Connecticut 2023 Regular Session

Connecticut House Bill HB06576 Compare Versions

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Version 2 (New)

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7		-	General Assembly ~~Substitute~~ Bill No. 6576
	5	+	General Assembly Raised Bill No. 6576
8	6		January Session, 2023
	7	+	LCO No. 3341
	8	+
	9	+
	10	+	Referred to Committee on AGING
	11	+
	12	+
	13	+	Introduced by:
	14	+	(AGE)
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12	19		AN ACT STRENGTHENING SUPPORT FOR GRANDPARENTS AND
13	20		OTHER NONPARENT RELATIVES RAISING CHILDREN.
14	21		Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
15	22		Assembly convened:
16	23
17	24		Section 1. Subsection (a) of section 17b-112 of the general statutes is 1
18		-	repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 2
19		-	1, 2023): 3
	25	+	repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2
	26	+	2023): 3
20	27		(a) (1) The Department of Social Services shall administer a 4
21		-	temporary family assistance program under which cash assistance 5
22		-	~~shall~~ be provided to eligible families in accordance with the temporary 6
	28	+	temporary family assistance program under which cash assistance shall 5
	29	+	be provided to eligible families in accordance with the temporary 6
23	30		assistance for needy families program, established pursuant to the 7
24	31		Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 8
25	32		1996. The Commissioner of Social Services may operate portions of the 9
26		-	temporary family assistance program as a solely state-funded 10
27		-	program, separate from the federal temporary assistance for needy 11
28		-	families program, if the commissioner determines that doing so will 12
29		-	enable the state to avoid fiscal penalties under the temporary 13
30		-	assistance for needy families program. Families receiving assistance 14
31		-	under the solely state-funded portion of the temporary family 15
32		-	assistance program shall be subject to the same conditions of eligibility 16
33		-	as those receiving assistance under the federal temporary assistance for 17
34		-	needy families program. Under the temporary family assistance 18
35		-	program, benefits shall be provided to a family for not longer than 19
36		-	twenty-one months, except as provided in subsections (b) and (c) of 20 Substitute Bill No. 6576
	33	+	temporary family assistance program as a solely state-funded program, 10
	34	+	separate from the federal temporary assistance for needy families 11
	35	+	program, if the commissioner determines that doing so will enable the 12
	36	+	state to avoid fiscal penalties under the temporary assistance for needy 13
	37	+	families program. Families receiving assistance under the solely state-14
	38	+	funded portion of the temporary family assistance program shall be 15 Raised Bill No. 6576
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43		-	this section. For the purpose of calculating said twenty-one-month 21
44		-	time limit, months of assistance received on and after January 1, 1996, 22
45		-	pursuant to time limits under the aid to families with dependent 23
46		-	children program, shall be included. For purposes of this section, 24
47		-	"family" means one or more individuals who apply for or receive 25
48		-	assistance together under the temporary family assistance program. If 26
49		-	the commissioner determines that federal law allows individuals not 27
50		-	otherwise in an eligible covered group for the temporary family 28
51		-	assistance program to become covered, such family may also, at the 29
52		-	discretion of the commissioner, be composed of [(1)] (A) a pregnant 30
53		-	woman, or [(2)] (B) a parent, both parents or other caretaker relative 31
54		-	and at least one child who is under the age of eighteen, or who is 32
55		-	under the age of nineteen and a full-time student in a secondary school 33
56		-	or its equivalent. A caretaker relative shall be related to the child or 34
57		-	children by blood, marriage or adoption or shall be the legal guardian 35
58		-	of such a child or pursuing legal proceedings necessary to achieve 36
59		-	guardianship. If the commissioner elects to allow state eligibility 37
60		-	consistent with any change in federal law, the commissioner may 38
61		-	administratively transfer any qualifying family cases under the cash 39
62		-	assistance portion of the state-administered general assistance 40
63		-	program to the temporary family assistance program without regard 41
64		-	to usual eligibility and enrollment procedures. If such families become 42
65		-	an ineligible coverage group under the federal law, the commissioner 43
66		-	shall administratively transfer such families back to the cash assistance 44
67		-	portion of the state-administered general assistance program without 45
68		-	regard to usual eligibility and enrollment procedures to the degree that 46
69		-	such families are eligible for the state program. 47
70		-	(2) To the extent permissible under federal law, the payment 48
71		-	standard for a family that receives benefits under the temporary family 49
72		-	assistance program, and in which the head of the household is a 50
73		-	nonparent caretaker relative and the legal guardian of a child, shall be 51
74		-	equal to the prevailing monthly foster care rate per child, based on the 52
75		-	child's age and medical condition, paid by the Department of Children 53
76		-	and Families. 54 Substitute Bill No. 6576
	42	+	LCO No. 3341 2 of 5
	43	+
	44	+	subject to the same conditions of eligibility as those receiving assistance 16
	45	+	under the federal temporary assistance for needy families program. 17
	46	+	Under the temporary family assistance program, benefits shall be 18
	47	+	provided to a family for not longer than twenty-one months, except as 19
	48	+	provided in subsections (b) and (c) of this section. For the purpose of 20
	49	+	calculating said twenty-one-month time limit, months of assistance 21
	50	+	received on and after January 1, 1996, pursuant to time limits under the 22
	51	+	aid to families with dependent children program, shall be included. For 23
	52	+	purposes of this section, "family" means one or more individuals who 24
	53	+	apply for or receive assistance together under the temporary family 25
	54	+	assistance program. If the commissioner determines that federal law 26
	55	+	allows individuals not otherwise in an eligible covered group for the 27
	56	+	temporary family assistance program to become covered, such family 28
	57	+	may also, at the discretion of the commissioner, be composed of [(1)] (A) 29
	58	+	a pregnant woman, or [(2)] (B) a parent, both parents or other caretaker 30
	59	+	relative and at least one child who is under the age of eighteen, or who 31
	60	+	is under the age of nineteen and a full-time student in a secondary 32
	61	+	school or its equivalent. A caretaker relative shall be related to the child 33
	62	+	or children by blood, marriage or adoption or shall be the legal guardian 34
	63	+	of such a child or pursuing legal proceedings necessary to achieve 35
	64	+	guardianship. If the commissioner elects to allow state eligibility 36
	65	+	consistent with any change in federal law, the commissioner may 37
	66	+	administratively transfer any qualifying family cases under the cash 38
	67	+	assistance portion of the state-administered general assistance program 39
	68	+	to the temporary family assistance program without regard to usual 40
	69	+	eligibility and enrollment procedures. If such families become an 41
	70	+	ineligible coverage group under the federal law, the commissioner shall 42
	71	+	administratively transfer such families back to the cash assistance 43
	72	+	portion of the state-administered general assistance program without 44
	73	+	regard to usual eligibility and enrollment procedures to the degree that 45
	74	+	such families are eligible for the state program. 46
	75	+	(2) To the extent permissible under federal law, the payment 47
	76	+	standard for a family that receives benefits under the temporary family 48
	77	+	assistance program, and in which the head of the household is a 49 Raised Bill No. 6576
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83		-	Sec. 2. Subsection (a) of section 10-4o of the general statutes is 55
84		-	repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective 56
85		-	October 1, 2023): 57
86		-	(a) The Department of Education, in conjunction with the 58
87		-	Department of Social Services, shall coordinate a family resource 59
88		-	center program to provide comprehensive child care services, remedial 60
89		-	educational and literacy services, families-in-training programs and 61
90		-	supportive services to parents who are recipients of temporary family 62
91		-	assistance and other parents, nonparent caretaker relatives and legal 63
92		-	guardians in need of such services. The family resource centers shall be 64
93		-	located in or associated with public schools, and any family resource 65
94		-	center established on or after July 1, 2000, shall be located in a public 66
95		-	elementary school unless the Commissioner of Education waives such 67
96		-	requirement. The commissioner shall determine the manner in which 68
97		-	the grant recipients of such program, such as municipalities, boards of 69
98		-	education and child care providers, shall be selected. The family 70
99		-	resource center shall provide: (1) Quality full-day child care and school 71
100		-	readiness programs for children age three and older who are not 72
101		-	enrolled in school and child care for children enrolled in school up to 73
102		-	the age of twelve for before and after regular school hours and on a 74
103		-	full-day basis during school holidays and school vacation, in 75
104		-	compliance with all state statutes and regulations governing child care 76
105		-	services, as described in section 19a-77, and, in the case of the school 77
106		-	readiness programs, in compliance with the standards set for such 78
107		-	programs pursuant to section 10-16p; (2) support services to parents, 79
108		-	nonparent caretaker relatives and legal guardians of newborn infants 80
109		-	to ascertain their needs and provide them with referrals to other 81
110		-	services and organizations and, if necessary, education in parenting 82
111		-	skills; (3) support and educational services to parents, nonparent 83
112		-	caretaker relatives and legal guardians whose children are participants 84
113		-	of the child care services of the program and who are interested in 85
114		-	obtaining a high school diploma or its equivalent. Parents and their 86
115		-	preschool age children and nonparent caretaker relatives, legal 87
116		-	guardians and preschool age children in their care may attend classes 88 Substitute Bill No. 6576
	81	+	LCO No. 3341 3 of 5
	82	+
	83	+	nonparent caretaker relative and the legal guardian of a child, shall be 50
	84	+	equal to the prevailing monthly foster care rate per child, based on the 51
	85	+	child's age and medical condition, paid by the Department of Children 52
	86	+	and Families. 53
	87	+	Sec. 2. Subsection (a) of section 10-4o of the general statutes is 54
	88	+	repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 55
	89	+	1, 2023): 56
	90	+	(a) The Department of Education, in conjunction with the 57
	91	+	Department of Social Services, shall coordinate a family resource center 58
	92	+	program to provide comprehensive child care services, remedial 59
	93	+	educational and literacy services, families-in-training programs and 60
	94	+	supportive services to parents who are recipients of temporary family 61
	95	+	assistance and other parents, nonparent caretaker relatives and legal 62
	96	+	guardians in need of such services. The family resource centers shall be 63
	97	+	located in or associated with public schools, and any family resource 64
	98	+	center established on or after July 1, 2000, shall be located in a public 65
	99	+	elementary school unless the Commissioner of Education waives such 66
	100	+	requirement. The commissioner shall determine the manner in which 67
	101	+	the grant recipients of such program, such as municipalities, boards of 68
	102	+	education and child care providers, shall be selected. The family 69
	103	+	resource center shall provide: (1) Quality full-day child care and school 70
	104	+	readiness programs for children age three and older who are not 71
	105	+	enrolled in school and child care for children enrolled in school up to 72
	106	+	the age of twelve for before and after regular school hours and on a full-73
	107	+	day basis during school holidays and school vacation, in compliance 74
	108	+	with all state statutes and regulations governing child care services, as 75
	109	+	described in section 19a-77, and, in the case of the school readiness 76
	110	+	programs, in compliance with the standards set for such programs 77
	111	+	pursuant to section 10-16p; (2) support services to parents, nonparent 78
	112	+	caretaker relatives and legal guardians of newborn infants to ascertain 79
	113	+	their needs and provide them with referrals to other services and 80
	114	+	organizations and, if necessary, education in parenting skills; (3) 81
	115	+	support and educational services to parents, nonparent caretaker 82
	116	+	relatives and legal guardians whose children are participants of the 83 Raised Bill No. 6576
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123		-	in parenting and child learning skills together so as to promote the 89
124		-	mutual pursuit of education and enhance parent-child interaction; (4) 90
125		-	training, technical assistance and other support by the staff of the 91
126		-	center to operators and staff of family child care homes, as described in 92
127		-	section 19a-77, in the community and serve as an information and 93
128		-	referral system for other child care needs in the community or 94
129		-	coordinate with such systems as may already exist in the community; 95
130		-	(5) a families-in-training program to provide, within available 96
131		-	appropriations, community support services to expectant parents and 97
132		-	parents, nonparent caretaker relatives and legal guardians of children 98
133		-	under the age of three. Such services shall include, but not be limited 99
134		-	to, providing information and advice to parents, nonparent caretaker 100
135		-	relatives and legal guardians on their children's language, cognitive, 101
136		-	social and motor development, visiting a participant's home on a 102
137		-	regular basis, organizing group meetings at the center for 103
138		-	neighborhood parents, nonparent caretaker relatives and legal 104
139		-	guardians of young children and providing a reference center for 105
140		-	parents, nonparent caretaker relatives and legal guardians who need 106
141		-	special assistance or services. The program shall provide for the 107
142		-	recruitment of parents, nonparent caretaker relatives and legal 108
143		-	guardians to participate in such program; [and] (6) a sliding scale of 109
144		-	payment, as developed in consultation with the Department of Social 110
145		-	Services, for child care services at the center; and (7) referrals of 111
146		-	parents, nonparent caretaker relatives and legal guardians to 112
147		-	community programs concerning childhood development and positive 113
148		-	parenting practices. The center shall also provide a teen pregnancy 114
149		-	prevention program for adolescents emphasizing responsible decision-115
150		-	making and communication skills. 116
151		-	Sec. 3. Section 17a-54 of the general statutes is repealed and the 117
152		-	following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2023): 118
153		-	The Department of Children and Families shall establish, within 119
154		-	available appropriations, community-based, multiservice parent 120
155		-	education and support centers. The goal of each center shall be to 121 Substitute Bill No. 6576
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	121	+
	122	+	child care services of the program and who are interested in obtaining a 84
	123	+	high school diploma or its equivalent. Parents and their preschool age 85
	124	+	children and nonparent caretaker relatives, legal guardians and 86
	125	+	preschool age children in their care may attend classes in parenting and 87
	126	+	child learning skills together so as to promote the mutual pursuit of 88
	127	+	education and enhance parent-child interaction; (4) training, technical 89
	128	+	assistance and other support by the staff of the center to operators and 90
	129	+	staff of family child care homes, as described in section 19a-77, in the 91
	130	+	community and serve as an information and referral system for other 92
	131	+	child care needs in the community or coordinate with such systems as 93
	132	+	may already exist in the community; (5) a families-in-training program 94
	133	+	to provide, within available appropriations, community support 95
	134	+	services to expectant parents and parents, nonparent caretaker relatives 96
	135	+	and legal guardians of children under the age of three. Such services 97
	136	+	shall include, but not be limited to, providing information and advice to 98
	137	+	parents, nonparent caretaker relatives and legal guardians on their 99
	138	+	children's language, cognitive, social and motor development, visiting a 100
	139	+	participant's home on a regular basis, organizing group meetings at the 101
	140	+	center for neighborhood parents, nonparent caretaker relatives and 102
	141	+	legal guardians of young children and providing a reference center for 103
	142	+	parents, nonparent caretaker relatives and legal guardians who need 104
	143	+	special assistance or services. The program shall provide for the 105
	144	+	recruitment of parents, nonparent caretaker relatives and legal 106
	145	+	guardians to participate in such program; [and] (6) a sliding scale of 107
	146	+	payment, as developed in consultation with the Department of Social 108
	147	+	Services, for child care services at the center; and (7) referrals of parents, 109
	148	+	nonparent caretaker relatives and legal guardians to community 110
	149	+	programs concerning childhood development and positive parenting 111
	150	+	practices. The center shall also provide a teen pregnancy prevention 112
	151	+	program for adolescents emphasizing responsible decision-making and 113
	152	+	communication skills. 114
	153	+	Sec. 3. Section 17a-54 of the general statutes is repealed and the 115
	154	+	following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2023): 116
	155	+	The Department of Children and Families shall establish, within 117 Raised Bill No. 6576
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162		-	improve parenting and enhance family functioning in order to provide 122
163		-	children and youths increased opportunities for positive development. 123
164		-	Each center shall provide: (1) Parent, nonparent caretaker relative and 124
165		-	legal guardian education and training services; (2) parent, nonparent 125
166		-	caretaker relative and legal guardian support services; (3) information 126
167		-	about and coordination of other community services; (4) consultation 127
168		-	services; [and] (5) coordination of child care and transportation 128
169		-	services to facilitate participation in the center's programs; and (6) 129
170		-	referrals of parents, nonparent caretaker relatives and legal guardians 130
171		-	to community programs concerning childhood development and 131
172		-	positive parenting practices. Each center shall conduct outreach 132
173		-	programs and shall be accessible with respect to schedule and location. 133
	159	+	LCO No. 3341 5 of 5
	160	+
	161	+	available appropriations, community-based, multiservice parent 118
	162	+	education and support centers. The goal of each center shall be to 119
	163	+	improve parenting and enhance family functioning in order to provide 120
	164	+	children and youths increased opportunities for positive development. 121
	165	+	Each center shall provide: (1) Parent, nonparent caretaker relative and 122
	166	+	legal guardian education and training services; (2) parent, nonparent 123
	167	+	caretaker relative and legal guardian support services; (3) information 124
	168	+	about and coordination of other community services; (4) consultation 125
	169	+	services; [and] (5) coordination of child care and transportation services 126
	170	+	to facilitate participation in the center's programs, and referrals of 127
	171	+	parents, nonparent caretaker relatives and legal guardians to 128
	172	+	community programs concerning childhood development and positive 129
	173	+	parenting practices. Each center shall conduct outreach programs and 130
	174	+	shall be accessible with respect to schedule and location. 131
174	175		This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
175	176		sections:
176	177
177	178		Section 1 July 1, 2023 17b-112(a)
178	179		Sec. 2 October 1, 2023 10-4o(a)
179	180		Sec. 3 October 1, 2023 17a-54
180	181
181		-	Statement of Legislative Commissioners:
182		-	In Section 3, ", and referrals of parents, nonparent caretaker relatives
183		-	and legal guardians to community programs concerning childhood
184		-	development and positive parenting practices." was changed to "; and
185		-	(6) referrals of parents, nonparent caretaker relatives and legal
186		-	guardians to community programs concerning childhood development
187		-	and positive parenting practices." for consistency.
188		-
189		-	AGE Joint Favorable Subst. -LCO
	182	+	Statement of Purpose:
	183	+	To enhance the quality of life and reduce the effects of trauma on
	184	+	children by supporting grandparents and other nonparent relatives who
	185	+	are raising them.
	186	+	[Proposed deletions are enclosed in brackets. Proposed additions are indicated by underline, except
	187	+	that when the entire text of a bill or resolution or a section of a bill or resolution is new, it is not
	188	+	underlined.]
190	189