OFFICE OF FISCAL ANALYSIS
Legislative Office Building, Room 5200
Hartford, CT 06106 (860) 240-0200
http://www.cga.ct.gov/ofa
HB-6109
AN ACT CONCERNING THE ALBERT J. SOLNIT CHILDREN'S
CENTER.
Primary Analyst: RDP 3/8/21
Contributing Analyst(s): CG, ES
OFA Fiscal Note
State Impact:
Agency Affected Fund-Effect FY 22 $ FY 23 $
Children & Families, Dept. GF - Cost 1,079,754 879,754
Public Health, Dept. GF - Cost 89,656 89,656
State Comptroller - Fringe Benefits
1
GF - Cost 408,025 408,025
Note: GF=General Fund
Municipal Impact: None
Explanation
This bill, which requires the Department of Children and Families
(DCF) to obtain licensure for the Albert J. Solnit Children's Center from
the Department of Public Health (DPH), is anticipated to result in a
cost to the state of approximately $1,577,435 in FY 22 and $1,377,435 in
FY 23. This includes a cost to DPH of $89,656 annually for a Nurse
Consultant to implement licensure, and associated fringe benefits costs
under the Office of the State Comptroller of $37,736 annually.
The Solnit Center is currently certified through the Centers for
Medicare & Medicaid Services and accredited by The Joint
Commission. It has two physically separate campuses: Solnit North in
East Windsor, and Solnit South in Middletown.
1
The fringe benefit costs for most state employees are budgeted centrally in accounts
administered by the Comptroller. The estimated active employee fringe benefit cost
associated with most personnel changes is 41.3% of payroll in FY 22 and FY 23. 2021HB-06109-R000018-FN.DOCX Page 2 of 2
Solnit North consists of 38 Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facility
(PRTF) beds, in 4 cottages, for boys 13 - 17 years old. To meet
anticipated DPH licensure requirements at Solnit North, DCF will
need to: 1) in FY 22 only, renovate Willow Cottage (e.g., replace its
heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system) at a cost of $200,000,
2) hire 10 additional nurses with annual salaries of $76,772, and 3) hire
one psychologist with an annual salary of $112,034. Fringe benefits for
staff, supported under the Office of the State Comptroller, will cost
approximately $370,288 annually.
Solnit South includes a 50-bed psychiatric hospital, which provides
acute, inpatient care to children and youth under 18 years of age. It
also includes 24 PRTF beds, in 3 cottages, for girls 13 - 17 years old.
Due to recent changes made at Solnit South, starting in 2018 in
partnership with DPH, and pursuant to a Plan of Correction required
by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Solnit South
currently meets anticipated DPH licensure requirements.
The Out Years
The annualized ongoing fiscal impact identified above would
continue into the future subject to inflation.