raised Bill No. 813
January Session, 2017
LCO No. 3726
*03726_______KID*
Referred to Committee on COMMITTEE ON CHILDREN
Introduced by:
(KID)
AN ACT CONCERNING YOUTH AGING OUT OF DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN AND FAMILIES CUSTODY.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened:
Section 1. (NEW) (Effective October 1, 2017) (a) For the purposes of this section, "aftercare services" means continued case management, counseling, guidance and support for not less than forty-five days following the discontinuation of the provision of services by the Department of Children and Families.
(b) The Commissioner of Children and Families shall not discharge a youth from said commissioner's care and custody when such youth reaches the age of eighteen years, or, in the case of a youth in full-time attendance in a secondary school, technical high school, college or state-accredited job training program, when such youth has reached the age of twenty-one years, unless such youth has established residency in a dwelling other than a homeless shelter for adults, homeless shelter for families or single-room occupancy hotel or housing provided pursuant to the homeless youth program established pursuant to section 17a-62a of the general statutes, and the commissioner reasonably expects that such residence will remain available to such youth for not less than twelve months from the date upon which the provision of such services are discontinued. Such reasonable expectation may be based on the existence of a rental agreement between such youth and a landlord, a residence plan arranged through the Department of Developmental Services or the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services or such youth's intention to reside with biological family. If no written agreement stipulating such youth's right to reside in such residence for not less than twelve months exists, the commissioner shall obtain assurances from all parties intending to reside together that their expectation is that the residence shall remain available to such youth for not less than twelve months from the date upon which the provision of services is discontinued by the commissioner. The commissioner shall ensure that such expectation is documented in such youth's discharge plan. The provisions of this subsection shall not apply to any youth who is a member of the armed forces, as defined in section 27-103 of the general statutes, is enrolled in the federal Job Corps education and training program, is a full-time student in a post-secondary educational institution, has opted not to receive services from the Department of Children and Families or whose services have been discontinued by a court order.
(c) When the commitment of a youth to the custody of the Commissioner of Children and Families ends because such youth has become eighteen years of age, the commissioner shall, with the consent of such youth, provide such youth with aftercare services. If such youth becomes homeless or at risk of homelessness, as defined in section 17a-484a of the general statutes, during such period of aftercare services, the commissioner shall, with the consent of such youth, assist such youth in obtaining a residence other than in a homeless shelter for adults, homeless shelter for families, single-room occupancy hotel or housing provided pursuant to the homeless youth program established pursuant to section 17a-62a of the general statutes.
(d) The Commissioner of Children and Families shall provide any youth notice of the discontinuation of the provision of services to such youth not later than ninety days prior to such discontinuation.
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following sections:
Section 1 October 1, 2017 New section
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following sections:
Section 1
October 1, 2017
New section
Statement of Purpose:
To require the Department of Children and Families to ensure that youths who have turned eighteen years of age (1) have obtained a residence other than a homeless shelter or single-occupancy hotel prior to the discharge of such youths from the care and custody of such department, (2) are provided aftercare services, and (3) are provided notice of the discontinuation of the provision of services at least ninety days prior to such discontinuation.
[Proposed deletions are enclosed in brackets. Proposed additions are indicated by underline, except that when the entire text of a bill or resolution or a section of a bill or resolution is new, it is not underlined.]