O F F I C E O F L E G I S L A T I V E R E S E A R C H
P U B L I C A C T S U M M A R Y
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PA 21-46—sSB 2
Committee on Children
Appropriations Committee
AN ACT CONCERNING SOCIAL EQUITY AND THE HEALTH,
SAFETY AND EDUCATION OF CHILDREN
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
§ 1 — YOUTH SUICIDE PREVENTION TRAINING PROGRAM
Requires the Youth Suicide Advisory Board (YSAB) and Office of the Child Advocate (OCA) to
jointly administer a youth suicide prevention training program in local and district health
departments
§§ 2-9 — MENTAL HEALTH TRAINI NG AND EDUCATION FOR
HEALTHCARE PROFESSIO NALS
Expands continuing education requirements for certain healthcare professions to include specified
mental health and suicide prevention training
§ 10 — OUTPATIENT MENTAL HE ALTH TREATMENT FOR M INORS
Generally allows minors to request and receive as many outpatient mental health treatment
sessions as necessary without a parent’s or guardian’s consent or notification
§§ 11-13 — SCHOOL DISTRICT PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND
SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL LEARNING
Requires local and regional boards of education to integrate social-emotional learning principles
and practices throughout their school district’s professional development program components
§ 14 —PARENT-TEACHER CONFERENCES AND VIRTUAL LEARNING
Requires school districts to (1) allow parents to attend any parent-teacher conference remotely
and (2) conduct additional conferences during specified virtual learning periods
§ 15 — COMMUNITY RESOURCES DOCUMENT
Requires SDE to develop and annually update a document for local and regional boards of
education that provides students and families with information on community resources
§§ 16-18 — VIRTUAL LEARNING
Requires the SDE commissioner to develop and update virtual learning standards; allows local
and regional boards of education to authorize virtual learning for students in grades 9-12
§ 19 — MENTAL HEALTH WELLNE SS DAYS
Requires local or regional boards of education to allow any student in grades kindergarten
through 12 to take two mental health wellness days during the school year
§ 20 — SCHOOL LUNCH DEBT
Requires local and regional boards of education to include specified measures in their policies or
procedures for collecting unpaid school meal charges, including a procedure for communicating O L R P U B L I C A C T S U M M A R Y
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with parents or guardians about available resources and a prohibition against publicly identifying
or shaming a child
§ 21 — VISITATION OF CHILD IN DCF CARE AND CUSTODY
Requires the DCF commissioner to develop a remote visitation policy and ensure opportunities for
virtual visitation of children in the department’s custody during a pandemic or communicable
disease outbreak
§ 22 — DCF SOFTWARE APPLICATION
Requires the DCF commissioner to develop and maintain a software application for reporting on
computers and mobile devices certain incidents and communications regarding children in the
department’s custody
§ 23 — DCF WRITTEN REMOVAL NOTICE AND LIST
Requires the DCF Commissioner to provide written notice regarding legal representation to the
parent or guardian of a child with a complaint of neglect or abuse
§ 24 — EARLY INTERVENTION SERVICES FEES
Prohibits the OEC commissioner from charging a fee for early intervention services to the parents
or legal guardians of eligible children
§ 25 — PLANNING AND PLACEME NT TEAM MEETINGS
Makes various changes regarding planning and placement team (PPT) meetings, including (1)
expanding parental notification requirements, (2) providing for birth-to-three service coordinator
participation, (3) establishing notification requirements related to the initial meeting, and (4)
requiring developmental delay monitoring
§ 26 — BIRTH-TO-THREE COORDINATOR DI SCIPLINARY
PROTECTIONS
Extends job protections available to boards of education PPT members to cover Birth-to-Three
service coordinators or qualified personnel concerning PPT meetings or transition plans
§ 27 — DEVELOPMENTAL AND SO CIAL-EMOTIONAL DELAY
SCREENINGS
Expands developmental and social-emotional delay screenings by requiring the OEC
commissioner to designate a mobile application for eligible children and their families to continue
the screenings
§ 28 — BIRTH-TO-THREE PROGRAM EXPANS ION
Requires the OEC commissioner to develop and implement a plan to expand the Birth-to-Three
Program to provide early intervention services to certain children
§ 29 — SCHOOL READINESS LIAISON
Requires the local or regional board of education of any school district that serves a town without
a school readiness council to designate a school readiness liaison
§ 30 — TASK FORCE TO STUDY CHILDREN’S NEEDS
Establishes a 25-member task force to study the (1) comprehensive needs of children in the state
and (2) extent to which educators, community members, and local and state agencies are meeting
them
BACKGROUND
§ 1 — YOUTH SUICIDE PREVENTION TRAINING PROGRAM O L R P U B L I C A C T S U M M A R Y
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Requires the Youth Suicide Advisory Board (YSAB) and Office of the Child Advocate (OCA) to
jointly administer a youth suicide prevention training program in local and district health
departments
The act requires the YSAB and the OCA to jointly administer an evidence-
based youth suicide prevention training program in each local and district health
department and offer it at least once every three years, starting by July 1, 2022.
YSAB and OCA may contract with a nongovernmental entity that provides
evidence-based suicide prevention training to administer the program.
The training program must (1) provide certification in Question, Persuade and
Refer (QPR) Institute Gatekeeper Training (i.e., an educational program designed
to teach lay and professional individuals who work with youth the warning signs
of a suicide crisis and how to respond) and (2) use a training model that allows
participants with valid certification to train other individuals, including members
of the public.
The act requires each local and district health department director to
determine the program’s eligibility criteria. Program participants must be from the
following groups in each health district:
1. local and district health department employees,
2. youth service bureau employees,
3. school employees,
4. youth-serving organization employees and volunteers,
5. youth athletic activity employees and volunteers,
6. municipal social service agency employees,
7. paid municipal or volunteer fire department members, and
8. local police department members.
The act allows school employees to participate in the training program as part
of an in-service training program provided by local and regional boards of
education under existing law.
Under the act, an “evidence-based” training program is one that:
1. incorporates methods shown to be effective for the intended population
through scientifically based research, including statistically controlled
evaluations or randomized trials;
2. can be successfully replicated in the state with a set of procedures; and
3. achieves sustained, desirable outcomes and, when possible, has been
determined to be cost-beneficial.
EFFECTIVE DATE: July 1, 2021
§§ 2-9 — MENTAL HEALTH TRAINI NG AND EDUCATION FOR
HEALTHCARE PROFESSIO NALS
Expands continuing education requirements for certain healthcare professions to include specified
mental health and suicide prevention training
Beginning by January 1, 2022, the act expands the continuing education
requirements for certain healthcare professionals to include at least two hours of O L R P U B L I C A C T S U M M A R Y
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training and education on (1) screening for post-traumatic stress disorder, suicide
risk, depression, and grief and (2) suicide prevention training (i.e., ”required
training and education”).
Except as noted below, the requirement applies (1) during the first license or
certification renewal period, as applicable, and (2) at least once every six years
after that.
This requirement applies to:
1. physician assistants;
2. physical therapists;
3. occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants;
4. registered nurses and licensed practical nurses;
5. behavior analysts;
6. certified community health workers; and
7. emergency medical responders, emergency medical technicians, or
emergency medical instructors.
The act also requires two hours of this training for nurse’s aides as part of
their registration requirements.
The act specifies that the youth suicide prevention training program it
establishes (see above) may satisfy the suicide prevention training requirement for
some of these healthcare professionals. This applies to physical therapists,
occupational therapists and occupational therapist assistants, nurse’s aides,
behavior analysts, certified community health workers, emergency medical
responders, and emergency medical technicians.
EFFECTIVE DATE: July 1, 2021
Physician Assistants (§ 2)
The act requires physician assistants to complete the required training and
education through a program administered by the American Association of
Physician Assistants, a hospital or other licensed health care institution, or a
regionally accredited higher education institution. (The act specifically requires
two contact hours, which total 100 minutes.) Physician assistants applying for
license renewal must sign a statement on a DPH-prescribed form attesting that
they have satisfied the requirements.
The act requires licensees to (1) retain attendance records or completion
certificates demonstrating compliance for at least three years following the year in
which they completed the continuing education and (2) submit the records or
certificates to DPH for inspection within 45 days after the department requests
them.
Physical Therapists (§ 3)
Existing law requires physical therapists to complete at least 20 hours of
continuing education during each registration period (i.e., the 12-month period for
which a license has been renewed). Under the act, this continuing education must
also include the act’s required training and education (1) during the first license O L R P U B L I C A C T S U M M A R Y
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renewal period for which continuing education is required (i.e., for the second
license renewal) and (2) every six years after that.
Occupational Therapists and Occupational Therapy Assistants (§ 4)
The act requires occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants to
complete the mental health training or education as an additional requirement for
license renewal when applicable. (By law, licenses must be renewed every two
years.) The training or education must be offered or approved by the Connecticut
Occupational Therapy Association, a hospital or other licensed health care
institution, or a regionally accredited higher education institution.
Registered Nurses and Licensed Practical Nurses (§ 5)
The act requires actively practicing registered nurses (RNs) and licensed
practical nurses (LPNs) to complete two contact hours (i.e., 100 minutes) of the
required training and education. Qualifying continuing education courses include
in-person and online courses offered or approved by:
1. the American Nurses Association,
2. the Connecticut Hospital Association,
3. the Connecticut Nurses Association or Connecticut League for Nursing,
4. a specialty nursing society or an equivalent organization in another
jurisdiction,
5. a hospital or other health care institution,
6. a regionally accredited academic institution, or
7. a state or local health department.
The act also requires each RN and LPN applying for license renewal to sign a
statement on a DPH-prescribed form attesting that he or she has satisfied the
continuing education requirements. Each licensee must (1) retain attendance
records or completion certificates demonstrating compliance for at least three
years after the year in which the continuing education was completed and (2)
submit the records or certificates to DPH for inspection within 45 days after the
department requests them.
Nurse Aides (§ 6)
The act requires nurse aides to complete the required training and education as
part of their existing minimum 100-hour training program requirement. The
suicide prevention training must be offered or approved by the same entities as
required for RNs and LPNs (see above). (However, the act provides that the youth
suicide prevention training program it establishes (see § 1 above) also satisfies the
suicide prevention training requirement.)
Behavior Analysts (§ 7)
The act requires behavioral analysts to complete the mental health training or O L R P U B L I C A C T S U M M A R Y
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education as an additional requirement for licensure renewal. The training or
education must be offered or approved by the Connecticut Association for
Behavior Analysis, a hospital or other licensed health care institution, or a
regionally accredited higher education institution.
Certified Community Health Workers (§ 8)
Under the act, certified community health workers must include the mental
health and suicide prevention training as part of the existing minimum 30-hour
continuing education requirement for license renewal every three years. The
training must be provided by the Community Health Worker Advisory Body or
providers the body approves.
Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Personnel (§ 9)
The act requires emergency medical responders, emergency medical
technicians, or EMS instructors seeking certification renewal to complete mental
health and suicide prevention training. Emergency medical responders and
technicians must complete the training within the six years before the certification
renewal. For instructors, the requirement applies during the first renewal period
and at least once every six years after that. (PA 21-121 (§ 95) extends these
requirements to advanced EMTs seeking certification renewal and removes the
separate requirement for EMS instructors to take this training.)
The law already requires paramedics to complete mental health first aid
training as part of their licensing application.
§ 10 — OUTPATIENT MENTAL HE ALTH TREATMENT FOR M INORS
Generally allows minors to request and receive as many outpatient mental health treatment
sessions as necessary without a parent’s or guardian’s consent or notification
By law, a psychiatrist, a psychologist, an independent social worker, or a
marital and family therapist may provide outpatient mental health treatment to a
minor without the consent or notification of a parent or guardian at the minor’s
request under certain conditions. Prior law required a mental health provider to
notify the minor that a parent’s or guardian’s consent, notification, or involvement
was required to continue treatment after the sixth session, unless it was seriously
detrimental to the minor’s well-being.
The act generally allows minors to request and receive as many outpatient
mental health treatment sessions as necessary without the consent or notification
of a parent or guardian. A provider may notify a parent or guardian of treatment
provided without the minor’s consent or notification if the (1) provider determines
that notification or disclosure is necessary for the minor’s well-being, (2)
treatment provided to the minor is solely for mental health and not for a substance
use disorder, and (3) minor is given an opportunity to object to the notification or
disclosure.
The act requires the provider to document his or her determination regarding O L R P U B L I C A C T S U M M A R Y
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the notification or disclosure and any objections expressed by the minor in the
minor’s clinical record. The provider may disclose to a minor’s parent or guardian
the following information about the treatment:
1. diagnosis;
2. treatment plan and progress;
3. recommended medications, including risks, benefits, side effects, typical
efficacy, dose, and schedule;
4. psychoeducation about the minor’s mental health;
5. referrals to community resources;
6. coaching on parenting or behavioral management strategies; and
7. crisis prevention planning and safety planning.
The act also requires a provider to release a minor’s entire clinical record to
another provider upon the request of the minor or the minor’s parent or guardian.
EFFECTIVE DATE: July 1, 2021
§§ 11-13 — SCHOOL DISTRICT PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND
SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL LEARNING
Requires local and regional boards of education to integrate social-emotional learning principles
and practices throughout their school district’s professional development program components
Beginning with the 2021-2022 school year, the act requires local and regional
boards of education to integrate social-emotional learning principles and practices
throughout their school district’s professional development program components.
It similarly requires boards to include this integration as a goal in the district’s
statement of educational goals. Under existing law, each board must (1) make
available, at no cost, at least 18 hours of individual and small group professional
development each school year for certified employees and (2) develop a statement
of educational goals for the district with the participation of specified stakeholders
(e.g., parents).
Existing law also requires local and regional boards of education to establish
professional development and evaluation committees to, among other things,
develop, evaluate, and annually update the district’s professional development
plan for certified employees. The act requires that the plan’s development
consider priorities and needs related to student social-emotional learning. It also
specifies that existing law’s requirement to consider priorities and needs related to
student outcomes applies specifically to student academic outcomes.
EFFECTIVE DATE: July 1, 2021
§ 14 —PARENT-TEACHER CONFERENCES AND VIRTUAL LEARNING
Requires school districts to (1) allow parents to attend any parent-teacher conference remotely
and (2) conduct additional conferences during specified virtual learning periods
Existing law requires local and regional boards of education to implement
written policies and procedures to encourage parent-teacher communication.
Among other things, they must require school districts to conduct two flexible O L R P U B L I C A C T S U M M A R Y
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parent-teacher conferences each school year.
Beginning with the 2021-2022 school year, the act requires that these policies
and procedures also require districts to do the following:
1. offer parents the option of attending a parent-teacher conference by
telephone, video conference, or other conferencing platform;
2. conduct one additional parent-teacher conference (a) during a period when
the district provides virtual learning for more than three consecutive weeks
and (b) every six months after that if sessions continue to be provided
virtually; and
3. request from each student’s parent the name and contact information of
someone who may be contacted if the parent cannot be reached to
schedule one of these additional parent-teacher conferences. (PA 21-2,
June Special Session (JSS), § 390, replaces ”virtual learning” with
”remote learning.”)
Beginning January 1, 2022, the policies and procedures must also require
teachers to do the following:
1. provide parents with a copy of a State Department of Education (SDE)-
developed community resources document (see § 15 below) before
conducting a parent-teacher conference required by the act (i.e., a
conference conducted during certain virtual learning periods, see above)
and
2. report to the school principal, school counselor, or other school
administrator designated by the board of education if, after three attempts,
the teacher is unable to contact a student's parent in order to schedule a
parent-teacher conference required by the act.
In the latter case, the principal, counselor, or administrator must contact the
student’s emergency contact to determine the student's and family’s health and
safety.
EFFECTIVE DATE: July 1, 2021
§ 15 — COMMUNITY RESOURCES DOCUMENT
Requires SDE to develop and annually update a document for local and regional boards of
education that provides students and families with information on community resources
The act requires SDE, by December 1, 2021, to develop and annually update a
document for local and regional boards of education that provides information on
educational, safety, mental health, and food insecurity resources and programs
available for students and their families. The document must include:
1. providers of these resources and programs, including SDE, the
Department of Children and Families, the Department of Mental Health
and Addiction Services, the United Way of Connecticut, and local food
banks;
2. descriptions of relevant resources and programs each provider offers,
including any program that provides laptops, public Internet access, or
home Internet service to students;
3. each provider’s, resource’s, and program’s contact information; and O L R P U B L I C A C T S U M M A R Y
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4. relevant websites.
SDE must electronically distribute the document annually to each local and
regional board of education.
EFFECTIVE DATE: Upon passage
§§ 16-18 — VIRTUAL LEARNING
Requires the SDE commissioner to develop and update virtual learning standards; allows local
and regional boards of education to authorize virtual learning for students in grades 9-12
Virtual Learning Standards and Policy (§§ 16 & 17)
The act requires the SDE commissioner to develop, and update as necessary,
standards for virtual learning (i.e., instruction by means of one or more Internet-
based software platforms as part of an in-person or remote learning model). It
specifies that the standards must not be deemed regulations. (PA 21-2, JSS, §§
391 & 392, replaces ”virtual learning” with ”remote learning” and eliminates the
reference to in-person learning.)
The act also allows local and regional school boards, starting with the 2021-
2022 school year, to authorize virtual learning for students in grades 9-12 if the
boards:
1. provide instruction that complies with SDE's standards and
2. adopt a policy on student attendance requirements that (a) complies with
SDE guidance and (b) counts the attendance of any student who spends at
least half of the day during virtual instruction engaged in virtual classes or
meetings, activities on time-logged electronic systems, and turning in
assignments.
Under the act, virtual learning must be considered an actual school session as
long as it complies with SDE's standards.
Excused and Unexcused School Absences (§ 18)
The act requires the State Board of Education to change its definition of the
terms “excused absence” and “unexcused absence” by July 1, 2021, to exclude a
student’s engagement in virtual classes or meetings, activities on time-logged
electronic systems, and completion and submission of assignments. The exclusion
applies if the engagement accounts for at least half of the school day for which
virtual learning is authorized. (PA 21-2, JSS, § 393, replaces ”virtual learning”
with ”remote learning.”)
EFFECTIVE DATE: Upon passage, except that the requirement that virtual
learning be considered an actual school session is effective July 1, 2021.
§ 19 — MENTAL HEALTH WELLNE SS DAYS
Requires local or regional boards of education to allow any student in grades kindergarten
through 12 to take two mental health wellness days during the school year
O L R P U B L I C A C T S U M M A R Y
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Beginning with the 2021-2022 school year, the act requires local or regional
boards of education to allow any student enrolled in grades kindergarten through
12 to take two mental health wellness days during the school year on which he or
she need not attend school. However, a student may not take these mental health
wellness days during consecutive school days.
EFFECTIVE DATE: July 1, 2021
§ 20 — SCHOOL LUNCH DEBT
Requires local and regional boards of education to include specified measures in their policies or
procedures for collecting unpaid school meal charges, including a procedure for communicating
with parents or guardians about available resources and a prohibition against publicly identifying
or shaming a child
Beginning with the 2021-2022 school year, the act requires local and regional
boards of education to include the following in policies or procedures for
collecting unpaid school meal charges applicable to employees and third-party
vendors who provide school meals:
1. a prohibition on publicly identifying or shaming a child for unpaid meal
charges, including (a) delaying or refusing to serve the child a meal, (b)
designating a specific meal, or (c) taking any disciplinary action;
2. a declaration of a child’s right to purchase one meal (which may exclude a
la carte items) for any school breakfast, lunch, or other feeding; and
3. a procedure for communicating with parents or guardians about collecting
a child’s unpaid meal charges, including (a) information on local food
pantries, (b) applications for free or reduced-price meals and the
Department of Social Services’ Supplemental Nutrition Assistance
Program, and (c) a link to the school district’s website that lists any
community services available to town residents.
If a child’s unpaid meal charges equal or exceed the cost of 30 meals, the act
requires the local or regional school board to refer the child’s parent or guardian
to the board’s local homeless education liaison. The act also allows boards to
accept gifts, donations, or grants from any public or private source to pay off
unpaid meal charges.
EFFECTIVE DATE: July 1, 2021
§ 21 — VISITATION OF CHILD IN DCF CARE AND CUSTODY
Requires the DCF commissioner to develop a remote visitation policy and ensure opportunities for
virtual visitation of children in the department’s custody during a pandemic or communicable
disease outbreak
Virtual Visitation Requirement
By law, the DCF commissioner must ensure that children in the department’s
care and custody receive visits from their parents and siblings, unless the court
orders otherwise.
Under the act, in the event of a pandemic or communicable disease outbreak O L R P U B L I C A C T S U M M A R Y
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resulting in a declaration of a public health emergency by the Governor or a
declaration of a national emergency by the President of the United States, the
child must be given opportunities to communicate with his or her parents and
siblings by telephone, video, or other conferencing platform instead of in-person
visitation for the duration of the emergency.
The commissioner must ensure that opportunities for these visits occur as
often as reasonably possible, based on the child’s best interest, as is the case for
in-person visits under existing law.
Remote Visitation Policy Related to Communicable Diseases
The act requires the DCF commissioner, by January 1, 2022, to develop a
policy to temporarily stop in-person visitation, on a case-by-case basis, if (1) a
child or his or her parent or sibling is seriously ill due to a communicable disease
and (2) visitation could result in at least one participant contracting the disease
during the visit.
The policy must require that the child is provided an opportunity to
communicate with his or her parents and siblings by telephonic, video, or other
conferencing platform instead of an in-person visit. The act requires the
commissioner to define the terms “seriously ill” and “communicable disease” in
the visitation policy.
EFFECTIVE DATE: July 1, 2021
§ 22 — DCF SOFTWARE APPLICATION
Requires the DCF commissioner to develop and maintain a software application for reporting on
computers and mobile devices certain incidents and communications regarding children in the
department’s custody
The act requires the DCF commissioner, by February 1, 2022, to develop and
maintain a software application for use on computers and mobile devices to
facilitate (1) reporting nonemergent incidents to DCF by mandated reporters and
(2) communication between children in the commissioner’s care and custody and
social workers assigned to them.
EFFECTIVE DATE: July 1, 2021
§ 23 — DCF WRITTEN REMOVAL NOTICE AND LIST
Requires the DCF Commissioner to provide written notice regarding legal representation to the
parent or guardian of a child with a complaint of neglect or abuse
By law, if the DCF commissioner receives a complaint of child abuse or
neglect, at the first face-to-face contact with the child’s parent or guardian, DCF
must provide a written notice explaining certain matters in plain language. (The
act appears to suspend this requirement until October 1, 2021.)
Under the law, among other things, the notice must state that the parent or
guardian is entitled to seek the representation of an attorney and have an attorney O L R P U B L I C A C T S U M M A R Y
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present when a DCF representative questions them. The act specifies that this
includes any meeting conducted to determine whether the child should be
removed from the home.
In addition to the written notice, the act also requires DCF to provide these
parents or guardians with a list of free and low-cost legal services providers
through which they may obtain legal advice.
As is the case under existing law for the written notice, the act requires DCF
to (1) make reasonable efforts to ensure that the list is written in a manner and
language that the parent or guardian can understand and (2) request the parent or
guardian to sign and date the notice as evidence of receiving the list.
EFFECTIVE DATE: July 1, 2021
§ 24 — EARLY INTERVENTION SERVICES FEES
Prohibits the OEC commissioner from charging a fee for early intervention services to the parents
or legal guardians of eligible children
Prior law required the OEC commissioner to establish and periodically revise
a schedule of fees for providing early intervention services to eligible children.
The act eliminates this requirement and instead prohibits the commissioner from
charging a fee for early intervention services to the parents or legal guardians of
eligible children.
Prior law required the commissioner to develop and implement procedures to
hold a recipient harmless for the impact of pursuit of payment for early
intervention services against lifetime insurance limits. The act limits this
requirement to services rendered prior to its passage.
EFFECTIVE DATE: Upon passage
§ 25 — PLANNING AND PLACEME NT TEAM MEETINGS
Makes various changes regarding planning and placement team (PPT) meetings, including (1)
expanding parental notification requirements, (2) providing for birth-to-three service coordinator
participation, (3) establishing notification requirements related to the initial meeting, and (4)
requiring developmental delay monitoring
Expansion of Parental Notification Requirements
By law, a local or regional board of education responsible for providing
special education and related services to a child or pupil generally must provide
written notice to the child’s parent or guardian or to a pupil who is an
emancipated minor before (1) proposing to, or refusing to, initiate or change the
child’s or pupil’s identification, evaluation, or educational placement or (2)
providing free appropriate public education to the child or pupil. The law also
gives the parent, guardian, or pupil, upon request, the right to meet with a member
of the planning and placement team (PPT) before the referral team meeting.
Under existing law, the pupil or his or her parent, guardian, or surrogate
parent (“caregiver”) must (1) be given at least five-days’ notice before any PPT O L R P U B L I C A C T S U M M A R Y
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meeting; (2) have the right to be present at and participate in all portions of a
meeting at which an educational program for the child or pupil is developed,
reviewed, or revised; and (3) have the right to have certain professionals present
and participate. During any meeting at which an educational program for the child
or pupil is developed, the act additionally gives the pupil or caregiver the right to
have each recommendation made in the child or pupil’s Birth-to-Three
individualized transition plan addressed by the PPT.
Birth-to-Three Service Coordinator PPT Participation
The act also gives the pupil or caregiver the right to have the child or pupil’s
Birth-to-Three service coordinator, if any, attend and participate in any part of the
meeting at which an educational program for the child or pupil is developed,
reviewed, or revised. It maintains the right to have advisors and school
paraprofessionals attend and participate in these meetings, but no longer requires
them to be present.
Additional Notification Requirements
The act expands the information that the responsible local or regional board of
education must give the caregiver or pupil at each initial PPT meeting. Under
existing law, the boards must tell them about physical restraint and seclusion laws
and regulations. Under the act, during the meeting at which an educational
program for the child or pupil is developed, the local or regional board of
education must also inform them of their right to have:
1. the child or pupil’s Birth-to-Three service coordinator attend and
participate in all portions of the meeting and
2. each recommendation made in the transition plan by the service
coordinator addressed by the PPT.
Monitoring Developmental Delay
Required Monitoring. The act requires each local or regional board of
education to monitor the development of each child who has been (1) referred for
a registration on a mobile application designated by the OEC commissioner (see §
27 below), in partnership with the child’s caregiver, or (2) provided a form for the
child’s caregiver to complete and submit to the board of education that screens for
developmental and social-emotional delays using a validated screening tool, such
as the Ages and Stages Questionnaire and the Ages and Stages Social-Emotional
Questionnaire, or its equivalent.
PPT Meeting. If, based on this monitoring, a child is suspected of having a
developmental delay, the board must schedule a PPT meeting with the caregiver
to identify services for which the child may be eligible, including a preschool
program under Part B of the Individuals with Disabilities Act.
Reminders. If a caregiver of a child referred for a registration on the mobile
application or provided such a screening form, fails to complete the registration or O L R P U B L I C A C T S U M M A R Y
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complete and submit the form after six months, the board must send that person a
reminder, in the form and manner determined by the board, to do so. The board
must send another reminder after one year from the referral or provision of the
form if the registration remains incomplete or the form is not submitted.
EFFECTIVE DATE: July 1, 2021
§ 26 — BIRTH-TO-THREE COORDINATOR DI SCIPLINARY
PROTECTIONS
Extends job protections available to boards of education PPT members to cover Birth-to-Three
service coordinators or qualified personnel concerning PPT meetings or transition plans
Existing law prohibits local or regional boards of education from disciplining,
suspending, terminating, or otherwise punishing any PPT member employed by
the board who discusses or makes recommendations about providing special
education and related services for a child during a PPT meeting. The act extends
this protection to Birth-to-Three service coordinators or qualified personnel
concerning PPT meetings or transition plans.
EFFECTIVE DATE: July 1, 2021
§ 27 — DEVELOPMENTAL AND SO CIAL-EMOTIONAL DELAY
SCREENINGS
Expands developmental and social-emotional delay screenings by requiring the OEC
commissioner to designate a mobile application for eligible children and their families to continue
the screenings
Existing law generally requires each eligible child (see below) and his or her
family to receive (1) a multidisciplinary assessment, (2) a written individualized
family service plan, and (3) a review of the individualized family service plan
within set time frames.
The act expands this by requiring that within two months after a child is
determined ineligible to participate in preschool programs under Part B of the
Individuals with Disabilities Act, the child and his or her family receive a referral
to register for a mobile application designated by the OEC commissioner to
continue screening for developmental and social-emotional delays in partnership
with the child’s local or regional board of education. Under the act, a screening
form using a validated screening tool, such as the Ages and Stages Questionnaire
and the Ages and Stages Social-Emotional Questionnaire, or its equivalent, must
be provided to any family upon request for completing and submitting the form.
Eligible Child
By law, an “eligible child” is a child up to age 36 months, who is not eligible
for special education and related services and who needs early intervention
services because he or she is (1) experiencing a significant developmental delay
as measured by standardized diagnostic instruments and procedures or (2) O L R P U B L I C A C T S U M M A R Y
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diagnosed as having a physical or mental condition that has a high probability of
resulting in developmental delay (CGS § 17a-248(4)).
EFFECTIVE DATE: July 1, 2021
§ 28 — BIRTH-TO-THREE PROGRAM EXPANS ION
Requires the OEC commissioner to develop and implement a plan to expand the Birth-to-Three
Program to provide early intervention services to certain children
The act requires the OEC commissioner, by July 1, 2022, to develop and
implement a plan to expand the Birth-to-Three Program to provide early
intervention services to any child who:
1. is enrolled in the program;
2. turns age three between May 1 and the first day of the next school year
commencing July 1; and
3. is eligible for preschool programs under Part B of the federal Individuals
with Disabilities Act (however, the services must end when the child starts
participating in the preschool program).
The act authorizes the commissioner to adopt implementing regulations. (PA
21-02, June Special Session, §§ 419-421, makes a conforming change to reflect
the new definition of “eligible children” under this act; and generally extends to
these children certain group and individual health insurance coverage for
medically necessary early intervention services.)
EFFECTIVE DATE: Upon passage
§ 29 — SCHOOL READINESS LIAISON
Requires the local or regional board of education of any school district that serves a town without
a school readiness council to designate a school readiness liaison
For the school year starting July 1, 2022, and each school year thereafter, in
any school district that serves a town that has not convened or established a local
or regional school readiness council, the act requires the district’s local or
regional board of education to designate a school readiness liaison.
The liaison must (1) be an employee of the school district and (2) serve as an
informational resource for parents of children transitioning from the Birth-to-
Three program to enrollment in a public elementary school in the school district.
EFFECTIVE DATE: July 1, 2021
§ 30 — TASK FORCE TO STUDY CHILDREN’S NEEDS
Establishes a 25-member task force to study the (1) comprehensive needs of children in the state
and (2) extent to which educators, community members, and local and state agencies are meeting
them
The act establishes a 25-member task force to study the (1) comprehensive
needs of children in the state and (2) extent to which educators, community
members, and local and state agencies are meeting those needs. O L R P U B L I C A C T S U M M A R Y
Page 16 of 17
Task Force Duties
The task force must:
1. identify children’s needs using certain tenets of the whole child initiative
developed by the Association for Supervision and Curriculum
Development;
2. recommend new programs or changes to existing programs operated by
educators or local or state agencies to better address children’s needs;
3. recognize any exceptional efforts to meet the comprehensive needs of
children by educators, local or state agencies, and community members
(i.e., any individual or private organization that provides services or
programs for children);
4. identify and advocate for funds and other resources required to meet the
needs of children in the state;
5. identify redundancies in existing services or programs for children and
advocate for eliminating the redundancies; and
6. assess all publicly available data concerning the identified needs and
collect, or make recommendations for the state to collect, any data that is
not being collected by educators, community members, or local or state
agencies.
The task force must identify children’s needs using the tenets that each
student:
1. enters school healthy and learns about and practices a healthy lifestyle;
2. learns in an environment that is physically and emotionally safe for
students and adults;
3. is actively engaged in learning and is connected to the school and broader
community;
4. has access to personalized learning and is supported by qualified, caring
adults; and
5. is challenged academically and prepared for success in college or further
study and for employment and participation in a global environment.
Membership and Appointing Authorities
The task force must consist of the following 25 members:
1. two appointed by the House speaker, one of whom is an educator
employed by a local or regional board of education and one of whom is a
licensed social worker working with children;
2. two appointed by the Senate president pro tempore, one of whom is a
representative of the board of directors of the Association for Supervision
and Curriculum Development affiliate in the state, and one of whom is a
representative of a higher education institution in the state;
3. one appointed by the House majority leader, who is a school administrator
employed by a local or regional board of education;
4. one appointed by the Senate majority leader, who is a chairperson of a O L R P U B L I C A C T S U M M A R Y
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local or regional board of education;
5. one appointed by the House minority leader, who is a director or employee
of a private nonprofit organization in the state that provides services or
programs for children;
6. one appointed by the Senate minority leader, who is a director or
employee of a private nonprofit organization in the state that provides
health-related services or programs for children;
7. the Agriculture, Children and Families, Developmental Services, Early
Childhood, Economic and Community Development, Education, Housing,
Labor, Mental Health and Addiction Services, Public Health, Social
Services, and Transportation commissioners or their designees;
8. the healthcare advocate, or his designee;
9. the Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities executive director,
or her designee;
10. the Technical Education and Career System superintendent, or his
designee;
11. the chief court administrator, or his designee; and
12. the director of Special Education Equity for Kids of Connecticut, or the
director’s designee.
All initial appointments must be made within 30 days after the act passes. The
appointing authority must fill any vacancy within 30 days after the vacancy. Task
force chairpersons may fill a vacancy if it is not filled by the appointing authority.
Members of the General Assembly may serve on the task force.
The House speaker and the Senate president pro tempore must select the
chairpersons of the task force from among its members. The chairpersons must
schedule and hold the task force’s first meeting within 60 days after the act
passes.
The Children’s Committee administrative staff must serve as administrative
staff of the task force.
Reporting Requirements
The act requires the task force to submit a report on its findings and
recommendations to the Children’s Committee by January 1, 2022. The task force
terminates when it submits the report or January 1, 2022, whichever is later.
EFFECTIVE DATE: Upon passage
BACKGROUND
Related Act
PA 21-95 (§§ 9-11) contains the same provisions on social-emotional learning
(§§ 11-13 of this act).