Connecticut 2021 2021 Regular Session

Connecticut Senate Bill SB00872 Comm Sub / Bill

Filed 03/29/2021

                     
 
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General Assembly  Substitute Bill No. 872  
January Session, 2021 
 
 
 
 
 
AN ACT CONCERNING TH E DEPARTMENT OF CHIL DREN AND 
FAMILIES' RECOMMENDA TIONS FOR REVISIONS TO THE 
STATUTES CONCERNING CHILDREN.  
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General 
Assembly convened: 
 
Section 1. Subsection (f) of section 46b-127 of the general statutes is 1 
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2 
2021): 3 
(f) The transfer of a child to a Department of Correction facility shall 4 
be limited as provided in subsection (e) of this section and said 5 
subsection shall not be construed to permit the transfer of or otherwise 6 
reduce or eliminate any other population of juveniles in detention or 7 
confinement within the Judicial Department. [or the Department of 8 
Children and Families.] 9 
Sec. 2. Subsection (b) of section 17a-3 of the general statutes is 10 
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 11 
2021): 12 
(b) [(1) The department, with the assistance of the State Advisory 13 
Council on Children and Families, and in consultation with 14 
representatives of the children and families served by the department, 15 
providers of services to children and families, advocates, and others 16  Substitute Bill No. 872 
 
 
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interested in the well-being of children and families in this state, shall 17 
develop and regularly update a single, comprehensive strategic plan for 18 
meeting the needs of children and families served by the department. In 19 
developing and updating the strategic plan, the department shall 20 
identify and define agency goals and indicators of progress, including 21 
benchmarks, in achieving such goals. The strategic plan shall include, 22 
but not be limited to: (A) The department's mission statement; (B) the 23 
expected results for the department and each of its mandated areas of 24 
responsibility; (C) a schedule of action steps and a time frame for 25 
achieving such results and fulfilling the department's mission that 26 
includes strategies for working with other state agencies to leverage 27 
resources and coordinate service delivery; (D) strategies, informed by 28 
data on referrals, substantiations, removal, placements and retention, by 29 
which the department shall identify racial and ethnic disparities within 30 
child welfare practice and work to eliminate such disparities; (E) 31 
priorities for services and estimates of the funding and other resources 32 
necessary to carry them out; (F) standards for programs and services 33 
that are based on research-based best practices, when available; and (G) 34 
relevant measures of performance. 35 
(2) The department shall begin the strategic planning process on July 36 
1, 2009. The department shall hold regional meetings on the plan to 37 
ensure public input and shall post the plan and the plan's updates and 38 
progress reports on the department's web site. The department shall 39 
submit the strategic plan to the State Advisory Council on Children and 40 
Families for review and comment prior to its final submission to the 41 
General Assembly and the Governor. On or before July 1, 2010, the 42 
department shall submit the strategic plan, in accordance with section 43 
11-4a, to the General Assembly and the Governor. 44 
(3) The commissioner shall track and report on progress in achieving 45 
the strategic plan's goals not later than October 1, 2010, and quarterly 46 
thereafter, to said State Advisory Council. The commissioner shall 47 
submit a status report on progress in achieving the results in the 48 
strategic plan, in accordance with section 11-4a, not later than July 1, 49  Substitute Bill No. 872 
 
 
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2011, and annually thereafter to the General Assembly, the joint 50 
standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of 51 
matters relating to children and the Governor.] Not later than July 1, 52 
2021, the Commissioner of Children and Families shall submit, in 53 
accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a, to the joint standing 54 
committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters 55 
relating to children and appropriations and the budgets of state agencies 56 
and to the State Advisory Council of Children and Families the 57 
following reports for which the commissioner most recently received 58 
approval from the Administration for Children and Families pursuant 59 
to federal law: (1) The Child and Family Services Plan, (2) the Annual 60 
Progress and Services Report, (3) the Final Report of the Child and 61 
Family Services Review, and (4) any Program Improvement Plan. 62 
Thereafter, the commissioner shall submit, in accordance with the 63 
provisions of section 11-4a, to the joint standing committees of the 64 
General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to children and 65 
appropriations and the budgets of state agencies and to the State 66 
Advisory Council of Children and Families said reports not later than 67 
thirty days after the Administration for Children and Families approves 68 
the reports. 69 
Sec. 3. Subsection (c) of section 17a-4 of the general statutes is 70 
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 71 
2021): 72 
(c) The duties of the council shall be to: (1) Recommend to the 73 
commissioner programs, legislation or other matters which will 74 
improve services for children and youths, including behavioral health 75 
services; (2) annually review and advise the commissioner regarding the 76 
proposed budget; (3) interpret to the community at large the policies, 77 
duties and programs of the department; (4) issue any reports it deems 78 
necessary to the Governor and the Commissioner of Children and 79 
Families; (5) [assist in the development of and] review and comment on 80 
the [strategic plan developed by the department pursuant to] reports 81 
described in subsection (b) of section 17a-3, as amended by this act; (6) 82  Substitute Bill No. 872 
 
 
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[receive on a quarterly basis from the commissioner a status report on 83 
the department's progress in carrying out the strategic plan; (7)] 84 
independently monitor the department's progress in achieving its goals 85 
as expressed in [the strategic plan] such reports; and [(8)] (7) offer 86 
assistance and provide an outside perspective to the department so that 87 
it may be able to achieve the goals expressed in [the strategic plan] such 88 
reports.  89 
Sec. 4. Section 17a-22bb of the general statutes is repealed and the 90 
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage): 91 
(a) [(1)] The Commissioner of Children and Families, in consultation 92 
with representatives of the children and families served by the 93 
department, including children at increased risk of involvement with 94 
the juvenile justice system, providers of mental, emotional or behavioral 95 
health services for such children and families, advocates, and others 96 
interested in the well-being of children and families in this state, shall 97 
develop a comprehensive implementation plan, across agency and 98 
policy areas, for meeting the mental, emotional and behavioral health 99 
needs of all children in the state, and preventing or reducing the long-100 
term negative impact of mental, emotional and behavioral health issues 101 
on children. In developing the implementation plan, the department 102 
shall include, at a minimum, the following strategies to prevent or 103 
reduce the long-term negative impact of mental, emotional and 104 
behavioral health issues on children: 105 
[(A)] (1) Employing prevention-focused techniques, with an 106 
emphasis on early identification and intervention; 107 
[(B)] (2) Ensuring access to developmentally-appropriate services; 108 
[(C)] (3) Offering comprehensive care within a continuum of services; 109 
[(D)] (4) Engaging communities, families and youths in the planning, 110 
delivery and evaluation of mental, emotional and behavioral health care 111 
services; 112  Substitute Bill No. 872 
 
 
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[(E)] (5) Being sensitive to diversity by reflecting awareness of race, 113 
culture, religion, language and ability; 114 
[(F)] (6) Establishing results-based accountability measures to track 115 
progress towards the goals and objectives outlined in this section, 116 
sections 17a-22cc, 17a-22dd and 17a-248h and section 7 of public act 13-117 
178; 118 
[(G)] (7) Applying data-informed quality assurance strategies to 119 
address mental, emotional and behavioral health issues in children; 120 
[(H)] (8) Improving the integration of school and community-based 121 
mental health services; 122 
[(I)] (9) Enhancing early interventions, consumer input and public 123 
information and accountability by [(i)] (A) in collaboration with the 124 
Department of Public Health, increasing family and youth engagement 125 
in medical homes; [(ii)] (B) in collaboration with the Department of 126 
Social Services, increasing awareness of the 2-1-1 Infoline program; and 127 
[(iii)] (C) in collaboration with each program that addresses the mental, 128 
emotional or behavioral health of children within the state, insofar as 129 
they receive public funds from the state, increasing the collection of data 130 
on the results of each program, including information on issues related 131 
to response times for treatment, provider availability and access to 132 
treatment options; and 133 
[(J)] (10) Identifying and addressing any increased risk of 134 
involvement in the juvenile and criminal justice system attributable to 135 
unmet mental, emotional and behavioral health needs of children. 136 
[(2) Not later than April 15, 2014, the commissioner shall submit and 137 
present a status report on the progress of the implementation plan, in 138 
accordance with section 11-4a, to the Governor and the joint standing 139 
committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters 140 
relating to children and appropriations. 141 
(3) On or before October 1, 2014, the commissioner shall submit and 142  Substitute Bill No. 872 
 
 
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present the implementation plan, in accordance with section 11-4a, to 143 
the Governor and the joint standing committees of the General 144 
Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to children and 145 
appropriations. 146 
(4) On or before October 1, 2015, and biennially thereafter through 147 
and including 2019, the department shall, in collaboration with the 148 
Department of Education, Department of Social Services, Department of 149 
Developmental Services, Office of Early Childhood, Department of 150 
Public Health and Court Support Services Division of the Judicial 151 
Branch, submit and present progress reports on the status of 152 
implementation, and any data-driven recommendations to alter or 153 
augment the implementation in accordance with section 11-4a, to the 154 
Governor and the joint standing committees of the General Assembly 155 
having cognizance of matters relating to children and appropriations.] 156 
(b) Emergency mobile psychiatric service providers shall collaborate 157 
with community-based mental health care agencies, school-based health 158 
centers and the contracting authority for each local or regional board of 159 
education throughout the state, utilizing a variety of methods, 160 
including, but not limited to, memoranda of understanding, policy and 161 
protocols regarding referrals and outreach and liaison between the 162 
respective entities. These methods shall be designed to (1) improve 163 
coordination and communication in order to enable such entities to 164 
promptly identify and refer children with mental, emotional or 165 
behavioral health issues to the appropriate treatment program, and (2) 166 
plan for any appropriate follow-up with the child and family. 167 
(c) Local law enforcement agencies and local and regional boards of 168 
education that employ or engage school resource officers shall, 169 
provided federal funds are available, train school resource officers in 170 
nationally recognized best practices to prevent students with mental 171 
health issues from being victimized or disproportionately referred to the 172 
juvenile justice system as a result of their mental health issues. 173 
(d) The Department of Children and Families, in collaboration with 174  Substitute Bill No. 872 
 
 
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agencies that provide training for mental health care providers in urban, 175 
suburban and rural areas, shall provide phased-in, ongoing training for 176 
mental health care providers in evidence-based and trauma-informed 177 
interventions and practices. 178 
(e) The state shall seek existing public or private reimbursement for 179 
(1) mental, emotional and behavioral health care services delivered in 180 
the home and in elementary and secondary schools, and (2) mental, 181 
emotional and behavioral health care services offered through the 182 
Department of Social Services pursuant to the federal Early and Periodic 183 
Screening, Diagnosis and Treatment Program under 42 USC 1396d. 184 
[(f) On or before October 1, 2017, the Department of Children and 185 
Families, in collaboration with the Judicial Branch and the Department 186 
of Correction, shall submit a plan to prevent or reduce the negative 187 
impact of mental, emotional and behavioral health issues on children 188 
and youth twenty years of age or younger who are held in secure 189 
detention or correctional confinement, in accordance with section 11-4a, 190 
to the Governor and the joint standing committees of the General 191 
Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to children and 192 
appropriations.]  193 
[(g)] (f) On or before October 1, 2017, and annually thereafter, the 194 
Commissioner of Correction shall compile records regarding the 195 
frequency and use of physical restraint and seclusion, as defined in 196 
section 46a-150, on children and youth twenty years of age or younger 197 
who are in the custody of the commissioner at the John R. Manson Youth 198 
Institution, Cheshire, and shall submit a report summarizing such 199 
records, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a, to the joint 200 
standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of 201 
matters relating to children. Such report shall address the prior year and 202 
shall indicate, at a minimum, the frequency that (1) physical restraint 203 
was used as (A) an emergency intervention, and (B) a nonemergency 204 
intervention, and (2) restricted housing or other types of administrative 205 
segregation or seclusion were used at such facility. 206  Substitute Bill No. 872 
 
 
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[(h) On or before October 1, 2018, the Department of Children and 207 
Families, in collaboration with the Children's Mental, Emotional and 208 
Behavioral Health Plan Implementation Advisory Board, established 209 
pursuant to section 17a-22f, shall submit recommendations for 210 
addressing any unmet mental, emotional and behavioral health needs 211 
of children that are attributed to an increased risk of involvement in the 212 
juvenile and criminal justice systems, in accordance with section 11-4a, 213 
to the Governor and the joint standing committees of the General 214 
Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to children and 215 
appropriations.]  216 
Sec. 5. Subparagraph (B) of subdivision (1) of subsection (k) of section 217 
46b-129 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is 218 
substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage): 219 
(B) (i) If a child is at least twelve years of age, the child's permanency 220 
plan, and any revision to such plan, shall be developed in consultation 221 
with the child. In developing or revising such plan, the child may 222 
consult up to two individuals participating in the department's case 223 
plan regarding such child, neither of whom shall be the foster parent or 224 
caseworker of such child. One individual so selected by such child may 225 
be designated as the child's advisor for purposes of developing or 226 
revising the permanency plan. Regardless of the child's age, the 227 
commissioner shall provide not less than five days' advance written 228 
notice of any permanency team meeting concerning the child's 229 
permanency plan to an attorney or guardian ad litem appointed to 230 
represent the child pursuant to subsection (c) of this section. 231 
(ii) If a child is at least twelve years of age, the commissioner shall 232 
notify the parent or guardian, foster parent and child of any 233 
administrative case review regarding such child's commitment not less 234 
than five days prior to such review and shall make a reasonable effort 235 
to schedule such review at a time and location that allows the parent or 236 
guardian, foster parent and child to attend. 237 
(iii) If a child is at least twelve years of age, such child shall, whenever 238  Substitute Bill No. 872 
 
 
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possible, identify not more than three adults with whom such child has 239 
a significant relationship and who may serve as a permanency resource. 240 
The identity of such adults shall be recorded in the case plan of such 241 
child. 242 
[(iv) Not later than January 1, 2016, and annually thereafter, the 243 
commissioner shall submit a report, in accordance with the provisions 244 
of section 11-4a, to the joint standing committees of the General 245 
Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to children and the 246 
judiciary, on the number of case plans in which children have identified 247 
adults with whom they have a significant relationship and who may 248 
serve as a permanency resource.] 249 
Sec. 6. Section 17a-93 of the general statutes is repealed and the 250 
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage): 251 
As used in sections 17a-90 to 17a-121a, inclusive, [and] sections 17a-252 
145 to 17a-153, inclusive, and sections 7 and 8 of this act: 253 
(1) "Child" means any person under eighteen years of age, except as 254 
otherwise specified, or any person under twenty-one years of age who 255 
is in full-time attendance in a secondary school, a technical school, a 256 
college or a state-accredited job training program; 257 
(2) "Parent" means natural or adoptive parent; 258 
(3) "Adoption" means the establishment by court order of the legal 259 
relationship of parent and child; 260 
(4) "Guardianship" means guardianship, unless otherwise specified, 261 
of the person of a minor and refers to the obligation of care and control, 262 
the right to custody and the duty and authority to make major decisions 263 
affecting such minor's welfare, including, but not limited to, consent 264 
determinations regarding marriage, enlistment in the armed forces and 265 
major medical, psychiatric or surgical treatment; 266 
(5) "Termination of parental rights" means the complete severance by 267  Substitute Bill No. 872 
 
 
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court order of the legal relationship, with all its rights and 268 
responsibilities, between the child and the child's parent or parents so 269 
that the child is free for adoption except it shall not affect the right of 270 
inheritance of such child or the religious affiliation of such child; 271 
(6) "Statutory parent" means the Commissioner of Children and 272 
Families or that child-placing agency appointed by the court for the 273 
purpose of giving a minor child or minor children in adoption; 274 
(7) "Child-placing agency" means any agency within or without the 275 
state of Connecticut licensed or approved by the Commissioner of 276 
Children and Families in accordance with sections 17a-149 and 17a-151, 277 
and in accordance with such standards which shall be established by 278 
regulations of the Department of Children and Families; 279 
(8) "Child care facility" means a congregate residential setting 280 
licensed by the Department of Children and Families for the out-of-281 
home placement of (A) children or youths under eighteen years of age, 282 
or (B) any person under twenty-one years of age who is in full-time 283 
attendance in a secondary school, a technical school, a college or state 284 
accredited job training program or is currently homeless or at risk of 285 
homelessness, as defined in section 17a-484a;  286 
(9) "Protective supervision" means a status created by court order 287 
following adjudication of neglect whereby a child's place of abode is not 288 
changed but assistance directed at correcting the neglect is provided at 289 
the request of the court through the Department of Children and 290 
Families or such other social agency as the court may specify; 291 
(10) "Receiving home" means a facility operated by the Department 292 
of Children and Families to receive and temporarily care for children in 293 
the guardianship or care of the commissioner; 294 
(11) "Protective services" means public welfare services provided 295 
after complaints of abuse, neglect or abandonment, but in the absence 296 
of an adjudication or assumption of jurisdiction by a court; 297  Substitute Bill No. 872 
 
 
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(12) "Person responsible for the health, welfare or care of a child or 298 
youth" means a child's or a youth's parent, guardian or foster parent; an 299 
employee of a public or private residential home, agency or institution 300 
or other person legally responsible in a residential setting; or any staff 301 
person providing out-of-home care, such as the provision of child care 302 
services, as described in section 19a-77, in a child care center, group 303 
child care home or family child care home; 304 
(13) "Foster family" means a person or persons, licensed by the 305 
Department of Children and Families or approved by a licensed child-306 
placing agency, for the care of a child or children in a private home; 307 
(14) "Prospective adoptive family" means a person or persons, 308 
licensed by the Department of Children and Families or approved by a 309 
licensed child-placing agency, who is awaiting the placement of, or who 310 
has a child or children placed in their home for the purposes of 311 
adoption; [and]  312 
(15) "Person entrusted with the care of a child or youth" means a 313 
person given access to a child or youth by a person responsible for the 314 
health, welfare or care of a child or youth for the purpose of providing 315 
education, child care, counseling, spiritual guidance, coaching, training, 316 
instruction, tutoring or mentoring of such child or youth; [.] 317 
(16) "Qualified residential treatment program" has the same meaning 318 
as provided in the Social Security Act, 42 USC 672(k)(4), as amended 319 
from time to time; and 320 
(17) "Qualified individual" has the same meaning as provided in the 321 
Social Security Act, 42 USC 675a(c)(1), as amended from time to time. 322 
Sec. 7. (NEW) (Effective from passage) The Commissioner of Children 323 
and Families shall adopt regulations in accordance with the provisions 324 
of chapter 54 of the general statutes establishing standards for qualified 325 
residential treatment programs and qualified individuals. Such 326 
standards shall include, but not be limited to, (1) staffing at such 327 
treatment programs, (2) the care and treatment of children cared for or 328  Substitute Bill No. 872 
 
 
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boarded in such treatment programs, (3) training and qualifications 329 
required for a qualified individual, and (4) documentation 330 
requirements. The commissioner may implement policies and 331 
procedures consistent with the provisions of this section while the 332 
commissioner is in the process of adopting such regulations, provided 333 
the commissioner shall publish notice of intention to adopt regulations 334 
on the eRegulations System not later than twenty days after the 335 
implementation of such policies and procedures. Any such policies and 336 
procedures shall be valid until such final regulations are effective. 337 
Sec. 8. (NEW) (Effective from passage) (a) As used in this section, 338 
"family" or "family member" means a person related to a child by birth, 339 
marriage or other legal means, or a fictive kin caregiver, as defined in 340 
section 17a-114 of the general statutes.  341 
(b) On and after July 1, 2021, or upon approval by the federal 342 
Administration for Children and Families of the Connecticut Family 343 
First Prevention Plan developed by the Department of Children and 344 
Families, whichever is first, a child in the custody of the Commissioner 345 
of Children and Families pursuant to section 46b-129 of the general 346 
statutes, as amended by this act, who is placed in a qualified residential 347 
treatment program, shall, not later than thirty days after such 348 
placement, be assessed by a qualified individual designated by the 349 
commissioner in accordance with the provisions of this section. Such 350 
qualified individual shall (1) assess the strengths and needs of the child 351 
using an age-appropriate, evidence-based, validated, functional 352 
assessment tool approved by the Secretary of Health and Human 353 
Services, (2) determine whether the needs of the child can be met by 354 
family members or through placement in a foster family, and, if such 355 
needs cannot be met, identify a setting that would provide the most 356 
effective and appropriate level of care for the child in the least restrictive 357 
environment and be consistent with the goals for the child as specified 358 
in the permanency plan for the child, and (3) develop a list of child-359 
specific short-term and long-term mental and behavioral health goals. 360 
A qualified individual shall work in conjunction with the child's family 361  Substitute Bill No. 872 
 
 
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permanency planning team while conducting an assessment under this 362 
section.  363 
(c) If the qualified individual conducting an assessment under this 364 
section determines that a child should not be placed with family 365 
members or in a foster family, the qualified individual shall specify in 366 
writing why the needs of the child cannot be met by the child's family 367 
or in a foster family, provided a shortage or lack of availability of foster 368 
family homes shall not be an acceptable reason for a determination that 369 
the child's needs cannot be met in a foster family. If the qualified 370 
individual recommends that a child should be placed in a qualified 371 
residential treatment program, the qualified individual shall further 372 
specify in writing why placement in the qualified residential treatment 373 
program will provide the child with the most effective and appropriate 374 
level of care in the least restrictive environment and how such 375 
placement is consistent with the goals specified in the permanency plan 376 
for the child. Such written assessment shall be submitted to the 377 
commissioner.  378 
(d) (1) On and after July 1, 2021, or upon approval by the federal 379 
Administration for Children and Families of the Connecticut Family 380 
First Prevention Plan developed by the Department of Children and 381 
Families, whichever is first, the Commissioner of Children and Families, 382 
not later than thirty-five days after the placement of a child who is in the 383 
custody of the commissioner pursuant to section 46b-129 of the general 384 
statutes, as amended by this act, in a qualified residential treatment 385 
program, shall file a motion with the Superior Court that has venue over 386 
such matter for review of the written assessment required pursuant to 387 
subsection (c) of this section, unless such child has been discharged from 388 
the qualified residential treatment program.  389 
(2) Not later than fifteen days after a motion for review is filed 390 
pursuant to subdivision (1) of this subsection, the court shall (A) review 391 
the findings from the assessment of the child and the determination 392 
made pursuant to subsection (b) of this section, and the written 393 
assessment required pursuant to subsection (c) of this subsection; and 394  Substitute Bill No. 872 
 
 
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(B) determine whether the needs of the child can be met through 395 
placement with a foster family and, if not, whether placement of the 396 
child in the qualified residential treatment program provides the most 397 
effective and appropriate level of care for the child in the least restrictive 398 
environment and that such placement is consistent with the goals 399 
specified in the permanency plan for the child. The purpose of the 400 
determination made pursuant to subparagraph (B) of this subdivision 401 
shall be solely for allowing the Commissioner of Children and Families 402 
to receive foster care maintenance payments pursuant to Title IV-E of 403 
the Social Security Act, as amended from time to time. 404 
(e) Following the court's approval or disapproval pursuant to 405 
subsection (d) of this section, the Commissioner of Children and 406 
Families shall submit evidence to the court at any hearing held with 407 
respect to a child that remains placed in a qualified residential treatment 408 
program, (1) demonstrating that (A) ongoing assessment of the 409 
strengths and needs of the child continues to support the determination 410 
that the needs of the child cannot be met through placement in a foster 411 
family, (B) the placement in the qualified residential treatment program 412 
provides the most effective and appropriate level of care for the child in 413 
the least restrictive environment, and (C) the placement is consistent 414 
with the goals specified in the permanency plan for the child; (2) 415 
documenting the specific treatment or service needs that will be met for 416 
the child in the placement and the length of time the child is expected to 417 
need such treatment or services; and (3) documenting efforts made by 418 
the commissioner to prepare the child to return home or to be placed 419 
with a family member, a legal guardian, an adoptive parent or in a foster 420 
family. 421 
Sec. 9. Subsection (a) of section 17a-4 of the general statutes is 422 
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 423 
1, 2021): 424 
(a) There shall be a State Advisory Council on Children and Families 425 
which shall consist of [nineteen] twenty members as follows: (1) 426 
[Thirteen] Fourteen members appointed by the Governor, including two 427  Substitute Bill No. 872 
 
 
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persons who are child care professionals, two persons eighteen to 428 
twenty-five years of age, inclusive, served by the Department of 429 
Children and Families, one child psychiatrist licensed to practice 430 
medicine in this state, [and] one health care professional who has 431 
expertise in children's health and is licensed in the state, one attorney 432 
who has expertise in legal issues related to children and youth and seven 433 
persons who shall be representative of young persons, parents and 434 
others interested in the delivery of services to children and youths, 435 
including child protection, behavioral health and prevention services, at 436 
least four of whom shall be parents, foster parents or family members of 437 
children who have received, or are receiving, behavioral health services 438 
or child welfare services; and (2) six members representing the regional 439 
advisory councils established pursuant to section 17a-30, appointed one 440 
each by the members of each council. [On and after October 1, 2014, no] 441 
Not more than half the members of the council shall be persons who 442 
receive income from a private practice or any public or private agency 443 
that delivers mental health, substance abuse, child abuse prevention and 444 
treatment or child welfare services. Members of the council shall serve 445 
without compensation, except for necessary expenses incurred in the 446 
performance of their duties. The Department of Children and Families 447 
shall provide the council with funding to facilitate the participation of 448 
those members representing families and youth, as well as for other 449 
administrative support services. Members shall serve on the council for 450 
terms of two years each and no member shall serve for more than three 451 
consecutive terms. The commissioner shall be an ex-officio member of 452 
the council without vote and shall attend its meetings. Any member 453 
who fails to attend three consecutive meetings or fifty per cent of all 454 
meetings during any calendar year shall be deemed to have resigned. 455 
The council shall elect a chairperson and vice-chairperson to act in the 456 
chairperson's absence. 457 
Sec. 10. Section 17a-63 of the general statutes is repealed. (Effective 458 
from passage) 459  Substitute Bill No. 872 
 
 
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This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following 
sections: 
 
Section 1 July 1, 2021 46b-127(f) 
Sec. 2 July 1, 2021 17a-3(b) 
Sec. 3 July 1, 2021 17a-4(c) 
Sec. 4 from passage 17a-22bb 
Sec. 5 from passage 46b-129(k)(1)(B) 
Sec. 6 from passage 17a-93 
Sec. 7 from passage New section 
Sec. 8 from passage New section 
Sec. 9 October 1, 2021 17a-4(a) 
Sec. 10 from passage Repealer section 
 
KID Joint Favorable Subst.