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General Assembly Substitute Bill No. 7188
January Session, 2025
AN ACT CONCERNING HOMELESSNESS AND THE CHESS
PROGRAM.
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, (1) 1
"Connecticut Housing Engagement and Support Services" or "CHESS" 2
initiative means a home and community -based services initiative 3
established pursuant to a Medicaid state plan amendment under Section 4
1915(i) of the Social Security Act and a Medicaid waiver pursuant to 5
Section 1915(b)(4) of the Social Security Act to improve housing stability 6
and health outcomes for persons who have (A) complex health 7
conditions, (B) experienced homelessness, and (C) been determined to 8
be likely to benefit from targeted services to improve health and housing 9
stability; (2) "pretenancy supports" means assistance in locating and 10
securing stable housing; and (3) "tenancy-sustaining supports" means 11
assistance in maintaining a successful tenancy, including, but not 12
limited to, through assistance with health care coordination, skill 13
development and community integration. 14
(b) The Commissioner of Social Services, in consultation with the 15
Commissioner of Housing, shall amend the Medicaid state plan 16
amendment filed under Section 1915(i) of the Social Security Act to 17
make the following changes in the CHESS initiative: (1) Establish a 18
minimum per person per month rate for providers for each CHESS 19 Substitute Bill No. 7188
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initiative participant they serve, (2) ensure that CHESS initiative 20
eligibility criteria and provider payment rates match eligibility criteria 21
and provider payment rates for the supportive housing program 22
administered by the Department of Mental Health and Addiction 23
Services, (3) set provider payment rates that are comparable to those 24
provided in other states for pretenancy supports and tenancy-sustaining 25
supports, and (4) give newly enrolled, unhoused participants in the 26
CHESS initiative priority for any available housing assistance vouchers. 27
(c) The Commissioner of Social Services, in consultation with the 28
Commissioners of Housing and Mental Health and Addiction Services, 29
shall ensure that a provider of services under the supportive housing 30
program administered by the Department of Mental Health and 31
Addiction Services shall not experience a decrease in reimbursement 32
rates if such provider participates in the CHESS initiative. The 33
Commissioner of Social Services shall require the administrative 34
services organization managing the CHESS initiative to ensure that 35
providers in the CHESS initiative receive the same rates of 36
reimbursement as providers in the supportive housing program 37
administered by the Department of Mental Health and Addiction 38
Services. 39
Sec. 2. (NEW) (Effective from passage) (a) There is established an 40
oversight committee for services for homeless persons in the state. The 41
committee shall consist of: 42
(1) The House and Senate chairpersons of the joint standing 43
committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters 44
relating to housing, or their designees; 45
(2) The House and Senate chairpersons of the joint standing 46
committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters 47
relating to human services, or their designees; 48
(3) The House and Senate chairpersons of the joint standing 49
committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters 50
relating to planning and development, or their designees; 51 Substitute Bill No. 7188
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(4) The House and Senate chairpersons of the joint standing 52
committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters 53
relating to public health, or their designees; 54
(5) The Commissioner of Housing, or the commissioner's designee; 55
(6) The Commissioner of Mental Health and Addiction Services, or 56
the commissioner's designee; 57
(7) The Commissioner of Social Services, or the commissioner's 58
designee; 59
(8) The chairperson of the interagency council on affordable housing 60
established pursuant to section 8-37nnn of the general statutes, or the 61
chairperson's designee; and 62
(9) Two representatives of private nonprofit organizations that focus 63
on serving the needs of homeless persons in the state, appointed by the 64
oversight committee's chairpersons. 65
(b) The oversight committee shall be appointed and meet not later 66
than sixty days after the effective date of this section. The chairpersons 67
shall be the House chairperson of the joint standing committee of the 68
General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to housing, or 69
the chairperson's designee, and the Senate chairperson of the joint 70
standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of 71
matters relating to human services, or the chairperson's designee. The 72
oversight committee shall review services for homeless persons in the 73
state, including, but not limited to, the CHESS initiative, as defined in 74
section 1 of this act. 75
(c) The Commissioners of Housing, Mental Health and Addiction 76
Services and Social Services shall file quarterly reports with the 77
oversight committee on services for homeless persons in the state and 78
shall seek approval of the oversight committee for any changes to such 79
services, including, but not limited to, the CHESS initiative. The 80
committee shall schedule a vote on such changes not later than thirty 81 Substitute Bill No. 7188
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days after receipt of notice from the commissioners of any such changes. 82
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
Statement of Legislative Commissioners:
In Section 2(b), "be appointed and" was inserted for clarity.
HS Joint Favorable Subst.