Sec. 17a-450. (Formerly Sec. 17-207b). Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services. Functions and duties. (a) There shall be a Department of Mental
Health and Addiction Services headed by a Commissioner of Mental Health and Addiction Services, appointed by the Governor with the advice of the Board of Mental Health
and Addiction Services established pursuant to section 17a-456.
(b) For the purposes of chapter 48, the Department of Mental Health and Addiction
Services shall be organized to promote comprehensive, client-based services in the areas
of mental health treatment and substance abuse treatment and to ensure the programmatic integrity and clinical identity of services in each area. The department shall perform the functions of: Centralized administration, planning and program development;
prevention and treatment programs and facilities, both inpatient and outpatient, for persons with psychiatric disabilities or persons with substance use disorders, or both; community mental health centers and community or regional programs and facilities providing services for persons with psychiatric disabilities or persons with substance use
disorders, or both; training and education; and research and evaluation of programs and
facilities providing services for persons with psychiatric disabilities or persons with
substance use disorders, or both. The department shall include, but not be limited to,
the following divisions and facilities or their successor facilities: The office of the Commissioner of Mental Health and Addiction Services; Capitol Region Mental Health
Center; Connecticut Valley Hospital, including the Addictions Division, the Whiting
Forensic Division and the General Psychiatric Division of Connecticut Valley Hospital;
the Connecticut Mental Health Center; Ribicoff Research Center; the Southwest Connecticut Mental Health System, including the Franklin S. DuBois Center and the Greater
Bridgeport Community Mental Health Center; the Southeastern Mental Health Authority; River Valley Services; the Western Connecticut Mental Health Network; and any
other state-operated facility for the treatment of persons with psychiatric disabilities or
persons with substance use disorders, or both, but shall not include those portions of
such facilities transferred to the Department of Children and Families for the purpose
of consolidation of children's services.
(c) The Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services may:
(1) Solicit and accept for use any gift of money or property made by will or otherwise, and any grant of money, services or property from the federal government, the
state or any political subdivision thereof or any private source, and do all things necessary
to cooperate with the federal government or any of its agencies in making an application
for any grant;
(2) Keep records and engage in research and the gathering of relevant statistics;
(3) Work with public or private agencies, organizations, facilities or individuals to
ensure the operation of the programs set forth in accordance with sections 17a-75 to
17a-83, inclusive, 17a-450 to 17a-484, inclusive, 17a-495 to 17a-528, inclusive, 17a-540 to 17a-550, inclusive, 17a-560 to 17a-576, inclusive, 17a-580 to 17a-603, inclusive,
and 17a-615 to 17a-618, inclusive;
(4) Hold hearings, issue subpoenas, administer oaths, compel testimony and order
production of books, papers and records in the performance of its duties;
(5) Operate trustee accounts, in accordance with procedures prescribed by the
Comptroller, on behalf of inpatient and outpatient department clients;
(6) Notwithstanding any provisions of sections 4-101 and 17b-239 to the contrary,
establish medical reimbursement rates for behavioral health services including, but not
limited to, inpatient, outpatient and residential services purchased by the department;
and
(7) Perform such other acts and functions as may be necessary or convenient to
execute the authority expressly granted to it.
(d) The Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services is designated as the
lead state agency for substance abuse prevention and treatment in this state, and as
such is designated as the state methadone authority. As the designated state methadone
authority, the department is authorized by the federal Center for Substance Abuse Treatment of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration within the
United States Department of Health and Human Services to exercise responsibility and
authority for the treatment of opiate addiction with an opioid medication, and specifically
for: (1) Approval of exceptions to federal opioid treatment protocols in accordance with
the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment, (2) monitoring all opioid treatment programs
in the state, and (3) approval of Center for Substance Abuse Treatment certification of
all opioid treatment programs in the state. The Commissioner of Mental Health and
Addiction Services may adopt regulations in accordance with chapter 54 to carry out
the provisions of this subsection.
(1972, P.A. 145, S. 2; P.A. 73-291, S. 1; P.A. 75-603, S. 2, 15; P.A. 76-339, S. 2, 5; P.A. 77-220, S. 2, 5; P.A. 79-610,
S. 29; P.A. 86-371, S. 18, 45; P.A. 87-225, S. 2; P.A. 93-91, S. 1, 2; 93-381, S. 9, 39; 93-427, S. 1, 6; P.A. 95-257, S. 10,
58; June 18 Sp. Sess. P.A. 97-8, S. 1, 88; P.A. 99-234, S. 1; P.A. 05-280, S. 78; P.A. 07-148, S. 3; P.A. 08-8, S. 1; P.A.
11-215, S. 1, 2.)
History: P.A. 73-291 abolished alcohol and drug dependence division of department of mental health; P.A. 75-603
deleted programs and facilities for children from purview of mental health department and deleted High Meadows as a
department facility (Revisor's note: A reference to "security treatment center" was changed editorially by the Revisors to
"Whiting Forensic Institute" to conform section with P.A. 73-245); P.A. 76-339 included Ribicoff Research Center as
department facility; P.A. 77-220 included Cedarcrest Regional Hospital as department facility and removed Undercliff
Mental Health Center; P.A. 79-610 removed division for licensing of facilities providing care for mentally disordered
adults from department; P.A. 86-371 amended Subsec. (b) to add the reference to facilities transferred to the Connecticut
alcohol and drug abuse commission, to delete reference to Blue Hills Hospital and to revise name of Bridgeport Mental
Health Center and added Subsec. (c) re discretionary powers of mental health department; P.A. 87-225 amended Subsec.
(b) to change the name of the DuBois Day Treatment Center to the Franklin S. DuBois Center; Sec. 17-207b transferred
to Sec. 17a-450 in 1991; P.A. 93-91 substituted commissioner and department of children and families for commissioner
and department of children and youth services, effective July 1, 1993; P.A. 93-381 substituted department of public health
and addiction services for Connecticut alcohol and drug abuse commission, effective July 1, 1993; P.A. 93-427 amended
Subsec. (b) to add Capitol Region Mental Health Center to the list of facilities under the department, effective July 1, 1993;
P.A. 95-257 replaced Department, Commissioner and Board of Mental Health with Department, Commissioner and Board
of Mental Health and Addiction Services, specified two divisions and their duties, added reference to Blue Hills Hospital,
Berkshire Woods, Eugene Boneski, and Dutcher treatment centers, replaced mental disorder with psychiatric or substance
abuse disability, deleted in Subsec. (b) reference to portions of facilities transferred to the former Department of Public
Health and Addiction Services, effective July 1, 1995 (Revisor's note: In Subsec. (b), "persons adults or adults with
substance abuse disabilities" was replaced editorially by the Revisors with "persons with substance abuse disabilities" for
conformity with references elsewhere in the Subsec.); June 18 Sp. Sess. P.A. 97-8 amended Subsec. (b) to delete reference
to Norwich, Fairfield Hills and Blue Hills hospitals and Berkshire Woods, Eugene Boneski, and Dutcher treatment centers
and added Subsec. (c)(5) allowing trustee accounts and (c)(6) allowing reimbursement rates, renumbering the remaining
Subdiv., effective July 1, 1997; P.A. 99-234 amended Subsec. (b) by adding reference to successor facilities, the Southwest
Connecticut Mental Health System, the Southeastern Mental Health Authority, River Valley Services and the Western
Connecticut Mental Health Network; P.A. 05-280 amended Subsec. (b) by removing language describing department as
a single-budgeted agency consisting of two divisions, adding Acute Care Division of Connecticut Valley Hospital to list
of department facilities and removing Cedarcrest Hospital from list of department facilities, effective July 1, 2005; P.A.
07-148 amended Subsec. (b) by replacing "substance abuse disabilities" with "substance use disorders"; P.A. 08-8 added
Subsec. (d) designating department as the state methadone authority and setting forth department's role as said authority,
effective April 29, 2008; P.A. 11-215 amended Subsec. (b) by substituting "chapter 48" for "chapter 50", by substituting
"the Addictions Division, the Whiting Forensic Division and the General Psychiatric Division of Connecticut Valley
Hospital" for "the Acute Care Division of Connecticut Valley Hospital" and by deleting reference to Whiting Forensic
Division, and amended Subsec. (d) by substituting "may" for "shall" re regulations authority.
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Sec. 17a-451. (Formerly Sec. 17-210a). Commissioner of Mental Health and
Addiction Services. Duties. Regulations re fair hearing process. Memorandum of
understanding. (a) The Commissioner of Mental Health and Addiction Services shall
be a qualified person with a masters degree or higher in a health-related field and at
least ten years' experience in hospital, health, mental health or substance abuse administration.
(b) The commissioner shall be the executive head of the Department of Mental
Health and Addiction Services.
(c) The commissioner shall prepare and issue regulations for the administration and
operation of the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, and all state-operated facilities and community programs providing care for persons with psychiatric
disabilities or persons with substance use disorders, or both.
(d) The commissioner shall coordinate the community programs receiving state
funds with programs of state-operated facilities for the treatment of persons with psychiatric disabilities or persons with substance use disorders, or both. In the event of the
death of a person with psychiatric disabilities, who is receiving inpatient behavioral
health care services from a Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services operated facility, the commissioner shall report such death to the director of the Office of
Protection and Advocacy for Persons with Disabilities not later than thirty days after
the date of the death of such person.
(e) The commissioner shall collaborate and cooperate with other state agencies providing services for mentally disordered children and adults with psychiatric disabilities
or persons with substance use disorders, or both, and shall coordinate the activities of
the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services with the activities of said
agencies.
(f) (1) The commissioner shall establish and enforce standards and policies for the
care and treatment of persons with psychiatric disabilities or persons with substance use
disorders, or both, in public and private facilities that are consistent with other health
care standards and may make any inquiry, investigation or examination of records of
such facilities as may be necessary for the purpose of investigating the occurrence of
any serious injury or unexpected death involving any person who has within one year
of such occurrence received services for the care and treatment of such disabilities from
a state-operated facility or a community program receiving state funds. (2) The findings
of any such inquiry, investigation or examination of records conducted pursuant to this
subsection shall not be subject to disclosure pursuant to section 1-210, nor shall such
findings be subject to discovery or introduction into evidence in any civil action arising
out of such serious injury or unexpected death. (3) Except as to the finding provided
in subdivision (2) of this subsection, nothing in this subsection shall be construed as
restricting disclosure of the confidential communications or records upon which such
findings are based, where such disclosure is otherwise provided for by law.
(g) The commissioner shall establish and direct research, training, and evaluation
programs.
(h) The commissioner shall develop a state-wide plan for the development of mental
health services which identifies needs and outlines procedures for meeting these needs.
(i) The commissioner shall be responsible for the coordination of all activities in
the state relating to substance use disorders and treatment, including activities of the
Departments of Children and Families, Correction, Public Health, Social Services and
Veterans' Affairs, the Judicial Branch and any other department or entity providing
services to persons with substance use disorders.
(j) The commissioner shall be responsible for developing and implementing the
Connecticut comprehensive plan for prevention, treatment and reduction of alcohol and
drug abuse problems to be known as the state substance abuse plan. Such plan shall
include a mission statement, a vision statement and goals for providing treatment and
recovery support services to adults with substance use disorders. The plan shall be developed by July 1, 2010, and thereafter shall be triennially updated by July first of the
respective year. The commissioner shall develop such plan, mission statement, a vision
statement and goals after consultation with: (1) The Connecticut Alcohol and Drug
Policy Council established pursuant to section 17a-667; (2) the Criminal Justice Policy
Advisory Commission established pursuant to section 18-87j; (3) the subregional planning and action councils established pursuant to section 17a-671; (4) clients and their
families, including those involved with the criminal justice system; (5) treatment providers; and (6) other interested stakeholders. The commissioner shall submit a final draft
of the plan to the Connecticut Alcohol and Drug Policy Council for review and comment.
The plan shall outline the action steps, time frames and resources needed to meet specified goals and shall minimally address: (A) Access to services, both prior to and following admission to treatment; (B) the provision of comprehensive assessments to those
requesting treatment, including individuals with co-occurring conditions; (C) quality
of treatment services and promotion of research-based and evidence-based best practices
and models; (D) an appropriate array of treatment and recovery services along with a
sustained continuum of care; (E) outcome measures of specific treatment and recovery
services in the overall system of care; (F) department policies and guidelines concerning
recovery oriented care; and (G) provisions of the community reentry strategy concerning
substance abuse treatment and recovery services needed by the offender population as
developed by the Criminal Justice Policy and Planning Division within the Office of
Policy and Management. The plan shall define measures and set benchmarks for the
overall treatment system and for each state-operated program. Measures and benchmarks specified in the plan shall include, but not be limited to, the time required to
receive substance abuse assessments and treatment services either from state agencies
directly or through the private provider network funded by state agencies, the percentage
of clients who should receive a treatment episode of ninety days or greater, treatment
provision rates with respect to those requesting treatment, connection to the appropriate
level of care rates, treatment completion rates and treatment success rates as measured
by improved client outcomes in the areas of substance use, employment, housing and
involvement with the criminal justice system.
(k) The commissioner shall prepare a consolidated budget request for the operation
of the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services.
(l) The commissioner shall appoint professional, technical and other personnel necessary for the proper discharge of the commissioner's duties, subject to the provisions
of chapter 67.
(m) The commissioner shall from time to time adjust the geographic territory to be
served by the facilities and programs under the commissioner's jurisdiction.
(n) The commissioner shall specify uniform methods of keeping statistical information by public and private agencies, organizations and individuals, including a client
identifier system, and collect and make available relevant statistical information, including the number of persons treated, demographic and clinical information about such
persons, frequency of admission and readmission, frequency and duration of treatment,
level or levels of care provided and discharge and referral information. The commissioner shall also require all facilities that provide prevention or treatment of alcohol or
drug abuse or dependence that are operated or funded by the state or licensed under
sections 19a-490 to 19a-503, inclusive, to implement such methods. The commissioner
shall report any licensed facility that fails to report to the licensing authority. The client
identifier system shall be subject to the confidentiality requirements set forth in section
17a-688 and regulations adopted thereunder.
(o) The commissioner shall establish uniform policies and procedures for collecting, standardizing, managing and evaluating data related to substance use, abuse and
addiction programs administered by state agencies, state-funded community-based programs and the Judicial Branch, including, but not limited to: (1) The use of prevention,
education, treatment and criminal justice services related to substance use, abuse and
addiction; (2) client demographic and substance use, abuse and addiction information;
and (3) the quality and cost effectiveness of substance use, abuse and addiction services.
The commissioner shall, in consultation with the Secretary of the Office of Policy and
Management, ensure that the Judicial Branch, all state agencies and state-funded community-based programs with substance use, abuse and addiction programs or services
comply with such policies and procedures. Notwithstanding any other provision of the
general statutes concerning confidentiality, the commissioner, within available appropriations, shall establish and maintain a central repository for such substance use, abuse
and addiction program and service data from the Judicial Branch, state agencies and
state-funded community-based programs administering substance use, abuse and addiction programs and services. The central repository shall not disclose any data that reveals
the personal identification of any individual. The Connecticut Alcohol and Drug Policy
Council established pursuant to section 17a-667 shall have access to the central repository for aggregate analysis. The commissioner shall submit a biennial report to the
General Assembly, the Office of Policy and Management and the Connecticut Alcohol
and Drug Policy Council in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a. The report
shall include, but need not be limited to, a summary of: (A) Client and patient demographic information; (B) trends and risk factors associated with alcohol and drug use,
abuse and dependence; (C) effectiveness of services based on outcome measures; (D)
progress made in achieving the measures, benchmarks and goals established in the state
substance abuse plan, developed and implemented in accordance with subsection (j) of
this section; and (E) a state-wide cost analysis.
(p) The commissioner may contract for services to be provided for the department
or by the department for the prevention of mental illness or substance abuse in persons,
as well as other mental health or substance abuse services described in section 17a-478
and shall consult with providers of such services in developing methods of service
delivery.
(q) (1) The commissioner may make available to municipalities, nonprofit community organizations or self help groups any services, premises and property under the
control of the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services but shall be under
no obligation to continue to make such property available in the event the department
permanently vacates a facility. Such services, premises and property may be utilized
by such municipalities, nonprofit community organizations or self help groups in any
manner not inconsistent with the intended purposes for such services, premises and
property. The Commissioner of Mental Health and Addiction Services shall submit to
the Commissioner of Administrative Services any agreement for provision of services
by the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services to municipalities, nonprofit
community organizations or self help groups for approval of such agreement prior to
the provision of services pursuant to this subsection.
(2) The municipality, nonprofit community organization or self help group using
any premises and property of the department shall be liable for any damage or injury
which occurs on the premises and property and shall furnish to the Commissioner of
Mental Health and Addiction Services proof of financial responsibility to satisfy claims
for damages on account of any physical injury or property damage which may be suffered
while the municipality, nonprofit community organization or self help group is using
the premises and property of the department in such amount as the commissioner determines to be necessary. The state of Connecticut shall not be liable for any damage or
injury sustained on the premises and property of the department while the premises and
property are being utilized by any municipality, nonprofit community organization or
self help group.
(3) The Commissioner of Mental Health and Addiction Services may adopt regulations, in accordance with chapter 54, to carry out the provisions of this subsection. As
used in this subsection, "self help group" means a group of volunteers, approved by the
commissioner, who offer peer support to each other in recovering from an addiction.
(r) The commissioner shall prepare an annual report for the Governor.
(s) The commissioner shall perform all other duties which are necessary and proper
for the operation of the department.
(t) The commissioner may direct clinical staff at Department of Mental Health and
Addiction Services facilities or in crisis intervention programs funded by the department
who are providing treatment to a patient to request disclosure, to the extent allowed
under state and federal law, of the patient's record of previous treatment in order to
accomplish the objectives of diagnosis, treatment or referral of the patient. If the clinical
staff in possession of the requested record determines that disclosure would assist the
accomplishment of the objectives of diagnosis, treatment or referral, the record may be
disclosed, to the extent allowed under state and federal law, to the requesting clinical
staff without patient consent. Records disclosed shall be limited to records maintained
at department facilities or crisis intervention programs funded by the department. The
Commissioner of Mental Health and Addiction Services shall adopt regulations in accordance with chapter 54 to administer the provisions of this subsection and to ensure
maximum safeguards of patient confidentiality.
(u) The commissioner shall adopt regulations to establish a fair hearing process
which provides the right to appeal final determinations of the Department of Mental
Health and Addiction Services or of its grantee agencies as determined by the commissioner regarding: The nature of denial, involuntary reduction or termination of services.
Such hearings shall be conducted in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54, after
a person has exhausted the department's established grievance procedure. Any matter
which falls within the jurisdiction of the Psychiatric Security Review Board under sections 17a-580 to 17a-603, inclusive, shall not be subject to the provisions of this section.
Any person receiving services from a Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services facility or a grantee agency determined by the commissioner to be subject to this
subsection and who is aggrieved by a violation of sections 17a-540 to 17a-549, inclusive,
may elect to either use the procedure specified in this subsection or file for remedies
under section 17a-550.
(v) The commissioner may designate a deputy commissioner to sign any contract,
agreement or settlement on behalf of the Department of Mental Health and Addiction
Services.
(w) Notwithstanding the provisions of section 17b-90, chapter 899 and to the extent
permitted by federal law, in order to monitor and improve the quality of targeted case
management services provided by the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services and funded by the Medicaid program, the Commissioner of Mental Health and
Addiction Services may enter into a memorandum of understanding with the Commissioner of Social Services that allows for the sharing of information concerning admissions to short-term acute care general hospitals and receipt of inpatient services by clients
of the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services who reside and receive
services in the community and who receive medical benefits under the Medicaid
program.
(1972, P.A. 145, S. 3; P.A. 74-165, S. 1, 2; P.A. 75-479, S. 17, 25; 75-603, S. 3-6, 15; P.A. 76-73; 76-285, S. 2, 3; 76-339, S. 3, 5; P.A. 77-614, S. 70, 610; P.A. 88-317, S. 72, 107; P.A. 90-76, S. 1, 2; 90-271, S. 13, 24; May Sp. Sess. P.A.
92-16, S. 40, 89; P.A. 94-204, S. 1; P.A. 95-257, S. 14, 58; P.A. 96-4, S. 1, 2; P.A. 99-178, S. 2; 99-234, S. 2; 99-273; P.A.
01-27; P.A. 02-9, S. 2, 3; P.A. 05-171, S. 1; P.A. 07-148, S. 5-9; P.A. 08-184, S. 21; P.A. 09-67, S. 1; 09-149, S. 1, 2; P.A.
10-18, S. 3; 10-89, S. 1; P.A. 11-215, S. 4.)
History: P.A. 74-165 included in Subsec. (l) services for prevention of mental illness; P.A. 75-479 added Subsec. (p)
re parent-child resource system; P.A. 75-603 revised Subsecs. (c), (d), (f) and (l) to apply only to adults and added reference
to "mental disorders" in Subsec. (l); P.A. 76-73 made services available to municipalities or nonprofit community organizations as well as "premises and property" and required approval of finance and control commissioner before services
are provided in Subsec. (m); P.A. 76-285 and 76-339 deleted reference to mental disorders in Subsec. (l) and added "other
mental health services described in Sec. 17-226e" and deleted Subsec. (p); P.A. 77-614 replaced commissioner of finance
and control with commissioner of administrative services; P.A. 88-317 amended reference to Secs. 4-166 to 4-174 in
Subsec. (m) to include new section added to Ch. 54, effective July 1, 1989, and applicable to all agency proceedings
commencing on or after that date; P.A. 90-76 added Subsec. (p) re disclosure of patient records; P.A. 90-271 made a
technical change; Sec. 17-210a transferred to Sec. 17a-451 in 1991; May Sp. Sess. P.A. 92-16 amended Subsec. (l) by
adding "and shall consult with providers of such services in developing methods of service delivery"; P.A. 94-204 added
new Subsec. (q) to require commissioner to adopt regulations to establish a fair-hearing process; P.A. 95-257 replaced
Commissioner of Mental Health with Commissioner of Mental Health and Addiction Services, added to the minimum
qualifications a masters degree or higher in a health related field, required the experience be for at least 10 years and
allowed it to be in substance abuse administration, replaced mental disorder with psychiatric and substance abuse disability,
added Subsec. (i) re coordination responsibilities, inserted new Subsec. (j) re state substance abuse plan and new Subsec.
(n) re statistical information, relettering prior Subsecs. as necessary, amended Subsec. (o) to include services "to be provided
for the department or by the department", added to Subsec. (p) the provision re no obligation to continue to make property
available and limited disclosure under Subsec. (s) "to the extent allowed under state and federal law", effective July 1,
1995; P.A. 96-4 amended Subsec. (t) by adding reference to the department's "Mental Health Division", effective April
22, 1996; P.A. 99-178 amended Subsec. (f) by dividing it into subdivisions, adding provisions re inquiry concerning serious
injury or death to Subdiv. (1) and adding Subdivs. (2) re findings and (3) re exception; P.A. 99-234 amended Subsec. (t)
by deleting obsolete reference to department's mental health division and made technical changes; P.A. 99-273 amended
Subsec. (n) by adding reference to "demographic and clinical information", "levels of care provided" and "discharge and
referral information", modifying "facilities" by adding reference to "prevention", "abuse" and "operated or funded by the
state" and by requiring commissioner to report "failure to report to the licensing authority", added new Subsec. (o) re
collection and reporting of data, relettered the remaining Subsecs. and made technical changes; P.A. 01-27 amended Subsec.
(q) by adding provisions re self help groups and making technical changes; P.A. 02-9 amended Subsec. (o) by changing
requirement for commissioner's reporting to the General Assembly from annual to biennial and amended Subsec. (t) to
allow disclosure of referrals of patients; P.A. 05-171 added new Subsec. (v) re designation of deputy commissioner to sign
contract, agreement or settlement on behalf of department; P.A. 07-148 amended Subsecs. (c) to (f) and (i) by replacing
"substance abuse disabilities" with "substance use disorders" and made a technical change in Subsec. (f)(1); P.A. 08-184
amended Subsec. (e) by substituting "or both" for "or persons with both disabilities"; P.A. 09-67 amended Subsec. (d) by
adding provision requiring commissioner to report death of a person with psychiatric disabilities who is receiving inpatient
behavioral health care services to director of Office of Protection and Advocacy for Persons with Disabilities, effective
May 27, 2009; P.A. 09-149 amended Subsec. (j) by revising required content and procedures used in development of state
substance abuse plan, by specifying entities that shall have consultative role in development of said plan and by requiring
that said plan be developed by July 1, 2010, and updated triennially thereafter, effective July 1, 2009, and amended Subsec.
(o) by making technical changes and revising required content of commissioner's biennial report to include progress made
in achieving measures, benchmarks and goals established in state substance abuse plan, effective October 1, 2009; P.A.
10-18 made a technical change in Subsec. (o); P.A. 10-89 added Subsec. (w) re memorandum of understanding to allow
sharing of information (Revisor's note: In 2011, a reference to "Department of Mental Health and Addiction" in Subsec.
(w) was changed editorially by the Revisors to "Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services" for accuracy); P.A.
11-215 amended Subsec. (q)(3) by substituting "may" for "shall" re regulations authority.
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Sec. 17a-451d. Nonlapsing fund for site acquisition, capital development and
infrastructure costs to provide services to persons with mental retardation or psychiatric disabilities. There is established a nonlapsing fund that shall contain (1) any
moneys received by the state from the sale, lease or transfer of all or any part of Norwich
Hospital or any regional center that takes place after January 1, 2001, and (2) any other
moneys required by law to be deposited in a separate account within the General Fund
for purposes of this section, section 17a-212a or section 4 of public act 01-154*. The
Treasurer shall credit the fund with its investment earnings. Any balance remaining in
said fund at the end of any fiscal year shall be carried forward in the fund for the fiscal
year next succeeding. The principal and interest of the fund shall be used solely for the
purpose of site acquisition, capital development and infrastructure costs necessary to
provide services to persons with mental retardation or psychiatric disabilities, provided
amounts in the fund may be expended only pursuant to appropriation by the General
Assembly.
(P.A. 01-154, S. 2, 5; P.A. 04-216, S. 69; P.A. 11-16, S. 31.)
*Note: Section 4 of public act 01-154 is special in nature and therefore has not been codified but remains in full force
and effect according to its terms.
History: P.A. 01-154 effective July 6, 2001; P.A. 04-216 deleted provision that earmarked money from the sale, lease
or transfer of Fairfield Hills Hospital for the fund established under section, effective May 6, 2004; P.A. 11-16 deleted
reference to repealed Sec. 17a-283a, effective May 24, 2011.
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Secs. 17a-453a and 17a-453b. Operation of behavioral health managed care
program for recipients of medical services under the state-administered general
assistance program. Waiver from federal law sought for services provided under
section 17a-453a. Sections 17a-453a and 17a-453b are repealed, effective July 1, 2011.
(P.A. 95-194, S. 18, 33; 95-257, S. 11, 58; P.A. 97-143, S. 3, 4; June 18 Sp. Sess. P.A. 97-8, S. 10, 55, 88; June 30 Sp.
Sess. P.A. 03-3, S. 47; P.A. 11-44, S. 178; 11-215, S. 12.)
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Sec. 17a-458. (Formerly Sec. 17-207a). Definitions. When used in this section
and sections 17a-450, 17a-451, 17a-455, 17a-457, 17a-465, 17a-470, 17a-472, 17a-473
and 17a-475 unless otherwise expressly stated or unless the context otherwise requires:
(a) "Persons with psychiatric disabilities" means those persons who are suffering
from one or more mental disorders as defined in the most recent edition of the American
Psychiatric Association's "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders";
(b) "Persons with substance use disorders" means alcohol dependent persons, as
that term is defined in subdivision (1) of section 17a-680, or drug dependent persons,
as that term is defined in subdivision (7) of section 17a-680;
(c) "State-operated facilities" means those hospitals or other facilities providing
treatment for persons with psychiatric disabilities or for persons with substance use
disorders, or both, which are operated in whole or in part by the Department of Mental
Health and Addiction Services. Such facilities include, but are not limited to, the Capitol
Region Mental Health Center, the Connecticut Valley Hospital, including the Addictions Division, the Whiting Forensic Division and the General Psychiatric Division of
Connecticut Valley Hospital, the Connecticut Mental Health Center, the Franklin S.
DuBois Center, the Greater Bridgeport Community Mental Health Center and River
Valley Services.
(1972, P.A. 145, S. 1; P.A. 75-603, S. 1, 15; P.A. 76-339, S. 1, 5; P.A. 77-220, S. 1, 5; P.A. 78-70, S. 2; P.A. 82-154,
S. 1, 2; P.A. 86-371, S. 17, 45; P.A. 87-225, S. 1; P.A. 93-91, S. 1, 2; 93-381, S. 9, 39; 93-427, S. 2, 6; P.A. 95-257, S. 16,
58; P.A. 05-280, S. 79; P.A. 07-148, S. 11, 12; P.A. 08-184, S. 22; P.A. 11-215, S. 3.)
History: P.A. 75-603 redefined "state-operated facilities" to specifically exclude treatment facilities for children transferred to children and youth services department, to delete High Meadows and to replace the Security Treatment Center
with Whiting Forensic Institute; P.A. 76-339 included Ribicoff Research Center as state-operated facility; P.A. 77-220
added reference to Secs. 17-221 and 17-222, deleted Undercliff Mental Health Center as state-operated facility and added
Cedarcrest Regional Hospital; P.A. 78-70 added reference to Sec. 17-215c; P.A. 82-154 deleted the Ribicoff Research
Center from the list of state operated facilities in Subsec. (b); P.A. 86-371 amended definition of "state-operated facilities"
to delete reference to Blue Hills Hospital, to revise name of Bridgeport Mental Health Center and to specifically exclude
facilities transferred to alcohol and drug abuse commission; P.A. 87-225 changed the name of the DuBois Day Treatment
Center to the Franklin S. DuBois Center; Sec. 17-207a transferred to Sec. 17a-458 in 1991; P.A. 93-91 substituted commissioner and department of children and families for commissioner and department of children and youth services, effective
July 1, 1993; P.A. 93-381 replaced Connecticut alcohol and drug abuse commission with department of public health and
addiction services, effective July 1, 1993; P.A. 93-427 redefined "state-operated facilities" to add the Capitol Region
Mental Health Center, effective July 1, 1993; P.A. 95-257 replaced references to mental disorder with psychiatric disability,
added Subsec. (b) re substance abuse disability and relettered the remaining Subsec. accordingly, deleted Whiting Forensic
Institute in Subsec. (c) and added Blue Hills Hospital and Berkshire Woods, Eugene Boneski and Dutcher treatment centers,
deleted reference to portions of facilities transferred to the former Department of Public Health and Addiction Services
and replaced Department of Mental Health with Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, effective July 1,
1995; P.A. 05-280 amended Subsec. (c) to redefine "state-operated facilities" to include the Acute Care Division of Connecticut Valley Hospital, to remove Cedarcrest Regional Hospital, Blue Hills Hospital, Berkshire Woods Treatment Center
and Eugene Boneski Treatment Center from list of state-operated facilities and to remove provision re portions of facilities
transferred to the Department of Children and Families, effective July 1, 2005; P.A. 07-148 amended Subsecs. (b) and (c)
by replacing "substance abuse disabilities" with "substance use disorders" and further amended Subsec. (c) by redefining
"state-operated facilities", to delete obsolete references to Norwich and Fairfield Hills Hospitals and Dutcher Treatment
Center and to add River Valley Services; P.A. 08-184 made technical changes in Subsec. (c); P.A. 11-215 redefined "state-operated facilities" in Subsec. (c).
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Secs. 17a-458b to 17a-458d. "Acute Care Division" defined. Effect of consolidation of operations at Connecticut Valley Hospital and Cedarcrest Hospital. Term
"substance use disorders" substituted for "substance abuse disabilities". Sections
17a-458b to 17a-458d, inclusive, are repealed, effective October 1, 2011.
(P.A. 05-280, S. 80, 81; P.A. 07-148, S. 18; P.A. 11-215, S. 12.)
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Sec. 17a-460c. Connecticut Mental Health Center: Provider agreements. (a)
The center, when authorized by the commissioner, may enter into provider agreements
and other contractual arrangements with Medicaid and Medicare managed care plans,
governmental health plans, health maintenance organizations, health insurance plans,
employer and union health plans, preferred provider organizations, physician-hospital
organizations, managed care plans, networks and other similar arrangements or plans
offered by insurers, third-party payers or other entities offering health care plans to their
members or employees and their dependents.
(b) The agreements and other contractual arrangements identified in subsection (a)
of this section may include plans and arrangements certified by the Department of Social
Services, the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, or the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, to provide services to Medicaid, Medicare,
Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services or Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services beneficiaries, as well as private plans and arrangements satisfactory to
the commissioner.
(c) Participation in the agreements and other contractual arrangements identified
in this section and approved by the commissioner shall not be subject to the review and
approval of other state agencies except as otherwise required by law.
(d) To the extent the commissioner permits, the center may bill and accept as reimbursement for services provided pursuant to the agreements and other contractual arrangements identified in this section negotiated rates, including rates based on charges,
discounted charges, per diem or per case rates or other forms of reimbursement. Such
reimbursement shall be subject to review or approval by the Secretary of the Office of
Policy and Management based on demonstrated impact on federal reimbursement.
(June 18 Sp. Sess. P.A. 97-8, S. 48; P.A. 03-19, S. 36; P.A. 04-76, S. 6; P.A. 11-44, S. 122.)
History: P.A. 03-19 replaced "Health Care Financing Administration" with "Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services" in Subsec. (b), effective May 12, 2003; P.A. 04-76 amended Subsec. (b) by replacing reference to "general assistance"
with reference to "state-administered general assistance"; P.A. 11-44 amended Subsec. (b) by deleting "state-administered
general assistance", effective July 1, 2011.
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Sec. 17a-465. (Formerly Sec. 17-222). Traffic regulation on grounds of Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services facilities. The superintendent
or director of any state-operated facility within the Department of Mental Health and
Addiction Services, subject to the approval of the Commissioner of Mental Health and
Addiction Services and the State Traffic Commission, may: (1) Prohibit, limit, restrict
or regulate the parking of vehicles; (2) determine speed limits; (3) install stop signs;
(4) restrict roads or portions thereof to one-way traffic; (5) designate the location of
crosswalks on any portion of any road or highway upon the grounds of the respective
facilities; and (6) erect and maintain signs designating such prohibitions or restrictions.
Agency police appointed to act as state policemen on the grounds of state-operated
facilities under the provisions of section 29-18 may arrest or issue summons for violation
of such restrictions or prohibitions. Any person who fails to comply with any such
prohibition or restriction shall be fined not more than twenty-five dollars, and the court
or traffic or parking authority having jurisdiction of traffic or parking violations in the
town in which such facility is located shall have jurisdiction over violations of this
section.
(1951, S. 1519d; 1959, P.A. 451; 1963, P.A. 279; P.A. 77-454; P.A. 95-257, S. 11, 58; P.A. 09-145, S. 1; P.A. 11-256,
S. 5.)
History: 1959 act extended application of statute from Connecticut Valley Hospital to any institution in department of
mental health, added requirement for approval by commissioner of mental health, granted authority to regulate parking of
vehicles, added provision re arrest or summons for violation, raised maximum fine from $1 to $5 and placed jurisdiction
in court in town where institution is located; 1963 act added provision re jurisdiction of traffic or parking authority; P.A.
77-454 replaced "institutions" with "state-operated facilities", included directors of facilities in provisions and increased
fine levied from $5 to $25 maximum; Sec. 17-222 transferred to Sec. 17a-465 in 1991; P.A. 95-257 replaced Commissioner
and Department of Mental Health with Commissioner and Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, effective
July 1, 1995; P.A. 09-145 substituted "Agency police" for "Security officers or institutional patrolmen" and replaced "state
institution grounds" with "the grounds of state-operated facilities"; P.A. 11-256 added provision re installation of stop
signs, inserted numeric Subdiv. designators and made technical changes.
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Secs. 17a-485 to 17a-485b. Community Mental Health Strategic Investment
Fund. Community mental health strategic plan and financial assistance plan; information and expenditure recommendations to the Community Mental Health Strategy Board. Community Mental Health Strategy Board; duties; report; staff. Sections 17a-485 to 17a-485b, inclusive, are repealed, effective October 1, 2011.
(June Sp. Sess. P.A. 01-8, S. 1-3, 13; P.A. 06-196, S. 127; P.A. 10-30, S. 4; P.A. 11-215, S. 12.)
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Sec. 17a-485c. Permanent supportive housing initiatives. Eligibility. Requests
for proposals. (a) The Commissioner of Mental Health and Addiction Services, in
collaboration with the Commissioners of Social Services, Correction, Children and
Families and Economic and Community Development, the Connecticut Housing Finance Authority and the Court Support Services Division of the Judicial Branch, shall
establish permanent supportive housing initiatives to provide additional units of affordable housing and support services to eligible persons. Individuals and families with
special needs and individuals and families at risk for homelessness shall be eligible for
such permanent supportive housing initiatives.
(b) Permanent supportive housing initiatives and support services shall be provided
to: (1) Eligible households, as defined in section 17a-484a; (2) families who are eligible
under the temporary assistance for needy families program; (3) adults who are eighteen
to twenty-three years of age, inclusive, and who are homeless, or at risk for becoming
homeless because they are transitioning from foster care or other residential programs;
and (4) persons with serious mental health needs who are community-supervised offenders supervised by the executive or judicial branch.
(c) The Connecticut Housing Finance Authority shall issue one or more requests for
proposals by persons or entities interested in participating in such permanent supportive
housing initiatives to applicants that include organizations deemed qualified to provide
services by the Departments of Mental Health and Addiction Services, Social Services
and Children and Families. The Connecticut Housing Finance Authority shall review
and underwrite development projects undertaken pursuant to such permanent supportive
housing initiatives.
(d) The Departments of Mental Health and Addiction Services and Social Services
shall issue, within available appropriations, one or more requests for proposals in a
scattered site model for homeless individuals with psychiatric disabilities and substance
use disorders.
(June Sp. Sess. P.A. 01-8, S. 5, 13; P.A. 05-280, S. 32; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 05-3, S. 101; P.A. 08-123, S. 1; P.A. 11-61, S. 133; 11-64, S. 1.)
History: June Sp. Sess. P.A. 01-8 effective July 1, 2001; P.A. 05-280 redesignated existing Subsec. (a) as new Subsecs.
(a) and (b), amended Subsec. (a) by adding Commissioner of Children and Families to the collaboration, changing the
name of the initiative from the Supportive Housing Pilots Initiative to the Supportive Housing Initiative and providing
that the Supportive Housing Initiative would be implemented in two phases, the first phase being the Supportive Housing
Pilots Initiative and the second phase being the Next Steps Initiative, amended Subsec. (b) to provide that Supportive
Housing Pilots Initiative shall provide up to six hundred fifty units of affordable housing and support services, redesignated
existing Subsec. (b) as new Subsec. (c) and deleted reference therein to Supportive Housing Pilots Initiative providing up
to six hundred fifty dwelling units, added new Subsec. (d) re Next Steps Initiative providing up to an additional five hundred
units of affordable housing and support services and specifying persons who would be eligible for such housing, added
new Subsec. (e) re memorandum of understanding concerning the Next Steps Initiative, the content of such memorandum
and requests for proposals for entities interested in participating in said initiative, redesignated existing Subsec. (c) as
Subsec. (f) and amended same to change due date for interim status report from January 1, 2004, to January 1, 2006, add
Commissioners of Children and Families and Social Services to those included in the interim status report, change Supportive Housing Pilots Initiative to Supportive Housing Initiative and change due date for final report from January 1, 2006,
to January 1, 2007, effective July 1, 2005; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 05-3 amended Subsec. (e) re content of memorandum of
understanding by adding provision re payments to find reasonable repair and replacement reserves, permitting parties to
include provisions necessary to assure effectuation of the Supportive Housing Initiative, adding provision permitting the
Connecticut Housing Finance Authority to give priority in request for proposal process to applicants that are deemed
qualified to provide services by Departments of Mental Health and Addiction Services, Social Services and Children and
Families and defining "state assistance", effective July 1, 2005; P.A. 08-123 deleted former Subsec. (c) and provisions in
existing Subsec. (e) re memorandum of understanding and former Subsec. (f) re reports, redesignated existing Subsecs.
(d) and (e) as new Subsecs. (c) and (d) and, in new Subsec. (c), increased number of additional units of affordable housing
and support services from 500 to 1,000, effective June 2, 2008; P.A. 11-61 amended Subsec. (a) by adding Commissioner
of Correction and Court Support Services Division to collaboration, by substituting "permanent supportive housing initiatives" for "a Supportive Housing Initiative", by deleting provision re implementation of initiative in two phases and by
adding provision re families and individuals with special needs who are at risk for homelessness to be eligible for permanent
supportive housing initiatives, deleted former Subsec. (b) re Supportive Housing Pilots Initiative, redesignated existing
Subsecs. (c) and (d) as Subsecs. (b) and (c), amended Subsec. (b) by substituting provision re permanent housing initiatives
and support services for provision re Next Steps Initiative and by making technical changes, amended Subsec. (c) by
substituting "permanent supportive housing initiatives" for "initiative with priority given" and provision re Supportive
Housing Initiative, by deleting definition of "state assistance" and by making technical changes and added Subsec. (d) re
requests for proposals in a scattered site model for homeless individuals with psychiatric disabilities and substance use
disorders, effective June 21, 2011; P.A. 11-64 made identical changes as P.A. 11-61 and, in Subsec. (b), inserted "supportive" re housing initiatives, effective July 1, 2011.
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Sec. 17a-485d. Availability of optional rehabilitation services or substance
abuse services under Medicaid program. Amendments to Medicaid state plan. Report to General Assembly. Certification of providers by Commissioner of Mental
Health and Addiction Services. Regulations. (a) The Department of Mental Health
and Addiction Services, in consultation with the Department of Social Services, shall
conduct a study concerning the implementation of adult rehabilitation services under
Medicaid. Not later than February 1, 2002, the departments shall jointly submit a report
of their findings and recommendations to the Governor and to the joint standing committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to public health,
human services and appropriations and the budgets of state agencies, in accordance
with the provisions of section 11-4a. The report shall include, but not be limited to, an
implementation plan, a cost benefit analysis and a description of the plan's impact on
existing services.
(b) The Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services and the Department
of Social Services shall conduct a study concerning the advisability of entering into an
interagency agreement pursuant to which the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services would provide clinical management of mental health services, including,
but not limited to, review and authorization of services, implementation of quality assurance and improvement initiatives and provision of case management services, for aged,
blind or disabled adults enrolled in the Medicaid program to the extent permitted under
federal law. Not later than February 1, 2002, the departments shall jointly submit a
report of their findings and recommendations to the Governor and to the joint standing
committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to public
health, human services and appropriations and the budgets of state agencies, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a.
(c) The Commissioner of Social Services shall take such action as may be necessary
to amend the Medicaid state plan to provide for coverage of optional adult rehabilitation
services supplied by providers of mental health services or substance abuse rehabilitation services for adults with serious and persistent mental illness or who have alcoholism
or other substance abuse conditions, that are certified by the Department of Mental
Health and Addiction Services. The Commissioner of Social Services shall adopt regulations, in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54, to implement optional rehabilitation services under the Medicaid program. The commissioner shall implement policies
and procedures to administer such services while in the process of adopting such policies
or procedures in regulation form, provided notice of intention to adopt the regulations
is printed in the Connecticut Law Journal within forty-five days of implementation, and
any such policies or procedures shall be valid until the time final regulations are effective.
(d) Not later than February 1, 2006, the Commissioner of Mental Health and Addiction Services, in consultation with the Commissioners of Children and Families and
Social Services shall report, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a, to the
joint standing committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to public health, human services and appropriations and the budgets of state agencies,
on any moneys received by the state as federal Medicaid reimbursement for providing
coverage of optional rehabilitation services for children and adults.
(e) The Commissioner of Mental Health and Addiction Services shall have the authority to certify providers of mental health or substance abuse rehabilitation services
for adults with serious and persistent mental illness or who have alcoholism or other
substance abuse conditions for the purpose of coverage of optional rehabilitation services. The Commissioner of Mental Health and Addiction Services shall adopt regulations, in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54, for purposes of certification of
such providers. The commissioner shall implement policies and procedures for purposes
of such certification while in the process of adopting such policies or procedures in
regulation form, provided notice of intention to adopt the regulations is printed in the
Connecticut Law Journal no later than twenty days after implementation and any such
policies and procedures shall be valid until the time the regulations are effective.
(June Sp. Sess. P.A. 01-8, S. 4, 13; June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-3, S. 70; May Sp. Sess. P.A. 04-2, S. 84; June Sp. Sess.
P.A. 05-3, S. 98; P.A. 11-215, S. 6.)
History: June Sp. Sess. P.A. 01-8 effective July 1, 2001; June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-3 amended Subsec. (c) to delete
reference to completion of the study and report re time frame for when Commissioner of Social Services shall amend the
Medicaid state plan, to add that for the fiscal years ending June 30, 2004, and June 30, 2005, up to $3,000,000 in each such
fiscal year of federal moneys received for optional Medicaid adult rehabilitation services are to be credited to the Community
Mental Health Restoration subaccount, and to require Commissioner of Social Services to adopt regulations to implement
optional rehabilitation services under the Medicaid program, effective August 20, 2003; May Sp. Sess. P.A. 04-2 amended
Subsec. (c) to provide that Commissioner of Social Services shall amend the Medicaid state plan to provide coverage for
"substance abuse rehabilitation services for adults with serious and persistent mental illness or who have alcoholism or
other substance abuse conditions" certified by the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services and to make
technical changes, and added Subsec. (d) authorizing Commissioner of Mental Health and Addiction Services to certify
providers of mental health or substance abuse rehabilitation services for adults with serious and persistent mental illness
or who have alcoholism or other substance abuse conditions, requiring adoption of regulations re certification and permitting
commissioner to implement policies and procedures re certification while in the process of adopting in regulation form,
effective May 12, 2004; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 05-3 added new Subsec. (d) requiring Commissioner of Mental Health and
Addiction Services to report to General Assembly on moneys received by the state as federal Medicaid reimbursement for
providing coverage for optional rehabilitation services for children and adults and redesignated existing Subsec. (d) as
Subsec. (e), effective July 1, 2005; P.A. 11-215 amended Subsec. (c) to delete provision re crediting of federal moneys to
Community Mental Health Restoration subaccount for fiscal years ending June 30, 2004, and June 30, 2005.
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Sec. 17a-485e. State contractual authority re state assistance on bonds issued
by the Connecticut Housing Finance Authority for permanent supportive housing
initiatives. (a) For purposes of this section "state assistance" means a payment by the
state of actual debt service, comprised of principal, interest, interest rate swap payments,
liquidity fees, letter of credit fees, trustee fees, and other similar bond-related expenses.
(b) The State Bond Commission may authorize the State Treasurer and the Secretary
of the Office of Policy and Management to enter into a contract or contracts to provide
state assistance on bonds issued by the Connecticut Housing Finance Authority as provided in this section. If so authorized by the State Bond Commission, the state, acting
by and through the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management and the State
Treasurer, shall enter into a contract or contracts with the Connecticut Housing Finance
Authority that provide the state shall pay to said authority state assistance on bonds
issued by said authority for purposes of providing funds for mortgage loans made by
said authority pursuant to the provisions of section 17a-485c, funds for reasonable repair
and replacement reserves and costs of issuance in an aggregate principal amount not to
exceed one hundred five million dollars. Any provision of such a contract entered into
providing for payments equal to annual debt service shall constitute a full faith and
credit obligation of the state and as part of the contract of the state with the holders of
any bonds or refunding bonds, as applicable, appropriation of all amounts necessary to
meet punctually the terms of such contract is hereby made and the State Treasurer shall
pay such amounts as the same become due. The Connecticut Housing Finance Authority
may pledge such state assistance as security for the payment of such bonds or refunding
bonds issued by said authority. Any bonds so issued for permanent supportive housing
initiatives by the Connecticut Housing Finance Authority and at any time outstanding
may, at any time or from time to time, be refunded, in whole or in part, by the Connecticut
Housing Finance Authority by the issuance of its refunding bonds in such amounts as
the authority may deem necessary or appropriate, but not exceeding an amount sufficient
to refund the principal amount of the bonds to be so refunded, any unpaid interest thereon,
and any premiums, commissions and costs of issuance necessary to be paid in connection
therewith. The state, acting by and through the Office of Policy and Management and
the State Treasurer and without further authorization, may execute an amendment to
any contract providing state assistance as required in connection with such refunding
bonds.
(c) Notwithstanding any contract entered into by the state with the Connecticut
Housing Finance Authority for state assistance the bonds or refunding bonds to which
such state assistance applies shall not constitute bonds or notes issued or guaranteed by
the state within the meaning of section 3-21.
(P.A. 05-280, S. 33; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 05-3, S. 102; P.A. 08-123, S. 2; P.A. 11-61, S. 135; 11-64, S. 3.)
History: P.A. 05-280 effective July 1, 2005; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 05-3 amended Subsec. (a) to redefine "state assistance",
amended Subsec. (b) to revise state's contractual authority to provide state assistance on bonds issued by Connecticut
Housing Finance Authority for the Supportive Housing Initiative, specifying that aggregate principal amount of bonds is
not to exceed $70,000,000 and adding provision re state authority to amend any contract providing state assistance as
required in connection with refunding bonds and added Subsec. (c) re bonds to which state assistance applies shall not
constitute bonds or notes issued or guaranteed by the state within Sec. 3-21, effective July 1, 2005; P.A. 08-123 amended
Subsec. (b) to make a technical change and increase amount of bonds available from $70,000,000 to $105,000,000, effective
June 2, 2008; P.A. 11-61 amended Subsec. (b) by substituting "permanent supportive housing initiatives" for "the Supportive Housing Initiative", effective June 21, 2011; P.A. 11-64 amended Subsec. (b) by substituting "permanent supportive
housing initiatives" for "the Supportive Housing Initiative" and by making technical changes, effective July 1, 2011.
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Sec. 17a-485g. Pilot program for certain health care professionals. Pilot state
police peer-counseling program. Report. (a) On or before October 1, 2007, the Commissioner of Mental Health and Addiction Services, within available appropriations set
forth in section 52 of public act 06-188*, shall establish and implement (1) a pilot program for general pediatric, family medicine and geriatric health care professionals to
improve their ability to identify, diagnose, refer and treat patients with mental illness,
and (2) a pilot program of peer-counseling in the Division of the State Police.
(b) On or before January 1, 2009, the Commissioner of Mental Health and Addiction
Services shall evaluate the pilot programs established under subsection (a) of this section
and shall submit a report of the commissioner's findings and recommendations to the
joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating
to public health, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a.
(P.A. 06-188, S. 31; P.A. 11-215, S. 8.)
*Note: Section 52 of public act 06-188 is special in nature and therefore has not been codified but remains in full force
and effect according to its terms.
History: P.A. 06-188 effective July 1, 2006; P.A. 11-215 amended Subsec. (a) by deleting requirement that commissioner
consult with Community Mental Health Strategy Board.
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Sec. 17a-485h. Certification of intermediate duration acute psychiatric care
beds in general hospitals. Policies, procedures and regulations. (a) The Commissioner of Mental Health and Addiction Services shall certify intermediate duration acute
psychiatric care beds in general hospitals to provide inpatient mental health services for
adults with serious and persistent mental illness.
(b) The commissioner shall adopt regulations, in accordance with the provisions of
chapter 54, to establish requirements for certification of intermediate duration acute
psychiatric care beds in general hospitals and the process by which such beds shall be
certified. In adopting such regulations, the commissioner shall consider the need for
such beds.
(c) The commissioner shall implement policies and procedures to carry out the
provisions of this section while in the process of adopting such policies and procedures
in regulation form, provided notice of intent to adopt the regulations is published in the
Connecticut Law Journal not later than twenty days after implementation. Such policies
and procedures shall be valid until the time the final regulations are adopted.
(P.A. 10-60, S. 4; P.A. 11-215, S. 5.)
History: P.A. 10-60 effective July 1, 2010; P.A. 11-215 amended Subsecs. (a) and (b) by substituting "intermediate
duration acute psychiatric care beds" for "intermediate care beds".
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Sec. 17a-580. (Formerly Sec. 17-257a). Definitions. As used in sections 17a-581
to 17a-602, inclusive, and this section:
(1) "Acquittee" means any person found not guilty by reason of mental disease or
defect pursuant to section 53a-13;
(2) "Board" means the Psychiatric Security Review Board established pursuant to
section 17a-581;
(3) "Conditional release" means release subject to the jurisdiction of the board for
supervision and treatment on an outpatient basis and includes, but is not limited to, the
monitoring of mental and physical health treatment;
(4) "Court" means the Superior Court;
(5) "Danger to himself or others" includes danger to the property of others;
(6) "Hospital for mental illness" means any public or private hospital, retreat, institution, house or place in which a person with psychiatric disabilities or drug-dependent
person is received or detained as a patient, but does not include any correctional institution of the state;
(7) "Mental illness" includes any mental illness in a state of remission when the
illness may, with reasonable medical probability, become active;
(8) "Intellectual disability" has the same meaning as provided in section 1-1g;
(9) "Person who should be conditionally released" means an acquittee who has
psychiatric disabilities or has intellectual disability to the extent that his final discharge
would constitute a danger to himself or others but who can be adequately controlled
with available supervision and treatment on conditional release;
(10) "Person who should be confined" means an acquittee who has psychiatric disabilities or has intellectual disability to the extent that such acquittee's discharge or conditional release would constitute a danger to the acquittee or others and who cannot be
adequately controlled with available supervision and treatment on conditional release;
(11) "Person who should be discharged" means an acquittee who does not have
psychiatric disabilities or does not have intellectual disability to the extent that such
acquittee's discharge would constitute a danger to the acquittee or others;
(12) "Psychiatrist" means a physician specializing in psychiatry and licensed under
the provisions of sections 20-9 to 20-12, inclusive;
(13) "Psychologist" means a clinical psychologist licensed under the provisions of
sections 20-186 to 20-195, inclusive;
(14) "State's attorney" means the state's attorney for the judicial district wherein
the acquittee was found not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect pursuant to
section 53a-13;
(15) "Superintendent" means any person, body of persons or corporation, or the
designee of any such person, body of persons or corporation, which has the immediate
supervision, management and control of a hospital for mental illness and the patients
therein.
(P.A. 85-506, S. 1, 32; P.A. 87-486, S. 1; P.A. 95-257, S. 48, 58; P.A. 11-129, S. 6.)
History: P.A. 87-486 added definition of "mental retardation" and included an acquittee who is mentally retarded within
definitions of "person who should be conditionally released", "person who should be confined" and "person who should
be discharged"; Sec. 17-257a transferred to Sec. 17a-580 in 1991; P.A. 95-257 replaced variants of "mentally ill" with
variants of "psychiatric disabilities", effective July 1, 1995; P.A. 11-129 amended Subdivs. (8) to (11) to replace "mental
retardation" and "mentally retarded" with "intellectual disability" and make conforming changes.
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Sec. 17a-582. (Formerly Sec. 17-257c). Confinement of acquittee for examination. Court order of commitment to board or discharge. (a) When any person charged
with an offense is found not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect pursuant to
section 53a-13, the court shall order such acquittee committed to the custody of the
Commissioner of Mental Health and Addiction Services who shall cause such acquittee
to be confined, pending an order of the court pursuant to subsection (e) of this section,
in any of the state hospitals for psychiatric disabilities or to the custody of the Commissioner of Developmental Services, for an examination to determine his mental condition.
(b) Not later than sixty days after the order of commitment pursuant to subsection
(a) of this section, the superintendent of such hospital or the Commissioner of Developmental Services shall cause the acquittee to be examined and file a report of the examination with the court, and shall send a copy thereof to the state's attorney and counsel for
the acquittee, setting forth the superintendent's or said commissioner's findings and
conclusions as to whether the acquittee is a person who should be discharged. The report
shall indicate whether the acquittee submitted or refused to submit to the taking of a
blood or other biological sample pursuant to subsection (c) of section 54-102g.
(c) Not later than ten days after receipt of such superintendent's or said commissioner's report, either the state's attorney or counsel for the acquittee may file notice of
intent to perform a separate examination of the acquittee. An examination conducted
on behalf of the acquittee may be performed by a psychiatrist or psychologist chosen
by the acquittee and shall be performed at the acquittee's expense unless the acquittee
is indigent. If the acquittee is indigent, the court shall provide the acquittee with the
services of a psychiatrist or psychologist to perform the examination at the expense of
the state. The superintendent or said commissioner who conducted the initial examination shall, not later than five days after a request of any party conducting a separate
examination pursuant to this subsection, release to such party all records and reports
compiled in the initial examination of the acquittee. Any separate examination report
shall be filed with the court not later than thirty days after the filing with the court of
the initial examination report by the superintendent or said commissioner.
(d) The court shall commence a hearing not later than fifteen days after its receipt
of any separate examination report or if no notice of intent to perform a separate examination has been filed under subsection (c) of this section, not later than twenty-five days
after the filing of such initial examination report.
(e) At the hearing, the court shall make a finding as to the mental condition of the
acquittee and, considering that its primary concern is the protection of society, make
one of the following orders:
(1) If the court finds that the acquittee is a person who should be confined or conditionally released, the court shall order the acquittee committed to the jurisdiction of the
board and either confined in a hospital for psychiatric disabilities or placed with the
Commissioner of Developmental Services, for custody, care and treatment pending a
hearing before the board pursuant to section 17a-583; provided (A) the court shall fix
a maximum term of commitment, not to exceed the maximum sentence that could have
been imposed if the acquittee had been convicted of the offense, and (B) if there is reason
to believe that the acquittee is a person who should be conditionally released, the court
shall include in the order a recommendation to the board that the acquittee be considered
for conditional release pursuant to subdivision (2) of section 17a-584; or
(2) If the court finds that the acquittee is a person who should be discharged, the
court shall order the acquittee discharged from custody.
(f) At the hearing before the court, the acquittee shall have the burden of proving by
a preponderance of the evidence that the acquittee is a person who should be discharged.
(g) An order of the court pursuant to subsection (e) of this section may be appealed
by the acquittee or the state's attorney to the Appellate Court. The court shall so notify
the acquittee.
(h) During any term of commitment to the board, the acquittee shall remain under
the jurisdiction of the board until discharged by the court pursuant to section 17a-593.
Except as provided in subsection (c) of said section, the acquittee shall be immediately
discharged at the expiration of the maximum term of commitment.
(i) On committing an acquittee to the jurisdiction of the board, the court shall advise
the acquittee of the right to a hearing before the board in accordance with section
17a-583.
(P.A. 85-506, S. 3, 32; P.A. 87-486, S. 2; P.A. 95-257, S. 11, 48, 58; P.A. 06-91, S. 2; P.A. 07-73, S. 2(b); P.A. 11-144, S. 3.)
History: P.A. 87-486 amended Subsec. (a) to permit the court to commit the acquittee to the custody of the commissioner
of mental retardation, amended Subsecs. (b) and (c) to add references to the commissioner of mental retardation, and
amended Subsec. (e) to include the situation where the court finds that the acquittee is a person who should be conditionally
released and to permit the court to commit the acquittee to the jurisdiction of the board for placement with the commissioner
of mental retardation; Sec. 17-257c transferred to Sec. 17a-582 in 1991; P.A. 95-257 replaced Commissioner and Department of Mental Health with Commissioner and Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services and substituted
"psychiatric disabilities" for "mental illness", effective July 1, 1995; P.A. 06-91 amended Subsec. (b) by making a technical
change and extending, from 45 to 60 days, the time period for examining an acquittee committed to the custody of the
Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services following an order of commitment, and amended Subsecs. (c), (d)
and (f) by making technical changes; pursuant to P.A. 07-73 "Commissioner of Mental Retardation" was changed editorially
by the Revisors to "Commissioner of Developmental Services", effective October 1, 2007; P.A. 11-144 amended Subsec.
(b) to require report to indicate whether acquittee submitted or refused to submit to taking of blood or other biological
sample pursuant to Sec. 54-102g(c).
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