Chapter 319ww

Sec. 17b-851. (Formerly Sec. 17-618). Families-in-training programs. The Department of Social Services shall establish, within available appropriations, families-in-training programs to provide parent education and community support services to expectant parents and parents of children under the age of three. Such services shall include, but not be limited to, providing information and advice to parents on their child's language, cognitive, social and motor development, visiting a participant's home on a regular basis, organizing group meetings for neighborhood parents of young children and providing referrals for parents who need special assistance or services. Such programs shall provide for the recruitment of participants.

(P.A. 90-128, S. 2; P.A. 93-262, S. 1, 87.)

History: P.A. 93-262 authorized substitution of commissioner and department of social services for commissioner and department of human resources, effective July 1, 1993; Sec. 17-618 transferred to Sec. 17b-851 in 1995.

Sec. 17b-851a. Program for reduction of teenage pregnancies. The Department of Social Services shall develop, within existing appropriations, a comprehensive plan, in consultation with the Department of Public Health, the Department of Education and the Department of Children and Families, for the reduction in the number of teenage pregnancies.

(P.A. 94-232, S. 2; P.A. 95-257, S. 12, 21, 58.)

History: P.A. 95-257 replaced Commissioner and Department of Public Health and Addiction Services with Commissioner and Department of Public Health, effective July 1, 1995.

Sec. 17b-852. (Formerly Sec. 8-221). Human resource development program. For the purposes of sections 8-201 to 8-220a, inclusive, 8-222b, 8-226 to 8-239a, inclusive, this section and sections 17b-853 to 17b-855, inclusive:

(1) “Human resource development program” means a program, project or activity which: (a) Mobilizes and utilizes resources, public or private, of any urban or rural, or combined urban and rural, geographical area including, but not limited to, a municipality or group of municipalities in an attack on poverty; services, by providing assistance and other activities consistent with the needs of such municipality, of sufficient scope and size to give promise of progress toward the elimination of poverty or a cause or causes of poverty through developing employment opportunities, improving human performance, motivation, productivity, physical and mental health, and well-being, or by bettering the conditions under which people live, learn and work; (b) is developed, conducted and administered with the maximum feasible participation of residents of the areas and members of the groups served, which groups shall include the elderly; and (c) is conducted, administered or coordinated by a human resource development agency;

(2) “Human resource development agency” means (a) a public or private nonprofit agency designated by and authorized to accept funds from the federal Office of Economic Opportunity or any other department or agency of the United States to which any of the powers of said office may be transferred, for a community action program under the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964, as amended; (b) a public agency or officer designated by the chief executive officer and approved by the governing body of such municipality to carry out and coordinate human resource development programs by, or through contract with, or delegation to, any nonprofit agency or any agency, department, board, or commission of the municipality, and to enter into contracts or receive grants-in-aid from the Commissioner of Social Services for a human resource development program under sections 8-201 to 8-220a, inclusive, 8-222b, 8-226 to 8-239a, inclusive, this section and sections 17b-853 to 17b-855, inclusive; (c) any corporation organized for purposes other than to make a profit or gain for itself and not controlled or directed by persons or firms seeking to derive profit or gain therefrom, and designated by the chief executive officer and approved by the governing body of such municipality to carry out and coordinate human resource development programs and to enter into contracts with or receive grant-in-aid from the Commissioner of Social Services for human resource development programs under said sections; or (d) any corporation organized for purposes other than to make a profit or gain for itself and not controlled or directed by persons or firms seeking to derive profit or gain therefrom, in existence on January 1, 1973, and designated by the Commissioner of Social Services to carry out and coordinate human resource development programs and to enter into contracts with or receive grants-in-aid from the Commissioner of Social Services for human resource development programs under said sections.

(1967, P.A. 522, S. 26; 1969, P.A. 757, S. 2; 1971, P.A. 759, S. 3; P.A. 73-378, S. 3, 4; P.A. 77-614, S. 593(a), 610; P.A. 93-262, S. 1, 87.)

History: 1969 act incorporated Subpara. (b) into Subpara. (a) of definition of human resource development program, relettering remaining Subpara. accordingly, made special reference to the elderly among groups served and rephrased Subpara. (b) of definition of human resource development agency; 1971 act deleted reference to establishment of needs by community development action plan and added Subpara. (c) under definition of human resource development agency re nonprofit corporations; P.A. 73-378 added Subpara. (d) under definition of “human resource development agency”; P.A. 77-614 specified “commissioner” as commissioner of human resources, previously reference was to commissioner of community affairs, effective January 1, 1979; P.A. 93-262 authorized substitution of commissioner and department of social services for commissioner and department of human resources, effective July 1, 1993; Sec. 8-221 transferred to Sec. 17b-852 in 1995.

Sec. 17b-853. (Formerly Sec. 8-222). State grants-in-aid for human resource development programs. Submission of application and advisory opinion. (a) The state, acting by and in the discretion of the Commissioner of Social Services, may enter into a contract with a grantee for state financial assistance for human resource development programs in the form of a state grant-in-aid for the purposes and in the amounts hereinafter stated: (1) To pay the nonfederal share of a federally assisted program, one-half of the amount by which the cost of the program exceeds the federal grant-in-aid thereof; or (2) to continue a program for which such federal grant-in-aid had been received and has thereafter been reduced or discontinued, or to undertake a program for which a federal grant-in-aid is not available, all or any portion of the cost of such program as determined by the commissioner.

(b) With respect to proposed contracts for grants-in-aid made pursuant to subsection (a) of this section, the Commissioner of Social Services shall review the program content of such proposals so as to determine whether they are designed to accomplish the purposes specified in this section and section 17b-852 and shall require audits in accordance with the provisions of sections 4-230 to 4-236, inclusive.

(c) So much of the cost of a human resource development program as is not met by either a federal grant-in-aid or by a state grant-in-aid pursuant to this section may be paid by a municipality, any agency, board, commission or department thereof, or any public authority, or any private organization, in cash or in kind, including, but not limited to, in the discretion of the Commissioner of Social Services, additional plant and equipment, added services and increases in financial assistance furnished thereby, provided only such increments in plant and equipment, services and financial assistance as (1) are used for or in connection with human resource development programs, and (2) are funded otherwise than by federal or state financial assistance may be considered as payment by a municipality under this section.

(d) The Commissioner of Social Services is further authorized to make available technical assistance and financial assistance in accordance with the provisions of section 8-220(b) to any municipality, region, human resource development agency, private nonprofit agency or any group of municipalities, regions or private nonprofit agencies for the purposes of planning a human resource development program consistent with the community development action plan of the municipality or municipalities or any such plan in the process of preparation.

(e) The Commissioner of Social Services shall at least once each fiscal year conduct an inquiry into the operations and administration of each grantee which has received financial assistance under this section or which has an application pending for such assistance. The cooperation of the grantee in such inquiry shall be a prerequisite to the further provision of financial assistance under this section.

(f) Prior to submission of any application to the Commissioner of Social Services for financial assistance for a human resource development program of a grantee designated under section 17b-852(2)(b) or 17b-852(2)(c), such application shall be referred to the grantee designated under section 17b-852(2)(a), if any exists in the municipality. Such agency shall be allowed twenty days to render its advisory opinion concerning such program. After receiving such advisory opinion or if such opinion shall not have been received within the period of time specified, the application may be submitted to the commissioner. All such applications to the commissioner shall include such advisory opinion if received. In urgent or emergency situations, the commissioner, acting in his sole discretion, may specify a shorter period for the rendering of such advisory opinion or may dispense with it altogether.

(1967, P.A. 522, S. 27; 1969, P.A. 377, S. 1, 2; P.A. 73-96, S. 1; 73-378, S. 1, 2, 4; P.A. 74-279, S. 1, 2; P.A. 75-142, S. 1, 2; P.A. 77-614, S. 533, 610; P.A. 84-454, S. 2, 3; P.A. 91-401, S. 10, 20; P.A. 93-262, S. 1, 87; P.A. 96-180, S. 52, 166; P.A. 04-76, S. 26; P.A. 07-217, S. 77.)

History: 1969 act amended Subsec. (d) to allow financial assistance in accordance with Sec. 8-220(b), to include aid to private nonprofit agencies and groups of regions and nonprofit agencies as well as to single municipalities and regions and to specify that development program for which aid is given be consistent with community development action plans and added Subsec. (e) concerning agency operations and administration audits or inquiries; P.A. 73-96 added Subsec. (f) re application process for financial aid; P.A. 73-378 amended Subsec. (a) to delete provisions allowing grants-in-aid to expend federally-assisted programs and to delete proviso setting priorities for state aid and amended Subsec. (b) to delete provision concerning approval of programs content, to remove redundant statement concerning audit requirement and to make provisions applicable to all of Subsec. (a), not just Subdiv. (1) as before; P.A. 74-279 added Subsec. (g) containing provisions for aid if federal funds were to be discontinued, effective from July 1, 1974 to June 30, 1975; P.A. 75-142 changed allowance for aid under Subdiv. (2) of Subsec. (a) from two-thirds to four-fifths of total cost of the program; P.A. 77-614 specified commissioner of human resources, previously “commissioner” had referred to commissioner of community affairs, effective January 1, 1979, and deleted obsolete Subsec. (g); P.A. 84-454 amended Subsec. (a)(2) by substituting “all or any portion” of the cost for “four-fifths of the total” cost of program; P.A. 91-401 substituted “grantee” for “human resource development agency” in Subsecs. (a), (e) and (f), amended Subsec. (b) to require audits in accordance with Secs. 4-230 to 4-236, inclusive, instead of authorizing audit, financial and related controls that commissioner deems necessary, and amended Subsec. (e) to require annual inquiry instead of annual audit or such other inquiry as commissioner deems reasonably appropriate, effective July 1, 1993; P.A. 93-262 authorized substitution of commissioner and department of social services for commissioner and department of human resources, effective July 1, 1993; Sec. 8-222 transferred to Sec. 17b-853 in 1995; P.A. 96-180 deleted provision in Subsec. (e) which had required commissioner to report findings to advisory council on community affairs, effective June 3, 1996; P.A. 04-76 deleted Subsec. (c)(3) re general assistance payments being considered as payment by a municipality under section and making a conforming change; P.A. 07-217 made a technical change in Subsec. (b), effective July 12, 2007.

See Sec. 8-222b re municipal powers with respect to programs under this section.

See Sec. 8-226 re use of prior bond proceeds for purposes of this section.

Sec. 17b-854. (Formerly Sec. 8-222a). Limitation on state financial assistance to human resource development agencies. The Commissioner of Social Services shall not render financial assistance in any one municipality to more than one human resource development agency designated under subdivision (a) of subsection (2) of section 17b-852 and one human resource development agency designated under subdivision (b) of said subsection, for applications received after July 1, 1969.

(1969, P.A. 757, S. 3; P.A. 77-614, S. 534, 610; P.A. 93-262, S. 1, 87.)

History: P.A. 77-614 specified commissioner of human resources, “commissioner” having previously referred to commissioner of community affairs, effective January 1, 1979; P.A. 93-262 authorized substitution of commissioner and department of social services for commissioner and department of human resources, effective July 1, 1993; Sec. 8-222a transferred to Sec. 17b-854 in 1995.

Sec. 17b-855. (Formerly Sec. 8-223). Research activity of commissioner. The Commissioner of Social Services is authorized to undertake and carry out research activities, including, but not limited to, (a) examination of the needs of municipalities, metropolitan areas and the state, with respect to services, facilities and programs such as housing, schools, community recreation and health facilities, transportation systems, refuse disposal and other public services; (b) examination of methods to meet those needs; (c) examination of the means by which the state and the municipalities can effectively analyze and project those needs; and (d) examination of the feasibility of establishing and using information data and systems and data banks in order to provide comprehensive information, to construct indicators of economic, physical and social change, and to project economic, physical and social trends.

(1967, P.A. 522, S. 28; P.A. 77-614, S. 535, 610; P.A. 93-262, S. 1, 87.)

Sec. 17b-856. Grants to hospitals. The Department of Social Services may provide grants to hospitals to pay for outreach and eligibility determinations for assistance to families. For the fiscal years ending June 30, 1994, and June 30, 1995, the sum of two million dollars appropriated to the department may be used for said grants and for fiscal years ending June 30, 1996, and subsequent fiscal years, such amount shall be adjusted to reflect the aggregate of inflation in authorized hospital gross revenues determined pursuant to section 19a-649.

(P.A. 93-229, S. 1, 21; 93-282, S. 1, 87; 93-435, S. 59, 95; P.A. 06-64, S. 2.)

History: P.A. 93-229 effective July 1, 1993; P.A. 93-262 and P.A. 93-435 authorized substitution of commissioner and department of social services for commissioner and department of income maintenance, effective July 1, 1993 (Revisor's note: In 1995 a reference to “sections 19a-167 to 19a-167f, inclusive” was changed editorially by the Revisors to “sections 19a-167e and 19a-167f” to reflect the repeal of Secs. 19a-167 to 19a-167d, inclusive); P.A. 06-64 deleted reference to repealed Sec. 19a-648, effective July 1, 2006.

Sec. 17b-857. Hispanic, communities of color organizations. Pilot grant program. Report. (a) For purposes of this section, (1) “eligible community-based organization” means an organization that (A) has tax-exempt status under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, (B) has been an incorporated nonprofit organization for not less than three years, (C) is based in the state and is a direct provider of human services, (D) serves a population that is comprised of fifty-one per cent or more Hispanic persons or non-Hispanic communities of color, (E) (i) is led by a chief executive officer who is Hispanic, African-American or Asian Pacific-American, or (ii) is governed by a board with a majority of members who are Hispanic, African-American or Asian Pacific-American, and (F) has an annual operating budget of at least one hundred fifty thousand dollars; (2) “eligible program administrator” means a nonprofit organization that has (A) not less than fifteen years of experience coordinating advocacy, service and outreach efforts for Hispanic charitable organizations that support Hispanic persons, and (B) a proven track record of establishing networks with non-Hispanic organizations that provide services to fellow communities of color; (3) “fellow communities of color” means communities comprised of persons whose racial or ethnic background is nonwhite Hispanic, African-American or Asian Pacific-American; (4) “culturally competent” means the ability to effectively deliver services that meet the social, cultural and linguistic needs of the recipient; and (5) “language accessible” means services delivered in the primary language of the recipient.

(b) The Commissioner of Social Services, within available appropriations, shall award an eligible program administrator a contract to administer a two-year pilot program to build the capacity of eligible community-based organizations by helping such organizations to (1) improve operational efficiencies through performance-based metrics, and (2) adopt strategies for long-term fiscal sustainability.

(c) In contracting with an eligible program administrator, the commissioner shall require such administrator to: (1) Establish a competitive procurement process through requests for proposals to eligible community-based organizations, (2) establish a results-based grant contract evaluation system, that includes goals that eligible community-based organizations shall meet in order to be considered for grant contract renewal, and (3) meet goals established by the commissioner for successful program administration, including, but not limited to, reporting to the commissioner on program expenditures and complying with limitations set by the commissioner on administrative expenses. Requests for proposals issued by the eligible program administrator shall state that preference shall be given to eligible community-based organizations that (A) satisfy both conditions described in subparagraph (E) of subdivision (1) of subsection (a) of this section and have annual budgets not exceeding one million dollars, and (B) offer culturally competent, language accessible services.

(d) The program shall provide grants to eligible community-based organizations to support capacity building, training and technical assistance opportunities in the following areas: (1) Financial management, including, but not limited to, financial planning, budget development, fiscal monitoring and cash flow analysis, (2) board development, including, but not limited to, establishing board committees, a fund-raising board and conducting professional board meetings, (3) fund development, including, but not limited to, gift solicitation and event planning, (4) nonprofit management and leadership training, (5) information technology, (6) collaborations and merger planning, and (7) results-oriented outcome training, including development of progress metrics and performance tracking tools.

(e) Not later than January 1, 2021, the Commissioner of Social Services shall submit a 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 human services and appropriations and the budgets of state agencies on (1) the number of eligible community-based organizations awarded grants under the program, (2) whether and how the program has improved the capacity of community-based organizations to meet needs, (3) the performance of the nonprofit organization administering the program, and (4) a recommendation on whether the program should continue or expand and any appropriations that may be necessary.

(P.A. 19-117, S. 310.)

History: P.A. 19-117 effective June 26, 2019.

Secs. 17b-858 to 17b-884. Reserved for future use.

Note: Chapter 319xx is also reserved for future use.