SB 188 — AN ACT ESTABLISHING THE STATE OVERSIGHT COUNCIL ON CHILDREN AND FAMILIES.

General Assembly   RaisedSubstitute Bill No.

188 February Session, 2018   LCO*_____SB00188KID___031518____* No.AN ACT ESTABLISHING THE STATE OVERSIGHT COUNCIL ON CHILDREN AND FAMILIES.

309   *00309_______KID* Referred to Committee on COMMITTEE ON CHILDREN   Introduced by:

  (KID)   AN ACT ESTABLISHING THE STATE OVERSIGHT COUNCIL ON CHILDREN AND FAMILIES.

(1) ThirteenThirteen] members appointed by the Governor,following includingmembers: two persons who are child care professionals, two persons eighteen to twenty-five years of age, inclusive, served by the Department of Children and Families, one child psychiatrist licensed to practice medicine in this state and one attorney who has expertise in legal issues related to children and youth and seven persons who shall be representative of young persons, parents and others interested in the delivery of services to children and youths, including child protection, behavioral health, juvenile justice and prevention services, at least four of whom shall be parents, foster parents or family members of children who have received, or are receiving, behavioral health services, child welfare services or juvenile services;

and(1) (2)Six six members representingappointed by the regionalGovernor, advisoryincluding councilstwo establishedpersons pursuantwho are child care professionals, two persons eighteen to sectiontwenty-five 17a-30,years appointedof oneage, eachinclusive, served by the membersDepartment of eachChildren council.and Families, one child psychiatrist licensed to practice medicine in this state and one attorney who has expertise in legal issues related to children and youth;

On[and andseven afterpersons Octoberwho 1,shall 2014,be norepresentative moreof thanyoung halfpersons, parents and others interested in the membersdelivery of theservices councilto shallchildren beand personsyouths, whoincluding receivechild incomeprotection, frombehavioral ahealth, privatejuvenile practicejustice orand anyprevention publicservices, at least four of whom shall be parents, foster parents or privatefamily agencymembers thatof deliverschildren mentalwho health,have substancereceived, abuse,or childare abusereceiving, preventionbehavioral andhealth treatment,services, child welfare services or juvenile services.services;

Membersand] of(2) one member appointed by the councilspeaker shallof servethe withoutHouse compensation,of exceptRepresentatives, forwho necessaryshall expenseshave incurredexpertise in theproviding performanceservices ofto theirchildren duties.and youths;

(3) one member appointed by the president pro tempore of the Senate, who shall have expertise in providing behavioral health services to children and youths served by the Department of Children and Families;

(4) one member appointed by the majority leader of the House of Representatives, who shall be a parent, foster parent or family member of a child or youth who has received or is receiving behavioral health services, child welfare services or juvenile services;

(5) one member appointed by the majority leader of the Senate, who shall be a parent, foster parent or family member of a child or youth who has received or is receiving behavioral health services, child welfare services or juvenile services;

(6) one member appointed by the minority leader of the House of Representatives, who shall be a parent, foster parent or family member of a child or youth who has received or is receiving behavioral health services, child welfare services or juvenile services;

(7) one member appointed by the minority leader of the Senate, who is an advocate for children and youths;

(8) the chairpersons and ranking members of the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to children, or their designees;

and (9) six members representing the regional advisory councils established pursuant to section 17a-30, appointed one each by the members of each council.

On and after October 1, [2014] 2018, no more than half the members of the council shall be persons who receive income from a private practice or any public or private agency that delivers mental health, substance abuse, child abuse prevention and treatment [,] or child welfare services.

[or juvenile services.] Members of the council shall serve without compensation, except for necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties.

The commissioner shall be an ex-officio member of the council without vote and shall attend its meetings]meetings. the following members:

(1) Two members appointed by the speaker of the House of Representatives, one of whom shall have expertise in providing services through the family assessment response program operated by the Department of Children and Families and one of whom shall be an advocate for children and youths;

(2) two members appointed by the president pro tempore of the Senate, one of whom shall have expertise in providing behavioral health services to children and youths served by the Department of Children and Families and one of whom shall be an attorney with expertise in legal issues related to children and youths;

(3) two members appointed by the majority leader of the House of Representatives, one of whom shall be between the ages of eighteen and twenty-five and a former recipient of in-home services or supervision provided by the Department of Children and Families and one of whom shall be an advocate for behavioral health services who serves on the Behavioral Health Partnership Oversight Council established pursuant to section 17a-22j;

(4) two members appointed by the majority leader of the Senate, one of whom shall be a child psychiatrist licensed to practice medicine in this state and one of whom shall be an advocate for behavioral health services who serves on the Behavioral Health Partnership Oversight Council established pursuant to section 17a-22j;

(5) two members appointed by the minority leader of the House of Representatives, one of whom shall be between the ages of eighteen and twenty-five and a former foster child and one of whom shall be a provider of therapeutic foster care;

(6) two members appointed by the minority leader of the Senate, one of whom shall be an attorney with expertise in legal issues related to children and youths and one of whom shall be a practicing member of the Connecticut Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics;

(7) one member appointed by the chairpersons of the Juvenile Justice Policy and Oversight Committee established pursuant to section 46b-121n, who shall be a member of such committee and an advocate for or provider of services to children and youths;

(8) the chairpersons and ranking members of the joint standing committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to appropriations, children, human services and the judiciary, or their designees;

(9) the Child Advocate, or the Child Advocate's designee;

(10) the Chief Public Defender, or the Chief Public Defender's designee;

and (11) six members appointed one each by the members of the regional advisory councils established pursuant to section 17a-30, who shall be parents, foster parents or family members of children or youths who have received or currently receive behavioral health services, child welfare services or juvenile services.

The Commissioner of Children and Families shall be an ex-officio member of the council without vote.

The council shall elect a[a chairperson and vice-chairperson,vice-chairperson [toto act in the chairperson's absence] whotwo shallchairpersons not be representatives of the executive or legislative branches, from among its members.

(b) The [council] State Oversight Council on Children and Families shall meet [quarterly]quarterly, bimonthly, and more often upon the call of the [chair] chairpersonchairpersons and vice-chairperson or a majority of the members.

The council's meetings shall be held at locations that facilitate participation by members of the public, and its agenda and minutes shall be posted on the [department's web site] Internet web sitessite of the Department of Children and FamiliesFamilies. and the General Assembly.

(1) [RecommendRecommend to the commissioner and the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters regarding to children programs, legislation or other matters which will improve services for children and youths, including behavioral health services;

(2)](2) Monitor,annually trackreview and evaluateadvise the policiescommissioner andregarding practices of the Departmentproposed ofbudget; Children and Families with respect to safety, permanency and well-being outcomes for children and youths, including, but not limited to, policies and practices related to ensuring that (A) children and youths are, first and foremost, protected from abuse and neglect;

(B)(3) childreninterpret andto youthsthe arecommunity safelyat placedlarge inthe theirpolicies, homesduties wheneverand possibleprograms andof appropriate;the department;

(C)(4) childrenissue andany youthsreports haveit permanencydeems necessary to the Governor, [and] the Commissioner of Children and stabilityFamilies inand theirthe livingjoint situations;standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters regarding to children;

(D) the continuity of children and youths' family relationships and connections is preserved;

(E) families have enhanced capacity to provide for the needs of children and youths;

(F) children and youths receive appropriate services to meet their educational needs;