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General Assembly Substitute Bill No. 289
February Session, 2022
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 children 4
from low-income families, and (B) identifies services that effectively 5
encourage and enhance responsible and skillful parenting and increase 6
the ability of fathers to meet the financial and emotional needs of their 7
children; and (2) "CFI objectives" means efforts to: (A) Promote public 8
education concerning the financial and emotional responsibilities of 9
fatherhood, (B) assist men in preparation for the legal, financial and 10
emotional responsibilities of fatherhood, (C) promote the establishment 11
of 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
(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 Substitute Bill No. 289
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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
(7) The Commissioner of Housing, or the commissioner's designee; 46
(8) The Labor Commissioner, or the commissioner's designee; 47 Substitute Bill No. 289
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(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 director of the Support Enforcement Services 56
Division and the Court Support Services Division of the Judicial Branch, 57
or their 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 Governor's Workforce Council; 69
(C) One representative of a regional workforce development board; 70
(D) One member with expertise in family relations; 71
(E) One or more representatives of a local fatherhood program; 72 Substitute Bill No. 289
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(F) One member with expertise in male mental and physical health; 73
(G) One member representing the interests of custodial parents; 74
(H) One member representing the interests of noncustodial parents; 75
(I) One member representing the interests of children; 76
(J) One member with expertise in the area of domestic violence; and 77
(K) One member with expertise in child development. 78
(c) The Commissioner of Social Services shall serve as a chairperson 79
of the council and shall designate a cochairperson from among the 80
membership of the council. The commissioner shall convene the council 81
not later than thirty days after the effective date of this section, and the 82
council shall meet at least quarterly thereafter. The commissioner shall 83
fill any vacancy on the council. 84
(d) The Commissioner of Social Services may designate a working 85
group from among the members of the council to carry out specific 86
duties required under this section and section 1 of this act. The 87
commissioner shall seek the advice and participation of any person, 88
organization or state or federal agency the commissioner deems 89
necessary to carry out the provisions of this section and section 1 of this 90
act. 91
(e) The Commissioner of Social Services, in consultation with the 92
council and within available resources, shall apply for any available 93
federal and private funds for programs that promote CFI objectives in 94
accordance with this section and section 1 of this act. The commissioner 95
shall award grants from any such available funds to entities that provide 96
(1) employment and training opportunities for low-income fathers to 97
increase the earning capacity of such fathers; (2) classes in parenting and 98
financial literacy; and (3) other support services and programs that 99
promote responsible parenting, economic stability and communication 100
and interaction between fathers and their children. 101 Substitute Bill No. 289
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(f) Applicants for grants provided pursuant to subsection (e) of this 102
section shall apply to the Commissioner of Social Services at such time 103
and in such manner as prescribed by the commissioner. The 104
commissioner shall, in consultation with the council, establish criteria 105
for eligibility for grants and for the awarding of grants. At a minimum, 106
the commissioner shall require grantees to (1) implement accountability 107
measures and results-based outcomes as a condition of being awarded 108
a grant; (2) leverage funds through existing resources and collaboration 109
with community-based and nonprofit organizations; and (3) consult 110
with experts in domestic violence to ensure that, when appropriate, the 111
programs and services provided to fathers and families pursuant to this 112
section and section 1 of this act address issues concerning domestic 113
violence. 114
(g) Not later than December 1, 2022, and annually thereafter, the 115
commissioner, in consultation with the council, shall report, in 116
accordance with section 11-4a of the general statutes, to the joint 117
standing committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of 118
matters relating to appropriations and the budgets of state agencies, 119
human services and children on the grant program's effectiveness in 120
achieving CFI objectives. 121
Sec. 3. Section 17b-27a of the general statutes is repealed. (Effective 122
from passage) 123
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(1)(a)(1)(A), "low income children" was changed to children
from low-income families" for clarity; and in Section 2(b)(17)(B),
"Connecticut Employment and Training Commission" was changed to
"Governor's Workforce Council" for accuracy. Substitute Bill No. 289
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HS Joint Favorable Subst. -LCO