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General Assembly Substitute Bill No. 912
January Session, 2021
AN ACT CONCERNING FU NDING AND OVERSIGHT OF
FATHERHOOD INITIATIVES.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:
Section 1. (NEW) (Effective from passage) (a) As used in this section and 1
section 2 of this act, (1) "Connecticut Fatherhood Initiative", or "CFI", 2
means an initiative that (A) promotes the positive involvement and 3
interaction of fathers with their children with an emphasis on children 4
eligible or formerly eligible for services funded under the Temporary 5
Assistance for Needy Families block grant, and (B) identifies services 6
that effectively encourage and enhance responsible and skillful 7
parenting and increase the ability of fathers to meet the financial and 8
emotional needs of their children; and 9
(2) "CFI objectives" means: 10
(A) Promoting public education concerning the financial and 11
emotional responsibilities of fatherhood; 12
(B) Assisting men in preparation for the legal, financial and emotional 13
responsibilities of fatherhood; 14
(C) Promoting the establishment of paternity at childbirth; 15
(D) Encouraging fathers, regardless of marital status, to foster their 16 Substitute Bill No. 912
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emotional connection to and financial support of their children; 17
(E) Establishing support mechanisms for fathers in their relationship 18
with their children, regardless of their marital and financial status; and 19
(F) Integrating state and local services available for families. 20
(b) There is established within the Department of Social Services the 21
Office of the Connecticut Fatherhood Initiative. The office shall be 22
overseen by the Commissioner of Social Services and shall perform 23
administrative duties on behalf of the CFI in accordance with a strategic 24
plan developed and implemented by the CFI with the approval of the 25
council established pursuant to section 2 of this act. 26
Sec. 2. (NEW) (Effective from passage) (a) There is established a CFI 27
Council to approve the work of the CFI, including, but not limited to, 28
implementation of CFI objectives through a strategic plan developed by 29
the CFI. The council shall actively participate in efforts that further CFI 30
objectives, including, but not limited to, (1) fostering collaboration 31
between state agencies that provide services for fathers and families; (2) 32
seeking opportunities to coordinate comprehensive services, ensuring 33
the continuity of services, heightening the impact of services and 34
avoiding duplication of services; and (3) supporting fathers of children 35
eligible or formerly eligible for services under the Temporary Assistance 36
for Needy Families block grant, including, but not limited to: (A) 37
Providing assistance to needy families so that children can be cared for 38
in their own homes or in the homes of relatives; (B) promoting the 39
independence and self-sufficiency of needy parents by promoting job 40
preparation, work and marriage; (C) preventing and reducing the 41
incidence of out-of-wedlock pregnancies; and (D) encouraging the 42
formation and maintenance of two-parent families. 43
(b) The membership of the council shall include, but need not be 44
limited to: 45
(1) The Commissioner of Social Services, or the commissioner's 46
designee; 47 Substitute Bill No. 912
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(2) The Commissioner of Children and Families, or the 48
commissioner's designee; 49
(3) The Commissioner of Correction, or the commissioner's designee; 50
(4) The Commissioner of Early Childhood, or the commissioner's 51
designee; 52
(5) The Commissioner of Education, or the commissioner's designee; 53
(6) The Commissioner of Developmental Services, or the 54
commissioner's designee; 55
(7) The Commissioner of Housing, or the commissioner's designee; 56
(8) The Labor Commissioner, or the commissioner's designee; 57
(9) The Commissioner of Mental Health and Addiction Services, or 58
the commissioner's designee; 59
(10) The Commissioner of Public Health, or the commissioner's 60
designee; 61
(11) The commissioner of Veterans Affairs, or the commissioner's 62
designee; 63
(12) The chairperson of the Board of Pardons and Parole, or the 64
chairperson's designee; 65
(13) The executive directors of the Support Enforcement Services 66
Division and the Court Support Services Division of the Judicial Branch, 67
or their respective designees; 68
(14) The Chief Family Support Magistrate, or the Chief Family 69
Support Magistrate's designee; 70
(15) The president of the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities, 71
or the president's designee; 72 Substitute Bill No. 912
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(16) The director of the Office of Child Support Services within the 73
Department of Social Services, or the director's designee; and 74
(17) At least eleven members appointed by the Commissioner of 75
Social Services, including: 76
(A) One with expertise in the area of legal assistance to low-income 77
populations; 78
(B) One representative of the Connecticut Employment and Training 79
Commission; 80
(C) One representative of a regional workforce development board; 81
(D) One member with expertise in family relations; 82
(E) One or more representatives of a local fatherhood program; 83
(F) One member with expertise in male psychology and health; 84
(G) One member representing the interests of custodial parents; 85
(H) One member representing the interests of noncustodial parents; 86
(I) One member representing the interests of children; 87
(J) One member with expertise in the area of domestic violence; and 88
(K) One member with expertise in child development. 89
(c) The Commissioner of Social Services shall serve as a chairperson 90
of the council and shall designate a second cochairperson from among 91
the membership of the council. The commissioner shall convene the 92
council not later than thirty days after the effective date of this section, 93
and the council shall meet at least quarterly thereafter. The 94
commissioner shall fill any vacancy on the council. 95
(d) The Commissioner of Social Services may designate a working 96
group from among the members of the council to carry out specific 97 Substitute Bill No. 912
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duties required under this section and section 1 of this act. The 98
commissioner shall seek the advice and participation of any person, 99
organization or state or federal agency the commissioner deems 100
necessary to carry out the provisions of this section and section 1 of this 101
act. 102
(e) The Commissioner of Social Services, in consultation with the 103
council and within available resources, shall apply for any available 104
federal and private funds for programs that promote CFI objectives in 105
accordance with this section and section 1 of this act. The commissioner 106
shall award grants from any such available funds to entities that provide 107
(1) employment and training opportunities for low-income fathers to 108
increase the earning capacity of such fathers; (2) classes in parenting and 109
financial literacy; and (3) other support services and programs that 110
promote responsible parenting, economic stability and communication 111
and interaction between fathers and their children. 112
(f) Applicants for grants provided pursuant to subsection (e) of this 113
section shall apply to the Commissioner of Social Services at such time 114
and in such manner as prescribed by the commissioner. The 115
commissioner shall, in consultation with the council, establish criteria 116
for eligibility for grants and for the awarding of grants. At a minimum, 117
the commissioner shall require grantees to (1) implement accountability 118
measures and results-based outcomes as a condition of being awarded 119
a grant; (2) leverage funds through existing resources and collaboration 120
with community-based and nonprofit organizations; and (3) consult 121
with experts in domestic violence to ensure that, when appropriate, the 122
programs and services provided to fathers and families pursuant to this 123
section and section 1 of this act address issues concerning domestic 124
violence. 125
(g) Not later than December 1, 2021, and annually thereafter, the 126
commissioner, in consultation with the council, shall report, in 127
accordance with section 11-4a of the general statutes, to the joint 128
standing committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of 129
matters relating to human services and children on the grant program's 130 Substitute Bill No. 912
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effectiveness in achieving CFI objectives. 131
Sec. 3. Section 17b-27a of the general statutes is repealed. (Effective 132
from passage) 133
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
sections:
Section 1 from passage New section
Sec. 2 from passage New section
Sec. 3 from passage Repealer section
Statement of Legislative Commissioners:
In Section 2(a)(3), "block grant program" was changed to "block grant"
for internal consistency.
HS Joint Favorable Subst.