Bill Text: CT SB00294 | 2016 | General Assembly | Chaptered
Bill Title: An Act Concerning Services For Individuals With Intellectual Disability.
Spectrum: Committee Bill
Status: (Passed) 2016-05-26 - Signed by the Governor [SB00294 Detail]
Download: Connecticut-2016-SB00294-Chaptered.html
Substitute Senate Bill No. 294
AN ACT CONCERNING SERVICES FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened:
Section 1. (NEW) (Effective from passage) (a) For purposes of this section:
(1) "Department" means the Department of Developmental Services.
(2) "Level of need assessment" means the department's method of determining, through the use of a standardized screening tool, an individual's need for funding or services from the department.
(3) "Priority status" means the department's assessment of the urgency of an individual's need for funding or services from the department.
(4) "Planning and resource allocation team" means the department's staff members who are responsible for (A) establishing an individual's priority status, (B) approving or denying an individual's request for funding or services, and (C) allocating resources to individuals receiving funding or services from the department.
(b) An individual determined by the department to be eligible for funding or services from the department, or such individual's legal guardian or representative, may request and, if requested, shall obtain from the department a copy of (1) such individual's priority status for residential services, if the individual has an unmet need for residential services, (2) such individual's request for funding or services submitted to the regional planning and resource allocation team, and (3) any decision on the individual's request for funding or services made by the regional planning and resource allocation team. Additionally, any such individual who receives annual funding or services from the department, or such individual's legal guardian or representative, may request and, if requested, shall obtain from the department a copy of such individual's (A) individual plan, and (B) level of need assessment.
(c) The Commissioner of Developmental Services shall report, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a of the general statutes, annually to the joint standing committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to public health and appropriations and the budgets of state agencies concerning the number of individuals determined by the department to be eligible for funding or services from the department and who (1) have unmet residential care needs, (2) have unmet employment opportunity and day service needs, or (3) are eligible for the department's behavioral services program and are waiting for a funding allocation.
Sec. 2. Section 17a-273 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage):
(a) The Commissioner of Developmental Services shall appoint at least one advisory and planning council for each state developmental services region operated by the Department of Developmental Services, which council shall have the responsibility of consulting with and advising the director of the region on the needs of persons with intellectual disability in the region, the annual plan and budget of the region and other matters deemed appropriate by the council. The Commissioner of Developmental Services shall, at least annually, provide to any individual who receives annual funding or receives services from the department, or such individual's legal guardian or representative, information about the regional advisory and planning council's statutory responsibilities and the process to access information concerning such council's meetings.
(b) Each such council shall consist of at least ten members appointed from the state developmental services region. No employee of any state agency engaged in the care or training of [persons] individuals with intellectual disability shall be eligible for appointment. At least one member shall be designated by a local chapter of the Arc of Connecticut in the region. At least one member shall be an individual who is eligible for and receives services from the Department of Developmental Services. At least two members shall be parents of [persons] individuals with intellectual disability. Members shall be appointed for terms of three years. No member may serve more than two consecutive terms, except a member may continue to serve until a successor is appointed. Each council shall appoint annually, from among its members, a chairperson, vice-chairperson and secretary. The council may make rules for the conduct of its affairs. The director of the region shall be an ex-officio member of the council without vote and shall attend its meetings.
(c) The council shall meet at least six times a year and at other times upon the call of the chair or the director of the state developmental services region or on the written request of any two members. A majority of the council members in office shall constitute a quorum. Any member who fails to attend three consecutive meetings or who fails to attend fifty per cent of all meetings held during any calendar year shall be deemed to have resigned from office.