SB 126 — AN ACT CONCERNING HOME VISITS AND EVALUATIONS CONDUCTED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN AND FAMILIES.

Senate GeneralBill Assembly File No.

8126 FebruaryPublic Session,Act 2024 Senate Bill No.

12624-92 Senate,AN MarchACT 12,CONCERNING 2024HOME TheVISITS CommitteeAND onEVALUATIONS ChildrenCONDUCTED reportedBY throughTHE SEN.DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN AND FAMILIES.

MAHER, C.

of the 26th Dist., Chairperson of the Committee on the part of the Senate, that the bill ought to pass.

AN ACT CONCERNING IN-PERSON HOME VISITS BY THE DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN AND FAMILIES.

(NEW) (Effective July 1, 2024) (a) For the purposes of this section, "safety plan" means any plan established by the Department of Children and Families to address or mitigate behaviorsparent ofor aguardian parentbehaviors or guardianorconditionsorconditions circumstancesinahomethator mayrendercircumstances in a home that may render such home unsafe for a child,child or children, by (1) identifying actions that have been taken or will be taken to address or mitigate such behaviors, conditions or circumstances, and (2) specifying the individuals or providersprovidersresponsiblefortakingsuchactionsandtimeframesforreview responsible for taking such actions, and timeframes for review of such actions by the department.

(b) When the Commissioner of Children and Families, or the commissioner's designee, conducts a visit to or an evaluation of a home pursuant to a safety plan, such visit or evaluation shall be conducted in personperson, ifexcept that such safetyvisit planor indicatesevaluation thatshall abe parentconducted by telephonic, video or guardianother livingconferencing inplatform if any resident of such home hasissubject ato substanceanorder useofquarantine disorder,or asisolationpursuant definedto in section 20-74s19a-131b of SB126the /general Filestatutes. No.

8Senate 1Bill SB126 File No.

8126 theApproved generalMay statutes.30, 2024 Public Act No.

This24-92 act2 shallof take2 effect as follows and shall amend the following sections:

Section 1 July 1, 2024 New section KID Joint Favorable SB126 / File No.

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8 The following Fiscal Impact Statement and Bill Analysis are prepared for the benefit of the members of the General Assembly, solely for purposes of information, summarization and explanation and do not represent the intent of the General Assembly or either chamber thereof for any purpose.

In general, fiscal impacts are based upon a variety of informational sources, including the analyst’s professional knowledge.

Whenever applicable, agency data is consulted as part of the analysis, however final products do not necessarily reflect an assessment from any specific department.

OFA Fiscal Note State Impact:

None Municipal Impact:

None Explanation The bill, which codifies existing agency practice of conducting announced and unannounced in-person home visits, is not anticipated to result in a fiscal impact to the state or municipalities.

The Out Years State Impact:

None Municipal Impact:

None SB126 / File No.

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8 OLR Bill Analysis SB 126 AN ACT CONCERNING IN-PERSON HOME VISITS BY THE DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN AND FAMILIES.

SUMMARY This bill requires the Department of Children and Families (DCF) commissioner, or her designee, to do home visits or evaluations in person, rather than by teleconference, if the department’s safety plan (see below) indicates that a parent or guardian living in the home has a substance use disorder.

By law, “substance use disorder” is the recurrent use of alcohol or drugs leading to clinically and functionally significant impairment, including, health problems, disability, and failure to meet major responsibilities at work, school, or home.

Under the bill, a “safety plan” is a plan DCF makes to address or mitigate parent or guardian behaviors or conditions or circumstances in a home that may make the home unsafe for children.

A safety plan specifies(1)actionsthathavebeenorwillbetakentoaddressormitigate the unsafe behaviors, conditions, or circumstances;

(2) who will do them, and (3) when the department will review the actions.

EFFECTIVE DATE:

July 1, 2024 COMMITTEE ACTION Committee on Children Joint Favorable Yea 17 Nay 0 (02/29/2024) SB126 / File No.

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