LCO No. 428 1 of 6
General Assembly Raised Bill No. 289
February Session, 2022
LCO No. 428
Referred to Committee on HUMAN SERVICES
Introduced by:
(HS)
AN ACT CONCERNING OVERSIGHT AND FUNDING OF THE
CONNECTICUT FATHERHOOD INITIATIVE.
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 low-4
income children, and (B) identifies services that effectively encourage 5
and enhance responsible and skillful parenting and increase the ability 6
of fathers to meet the financial and emotional needs of their children; 7
and (2) "CFI objectives" means efforts to: (A) Promote public education 8
concerning the financial and emotional responsibilities of fatherhood, 9
(B) assist men in preparation for the legal, financial and emotional 10
responsibilities of fatherhood, (C) promote the establishment of 11
paternity at childbirth, (D) encourage fathers, regardless of marital 12
status, to foster their emotional connection to and financial support of 13
their children, (E) establish support mechanisms for fathers in their 14
relationship with their children, regardless of their marital and financial 15
status, and (F) integrate state and local services available for families. 16 Raised Bill No. 289
LCO No. 428 2 of 6
(b) There is established within the Department of Social Services the 17
Office of the Connecticut Fatherhood Initiative. The office shall be 18
overseen by the Commissioner of Social Services and shall perform 19
administrative duties on behalf of the CFI in accordance with a strategic 20
plan developed and implemented by the CFI with the approval of the 21
council established pursuant to section 2 of this act. 22
Sec. 2. (NEW) (Effective from passage) (a) There is established a CFI 23
Council to approve the work of the CFI, including, but not limited to, 24
implementation of CFI objectives through a strategic plan developed by 25
the CFI. The council shall actively participate in efforts that further CFI 26
objectives, including, but not limited to: (1) Fostering collaboration 27
between state agencies that provide services for fathers and families; (2) 28
(A) coordinating comprehensive services, (B) ensuring the continuity of 29
services, (C) heightening the impact of services, and (D) avoiding 30
duplication of services; and (3) supporting fathers of children eligible or 31
formerly eligible for services under the temporary assistance for needy 32
families block grant. 33
(b) The membership of the council shall include, but need not be 34
limited to: 35
(1) The Commissioner of Social Services, or the commissioner's 36
designee; 37
(2) The Commissioner of Children and Families, or the 38
commissioner's designee; 39
(3) The Commissioner of Correction, or the commissioner's designee; 40
(4) The Commissioner of Early Childhood, or the commissioner's 41
designee; 42
(5) The Commissioner of Education, or the commissioner's designee; 43
(6) The Commissioner of Developmental Services, or the 44
commissioner's designee; 45 Raised Bill No. 289
LCO No. 428 3 of 6
(7) The Commissioner of Housing, or the commissioner's designee; 46
(8) The Labor Commissioner, or the commissioner's designee; 47
(9) The Commissioner of Mental Health and Addiction Services, or 48
the commissioner's designee; 49
(10) The Commissioner of Public Health, or the commissioner's 50
designee; 51
(11) The Commissioner of Veterans Affairs, or the commissioner's 52
designee; 53
(12) The chairperson of the Board of Pardons and Parole, or the 54
chairperson's designee; 55
(13) The executive directors of the Support Enforcement Services 56
Division and the Court Support Services Division of the Judicial Branch, 57
or their respective designees; 58
(14) The Chief Family Support Magistrate, or the Chief Family 59
Support Magistrate's designee; 60
(15) The president of the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities, 61
or the president's designee; 62
(16) The director of the Office of Child Support Services within the 63
Department of Social Services, or the director's designee; and 64
(17) At least eleven members appointed by the Commissioner of 65
Social Services, including: 66
(A) One with expertise in the area of legal assistance to low-income 67
populations; 68
(B) One representative of the Connecticut Employment and Training 69
Commission; 70
(C) One representative of a regional workforce development board; 71 Raised Bill No. 289
LCO No. 428 4 of 6
(D) One member with expertise in family relations; 72
(E) One or more representatives of a local fatherhood program; 73
(F) One member with expertise in male mental and physical health; 74
(G) One member representing the interests of custodial parents; 75
(H) One member representing the interests of noncustodial parents; 76
(I) One member representing the interests of children; 77
(J) One member with expertise in the area of domestic violence; and 78
(K) One member with expertise in child development. 79
(c) The Commissioner of Social Services shall serve as a chairperson 80
of the council and shall designate a cochairperson from among the 81
membership of the council. The commissioner shall convene the council 82
not later than thirty days after the effective date of this section, and the 83
council shall meet at least quarterly thereafter. The commissioner shall 84
fill any vacancy on the council. 85
(d) The Commissioner of Social Services may designate a working 86
group from among the members of the council to carry out specific 87
duties required under this section and section 1 of this act. The 88
commissioner shall seek the advice and participation of any person, 89
organization or state or federal agency the commissioner deems 90
necessary to carry out the provisions of this section and section 1 of this 91
act. 92
(e) The Commissioner of Social Services, in consultation with the 93
council and within available resources, shall apply for any available 94
federal and private funds for programs that promote CFI objectives in 95
accordance with this section and section 1 of this act. The commissioner 96
shall award grants from any such available funds to entities that provide 97
(1) employment and training opportunities for low-income fathers to 98
increase the earning capacity of such fathers; (2) classes in parenting and 99 Raised Bill No. 289
LCO No. 428 5 of 6
financial literacy; and (3) other support services and programs that 100
promote responsible parenting, economic stability and communication 101
and interaction between fathers and their children. 102
(f) Applicants for grants provided pursuant to subsection (e) of this 103
section shall apply to the Commissioner of Social Services at such time 104
and in such manner as prescribed by the commissioner. The 105
commissioner shall, in consultation with the council, establish criteria 106
for eligibility for grants and for the awarding of grants. At a minimum, 107
the commissioner shall require grantees to (1) implement accountability 108
measures and results-based outcomes as a condition of being awarded 109
a grant; (2) leverage funds through existing resources and collaboration 110
with community-based and nonprofit organizations; and (3) consult 111
with experts in domestic violence to ensure that, when appropriate, the 112
programs and services provided to fathers and families pursuant to this 113
section and section 1 of this act address issues concerning domestic 114
violence. 115
(g) Not later than December 1, 2022, and annually thereafter, the 116
commissioner, in consultation with the council, shall report, in 117
accordance with section 11-4a of the general statutes, to the joint 118
standing committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of 119
matters relating to appropriations and the budgets of state agencies, 120
human services and children on the grant program's effectiveness in 121
achieving CFI objectives. 122
Sec. 3. Section 17b-27a of the general statutes is repealed. (Effective 123
from passage) 124
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
Raised Bill No. 289
LCO No. 428 6 of 6
Statement of Purpose:
To establish funding and oversight of the Connecticut Fatherhood
Initiative and objectives for the initiative.
[Proposed deletions are enclosed in brackets. Proposed additions are indicated by underline, except
that when the entire text of a bill or resolution or a section of a bill or resolution is new, it is not
underlined.]