Conn. Gen. Stat. § 17a-3

Current with legislation from the 2024 Regular and Special Sessions.

Section 17a-3 - (Formerly Sec. 17-412). Powers and duties of department. Comprehensive strategic plan

(a) The department shall plan, create, develop, operate or arrange for, administer and evaluate a comprehensive and integrated state-wide program of services, including preventive services, for children and youths who have mental health needs and substance use disorders and who have been abused, neglected or uncared for. The department shall provide such services to all children and youths, including children and youths who are deaf, deafblind and hard of hearing, who are or may be committed to it by any court, and all children and youths voluntarily admitted to, or remaining voluntarily under the supervision of, the commissioner for services of any kind. The department shall not deny such services to any such child or youth solely because of other complicating or multiple disabilities. The department shall work in cooperation with other child-serving agencies and organizations to provide or arrange for preventive programs, including, but not limited to, teenage pregnancy and youth suicide prevention programs, for children and youths and their families.

(b) The state-wide program of services shall provide services and placements that are clinically indicated and appropriate to the needs of each child or youth. In furtherance of this purpose, the department shall:

(1) Develop a comprehensive program for prevention and treatment of problems experienced by children and youths and provide a flexible, innovative and effective program for the placement, care and treatment of children and youths committed by any court to the department, transferred to the department by other departments, or voluntarily admitted to the department;

(2) provide appropriate services to the families of children and youths as needed to achieve the purposes of sections 17a-1 to 17a-26, inclusive, 17a-28 to 17a-49, inclusive, and 17a-51;

(3) establish incentive paid work programs for children and youths under the care of the department and the rates to be paid such children and youths for work done in such programs, and may provide allowances to children and youths in the custody of the department;

(4) collect, interpret and publish statistics relating to children and youths committed to the department;

(5) conduct studies of any program, service or facility developed, operated, contracted for, licensed or supported by the department in order to evaluate its effectiveness;

(6) establish staff development and other training and educational programs designed to improve the quality of departmental services and programs, which shall include, but not be limited to, training in the prevention, identification and effects of family violence, and may establish educational or training programs for children, youths, parents or other interested persons on any matter related to the promotion of the well-being of children, including, but not limited to, the prevention and treatment of mental illness, substance use disorders and other disabilities in children and youths;

(7) require each social worker trainee to complete the training in the prevention, identification and effects of family violence established pursuant to subdivision (6) of this subsection prior to being assigned a case load;

(8) develop and implement aftercare and follow-up services appropriate to the needs of any child or youth under the care of the department;

(9) establish a case audit unit to monitor each regional office's compliance with regulations and procedures;

(10) develop and maintain a database listing available community service programs funded by the department;

(11) provide outreach and assistance to persons caring for children whose parents are unable to care for such children by informing such persons of programs and benefits for which they may be eligible; and

(12) collect data sufficient to identify the housing needs of children served by the department and share such data with the Department of Housing.

(c) Not later than July 1, 2021, the Commissioner of Children and Families shall submit, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a, to the joint standing committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to children and appropriations and the budgets of state agencies and to the State Advisory Council of Children and Families the following reports for which the commissioner most recently received approval from the Administration for Children and Families pursuant to federal law:

(1) The Child and Family Services Plan,

(2) the Annual Progress and Services Report,

(3) the Final Report of the Child and Family Services Review, and

(4) any Program Improvement Plan. Thereafter, the commissioner shall submit, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a, to the joint standing committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to children and appropriations and the budgets of state agencies and to the State Advisory Council of Children and Families said reports not later than thirty days after the Administration for Children and Families approves the reports.

(d) The Department of Children and Families shall maintain on the department's Internet web site information on services provided to persons with disabilities. The department's Internet web site shall include a link to the Internet web page maintained by the Department of Aging and Disability Services pursuant to section 46a-33a, containing information about services for deaf, deafblind and hard of hearing individuals.

Conn. Gen. Stat. § 17a-3

(1969, P.A. 664, S. 2; P.A. 75-524, S. 3, 30; P.A. 79-165; P.A. 86-15; P.A. 89-191, S. 2; P.A. 91-268 , S. 1 ; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 91-8 , S. 55 ; P.A. 94-232 , S. 1 ; P.A. 95-250 , S. 1 ; 95-257 , S. 5 , 58 ; P.A. 96-211 , S. 1 , 5 , 6 ; 96-238 , S. 15 , 25 ; P.A. 97-272 , S. 6 ; P.A. 99-26 , S. 11 , 17 , 39 ; P.A. 05-246 , S. 1 ; P.A. 06-102 , S. 3 ; 06-196 , S. 102 ; P.A. 09-205 , S. 1 ; P.A. 11-105 , S. 5 ; 11-120 , S. 2 ; 11-152 , S. 18 ; 11-156 , S. 2 ; 11-157 , S. 4 ; P.A. 13-234 , S. 2 ; P.A. 16-28 , S. 1 ; P.A. 17-202 , S. 53 ; P.A. 18-31 , S. 16 ; 18-111 , S. 1 .)

Amended by P.A. 24-0079,S. 9 of the Connecticut Acts of the 2024 Regular Session, eff. 7/1/2024.

Amended by P.A. 22-0031, S. 4 of the Connecticut Acts of the 2022 Regular Session, eff. 10/1/2022.

Amended by P.A. 21-0140, S. 2 of the Connecticut Acts of the 2021 Regular Session, eff. 7/1/2021.

Amended by P.A. 18-0111, S. 1 of the Connecticut Acts of the 2018 Regular Session, eff. 7/1/2018.

Amended by P.A. 18-0031, S. 16 of the Connecticut Acts of the 2018 Regular Session, eff. 7/1/2018.

Amended by P.A. 17-0202, S. 53 of the Connecticut Acts of the 2017 Regular Session, eff. 10/1/2017.

Amended by P.A. 16-0028, S. 1 of the Connecticut Acts of the 2016 Regular Session, eff. 5/17/2016.

Amended by P.A. 13-0234, S. 2 of the the 2013 Regular Session, eff. 6/19/2013.

Amended by P.A. 11-0157, S. 4 of the the 2011 Regular Session, eff. 10/1/2011.

Amended by P.A. 11-0156, S. 2 of the the 2011 Regular Session, eff. 10/1/2011.

Amended by P.A. 11-0152, S. 18 of the the 2011 Regular Session, eff. 10/1/2011.

Amended by P.A. 11-0120, S. 2 of the the 2011 Regular Session, eff. 7/1/2011.

Amended by P.A. 11-0105, S. 5 of the the 2011 Regular Session, eff. 7/1/2011.

Amended by P.A. 09-0205, S. 1 of the the 2009 Regular Session, eff. 7/1/2009.

Annotation to former section 17-412: Cited. 171 C. 644 . Annotations to present section: Cited. 41 CA 565 . Cited. 44 CS 551 .

See Sec. 17a-453c re "Project Safe" interagency collaboration.