Connecticut 2021 Regular Session

Connecticut Senate Bill SB00987 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
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4	4	LCO No. 4337 1 of 8
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6	6	General Assembly Raised Bill No. 987
7	7	January Session, 2021
8	8	LCO No. 4337
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11	11	Referred to Committee on JUDICIARY
12	12
13	13
14	14	Introduced by:
15	15	(JUD)
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20	20	AN ACT CONCERNING RE INVESTMENT OF SAVING S ACHIEVED
21	21	THROUGH A REDUCTION IN CORRECTIONAL FACILIT Y
22	22	POPULATION INTO REEN TRY AND COMMUNITY -BASED SERVICES
23	23	AND PROGRAMS.
24	24	Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
25	25	Assembly convened:
26	26
27	27	Section 1. Section 18-81w of the general statutes is repealed and the 1
28	28	following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2021): 2
29	29	(a) The Criminal Justice Policy and Planning Division within the 3
30	30	Office of Policy and Management shall develop and implement a 4
31	31	comprehensive reentry strategy that provides a continuum of custody, 5
32	32	care and control for offenders who are being supervised in the 6
33	33	community, especially those offenders who have been discharged from 7
34	34	the custody of the Department of Correction, and assists in maintaining 8
35	35	the prison population at or under the authorized bed capacity. The 9
36	36	reentry strategy shall support the rights of victims, protect the public 10
37	37	and promote the successful transition of offenders from incarceration to 11
38	38	the community by (1) maximizing any available period of community 12
39	39	supervision for eligible and suitable offenders, (2) identifying and 13
40	40	addressing barriers to the successful transition of offenders from 14 Raised Bill No. 987
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44	44	LCO No. 4337 2 of 8
45	45
46	46	incarceration to the community, (3) ensuring sufficient criminal justice 15
47	47	resources to manage offender caseloads, (4) identifying community-16
48	48	based supervision, treatment, educational and other services and 17
49	49	programs that are proven to be effective in reducing recidivism among 18
50	50	the population served by such services and programs, and (5) 19
51	51	establishing employment initiatives for offenders through public and 20
52	52	private services and partnerships by reinvesting any savings achieved 21
53	53	through a reduction in prison population. 22
54	54	(b) The success of the reentry strategy shall be measured by: (1) The 23
55	55	rates of recidivism and community revictimization, (2) the number of 24
56	56	inmates eligible for release on parole, transitional supervision, 25
57	57	probation or any other release program, (3) the number of inmates who 26
58	58	make the transition from incarceration to the community in compliance 27
59	59	with a discharge plan, (4) prison bed capacity ratios, (5) the adequacy of 28
60	60	the network of community-based treatment, vocational, educational, 29
61	61	supervision and other services and programs, and (6) the reinvestment 30
62	62	of any savings achieved through a reduction in prison population into 31
63	63	reentry and community-based services and programs, including those 32
64	64	services and programs to address an offender's needs and risks as 33
65	65	determined through an assessment administered under section 3 of this 34
66	66	act. 35
67	67	(c) Not later than February 15, 2008, and annually thereafter, the 36
68	68	Criminal Justice Policy and Planning Division within the Office of Policy 37
69	69	and Management shall submit a report, in accordance with the 38
70	70	provisions of section 11-4a, on the success of the reentry strategy based 39
71	71	on the measures set forth in subsection (b) of this section to the joint 40
72	72	standing committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of 41
73	73	matters relating to corrections, public safety and appropriations and the 42
74	74	budgets of state agencies. 43
75	75	Sec. 2. Section 18-81z of the general statutes is repealed and the 44
76	76	following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2021): 45
77	77	The Department of Correction, the Board of Pardons and Paroles and 46 Raised Bill No. 987
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81	81	LCO No. 4337 3 of 8
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83	83	the Court Support Services Division of the Judicial Branch shall develop 47
84	84	a risk assessment strategy for offenders committed to the custody of the 48
85	85	Commissioner of Correction that will [(1)] utilize a risk assessment tool 49
86	86	that accurately rates an offender's (1) likelihood to recidivate upon 50
87	87	release from custody, and (2) identify the support services and 51
88	88	programs, including those services and programs to address an 52
89	89	offender's needs and risks as determined through an assessment 53
90	90	administered under section 3 of this act that will best position [the] each 54
91	91	individual offender for successful reentry into the community. Such 55
92	92	strategy shall incorporate use of both static and dynamic factors and 56
93	93	utilize a gender-responsive approach that recognizes the unique risks 57
94	94	and needs of female offenders. In the development of such risk 58
95	95	assessment strategy, the department, board and division may partner 59
96	96	with an educational institution that has expertise in criminal justice and 60
97	97	psychiatry to evaluate risk assessment tools and customize a risk 61
98	98	assessment tool to best meet the state's needs. On or before January 1, 62
99	99	[2009] 2022, and annually thereafter, the department, board and division 63
100	100	shall report to the Governor and the joint standing committee of the 64
101	101	General Assembly [on judiciary] relating to corrections, in accordance 65
102	102	with section 11-4a, on the development, implementation and 66
103	103	effectiveness of such strategy. 67
104	104	Sec. 3. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2021) (a) The Department of Correction 68
105	105	shall screen each offender committed to the custody of the 69
106	106	Commissioner of Correction to assess such offender's needs and risks 70
107	107	associated with reentry into the community as part of a reentry plan 71
108	108	developed for such offender. Such assessment shall evaluate the 72
109	109	offender's: 73
110	110	(1) Housing needs and homelessness risk, including, but not limited 74
111	111	to, the offender's homelessness history, family and other supports, prior 75
112	112	tenancy and rental history, income and employment and experience 76
113	113	with conducting housing searches and maintaining a household; and 77
114	114	(2) Mental health and chronic physical health needs and risks and 78
115	115	other medical conditions, provided mental health and physical health 79 Raised Bill No. 987
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119	119	LCO No. 4337 4 of 8
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121	121	classifications and scores are based on validated screening tools and 80
122	122	follow-up assessments by qualified clinical professionals, including 81
123	123	those assessments performed at the time that an offender is released on 82
124	124	parole. 83
125	125	(b) Information obtained by assessments under subsection (a) of this 84
126	126	section shall be considered as part of any referral process of an offender 85
127	127	for community-based (1) housing assistance, and (2) behavioral and 86
128	128	primary health care services. 87
129	129	(c) Not later than July 1, 2022, and annually thereafter, the 88
130	130	Commissioner of Correction shall report in accordance with the 89
131	131	provisions of section 11-4a of the general statutes to the joint standing 90
132	132	committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters 91
133	133	relating to corrections on (1) the number of offenders assessed as having 92
134	134	high need for (A) reentry housing assistance, or (B) health or behavioral 93
135	135	health services, (2) referred to (A) reentry housing services, (B) a 94
136	136	community health worker, or (C) a local mental health authority 95
137	137	operated by the state, and (3) results or outcomes associated with any 96
138	138	such assistance. 97
139	139	Sec. 4. (Effective July 1, 2021) (a) The sum of two million dollars is 98
140	140	appropriated to the Department of Correction, from the General Fund, 99
141	141	for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022, for the purpose of contracting 100
142	142	with community-based organizations to provide housing-related case 101
143	143	management, housing search and navigation, temporary rental 102
144	144	assistance and other basic needs for any inmate assessed as needing 103
145	145	reentry housing assistance. 104
146	146	(b) The sum of two million dollars is appropriated to the Department 105
147	147	of Correction, from the General Fund, for the fiscal year ending June 30, 106
148	148	2023, for the purpose of contracting with community -based 107
149	149	organizations to provide housing-related case management, housing 108
150	150	search and navigation, temporary rental assistance and other basic 109
151	151	needs for any inmate assessed as needing reentry housing assistance. 110
152	152	Sec. 5. (Effective July 1, 2021) (a) The sum of five million dollars is 111 Raised Bill No. 987
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156	156	LCO No. 4337 5 of 8
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158	158	appropriated to the Department of Correction, from the General Fund, 112
159	159	for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022, for the purpose of creating an 113
160	160	Office of Reentry Supports, which shall use three million dollars to 114
161	161	contract with community-based organizations to hire and employ 115
162	162	community health workers to help reentering individuals enroll in and 116
163	163	maintain connections to primary and behavioral health care services, 117
164	164	and shall use two million dollars to hire and employ staff as department 118
165	165	reentry case management clinical social workers to support individuals 119
166	166	released from incarceration by connecting such individuals to 120
167	167	community support systems and ensuring continuity of care as released 121
168	168	individuals receive community primary and behavioral health services. 122
169	169	(b) The sum of five million dollars is appropriated to the Department 123
170	170	of Correction, from the General Fund, for the fiscal year ending June 30, 124
171	171	2023, for the purpose of maintaining an Office of Reentry Supports, 125
172	172	which shall use three million dollars to contract with community-based 126
173	173	organizations to hire and employ community health workers to help 127
174	174	reentering individuals enroll in and maintain connections to primary 128
175	175	and behavioral health care services, and shall use two million dollars to 129
176	176	hire and employ staff as department reentry case management clinical 130
177	177	social workers to support individuals released from incarceration by 131
178	178	connecting such individuals to community support systems and 132
179	179	ensuring continuity of care as released individuals receive community 133
180	180	primary and behavioral health services. 134
181	181	Sec. 6. (Effective July 1, 2021) (a) The sum of fourteen million three 135
182	182	hundred twelve thousand seven hundred sixty -nine dollars is 136
183	183	appropriated to the Department of Mental Health and Addiction 137
184	184	Services, from the General Fund, for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022, 138
185	185	for Forensic Services, four million dollars of which shall be used in order 139
186	186	to fund new reentry case management social worker positions within 140
187	187	each state-operated local mental health authority, which authority shall 141
188	188	work with the Department of Correction to ensure adequate reentry 142
189	189	case management capacity within each authority and to refer 143
190	190	individuals discharged from the custody of the Commissioner of 144
191	191	Correction who are assessed as having high mental health needs to such 145 Raised Bill No. 987
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193	193
194	194
195	195	LCO No. 4337 6 of 8
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197	197	authority's reentry case managers in order to coordinate mental health 146
198	198	services and other community support systems, and to expand capacity 147
199	199	of the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services operated 148
200	200	sites for the Advanced Supervision Intervention & Support Team 149
201	201	program. 150
202	202	(b) The sum of fourteen million four hundred eight thousand five 151
203	203	hundred fifty-eight dollars is appropriated to the Department of Mental 152
204	204	Health and Addiction Services, from the General Fund, for the fiscal 153
205	205	year ending June 30, 2023, for Forensic Services, four million dollars of 154
206	206	which shall be used in order to fund reentry case management social 155
207	207	worker positions within each state-operated local mental health 156
208	208	authority, which authority shall work with the Department of 157
209	209	Correction to ensure adequate reentry case management capacity 158
210	210	within each authority and to refer individuals discharged from the 159
211	211	custody of the Commissioner of Correction who are assessed as having 160
212	212	high mental health needs to authority reentry case managers in order to 161
213	213	coordinate mental health services and other community support 162
214	214	systems, and to expand capacity of the Department of Mental Health 163
215	215	and Addiction Services operated sites for the Advanced Supervision 164
216	216	Intervention & Support Team program. 165
217	217	Sec. 7. (Effective July 1, 2021) (a) The sum of forty million five hundred 166
218	218	eighty-seven thousand eight hundred ninety -eight dollars is 167
219	219	appropriated to the Department of Public Health, from the General 168
220	220	Fund, for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022, for Personal Services, four 169
221	221	million dollars of which shall be used for the purpose of hiring and 170
222	222	training fifty formerly incarcerated community health workers to be 171
223	223	embedded in community health centers state-wide, connecting recently-172
224	224	incarcerated patients with health and social services through outreach, 173
225	225	educational and advocacy efforts, as modeled by a national, empirically 174
226	226	proven transitions model selected by the Commissioner of Public 175
227	227	Health. 176
228	228	(b) The sum of forty-one million nine hundred eighty-three thousand 177
229	229	seven hundred nineteen dollars is appropriated to the Department of 178 Raised Bill No. 987
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233	233	LCO No. 4337 7 of 8
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235	235	Public Health, from the General Fund, for the fiscal year ending June 30, 179
236	236	2023, for Personal Services, four million dollars of which shall be used 180
237	237	for the purpose of maintaining and training a staff of fifty formerly-181
238	238	incarcerated community health workers to be embedded in community 182
239	239	health centers state-wide, connecting recently-incarcerated patients 183
240	240	with health and social services through outreach, educational and 184
241	241	advocacy efforts, as modeled by a national, empirically proven 185
242	242	transitions model selected by the Commissioner of Public Health. 186
243	243	Sec. 8. (Effective July 1, 2021) (a) The sum of one hundred twenty-two 187
244	244	million five hundred fifty-six thousand four hundred twenty-five 188
245	245	dollars is appropriated to the Department of Correction, from the 189
246	246	General Fund, for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022, for Inmate 190
247	247	Medical Services, fifteen million dollars of which shall be used in order 191
248	248	to add an additional one hundred seventy positions to staff health care 192
249	249	services for inmates. 193
250	250	(b) The sum of one hundred twenty-four million eight hundred 194
251	251	twelve thousand six hundred sixty-five dollars is appropriated to the 195
252	252	Department of Correction, from the General Fund, for the fiscal year 196
253	253	ending June 30, 2023, for Inmate Medical Services, fifteen million dollars 197
254	254	of which shall be used in order to maintain positions to staff health care 198
255	255	services for inmates. 199
256	256	Sec. 9. (Effective July 1, 2021) (a) The sum of two hundred sixteen 200
257	257	million four hundred fifty-one thousand eight hundred fifty-six dollars 201
258	258	is appropriated to the Department of Mental Health and Addiction 202
259	259	Services, from the General Fund, for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022, 203
260	260	for Personal Expenses, six million dollars of which shall be used to 204
261	261	expand the state's mobile crisis intervention services to be available 205
262	262	twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week in all five mobile crisis 206
263	263	regions and to respond to all 911 emergency telephone calls involving 207
264	264	acute mental health emergencies and to ensure that mobile crisis 208
265	265	intervention services be the default response to such 911 emergency 209
266	266	telephone calls. 210 Raised Bill No. 987
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270	270	LCO No. 4337 8 of 8
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272	272	(b) The sum of two hundred twenty-six million five hundred two 211
273	273	thousand eight hundred ninety-two dollars is appropriated to the 212
274	274	Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, from the General 213
275	275	Fund, for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023, for Personal Expenses, six 214
276	276	million dollars of which shall be used to support the state's mobile crisis 215
277	277	intervention services availability twenty-four hours a day, seven days a 216
278	278	week in all five mobile crisis regions and to respond to all 911 217
279	279	emergency telephone calls involving acute mental health emergencies 218
280	280	and to ensure that mobile crisis intervention services be the default 219
281	281	response to such 911 emergency telephone calls. 220
282	282	This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
283	283	sections:
284	284
285	285	Section 1 July 1, 2021 18-81w
286	286	Sec. 2 July 1, 2021 18-81z
287	287	Sec. 3 July 1, 2021 New section
288	288	Sec. 4 July 1, 2021 New section
289	289	Sec. 5 July 1, 2021 New section
290	290	Sec. 6 July 1, 2021 New section
291	291	Sec. 7 July 1, 2021 New section
292	292	Sec. 8 July 1, 2021 New section
293	293	Sec. 9 July 1, 2021 New section
294	294
295	295	Statement of Purpose:
296	296	To reinvest money saved from the closure of Northern Correctional
297	297	Institution into reentry and community-based services and programs,
298	298	including, but not limited to, those concerning housing and behavioral
299	299	and physical health.
300	300	[Proposed deletions are enclosed in brackets. Proposed additions are indicated by underline, except
301	301	that when the entire text of a bill or resolution or a section of a bill or resolution is new, it is not
302	302	underlined.]
303	303