Bill Text: CT SB00294 | 2012 | General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: An Act Concerning Children And The Department Of Children And Families.
Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Democrat 13-3-1)
Status: (Passed) 2012-05-31 - Signed by the Governor [SB00294 Detail]
Download: Connecticut-2012-SB00294-Introduced.html
General Assembly |
Raised Bill No. 294 | ||
February Session, 2012 |
LCO No. 1518 | ||
*01518_______KID* | |||
Referred to Committee on Select Committee on Children |
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Introduced by: |
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(KID) |
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AN ACT CONCERNING CHILDREN AND THE DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN AND FAMILIES.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened:
Section 1. Section 17a-98 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2012):
The Commissioner of Children and Families, or any agent appointed by [him] said commissioner, shall exercise careful supervision of each child under [his] said commissioner's guardianship or care and shall maintain such contact with the child and [his] the child's foster family as is necessary to promote the child's safety and [his] physical, educational, moral and emotional development, including, but not limited to, visiting each foster home at least once every sixty days. The commissioner shall maintain such records and accounts as may be necessary for the proper supervision of all children under [his] said commissioner's guardianship or care.
Sec. 2. (NEW) (Effective October 1, 2012) Not later than sixty days after a child or youth with behavioral health needs, as defined in section 17a-1 of the general statutes, is placed in the care and custody of the Commissioner of Children and Families, said commissioner shall visit the family home or homes of such child or youth. The commissioner shall conduct such visit for the purpose of assessing potential causes of such child's behavioral health needs, including, but not limited to, genetic and familial factors, and determining the resources needed to best treat such child.
Sec. 3. (NEW) (Effective October 1, 2012) (a) The Department of Children and Families shall respond to foster families' written special requests including, but not limited to, requests to allow a foster child to travel overnight and out-of-state with such child's foster family. The department shall respond to any such requests in a timely manner.
(b) The Commissioner of Children and Families shall adopt regulations, in accordance with chapter 54 of the general statutes, to implement the provisions of this section.
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following sections: | ||
Section 1 |
October 1, 2012 |
17a-98 |
Sec. 2 |
October 1, 2012 |
New section |
Sec. 3 |
October 1, 2012 |
New section |
Statement of Purpose:
To require employees of the Department of Children and Families to visit foster homes and the homes of children or youth every sixty days and to require the department to respond to foster families' written special requests in a timely manner.
[Proposed deletions are enclosed in brackets. Proposed additions are indicated by underline, except that when the entire text of a bill or resolution or a section of a bill or resolution is new, it is not underlined.]