§ 17a-59 — Notification of custody. Assumption of care and control by commissioner. Identification of prospective adoptive parent. Limitation on disclosure of parentage.

(a) Not more than twenty-four hours after taking physical custody of the infant the employee designated pursuant to section 17a-57 shall notify the Department of Children and Families of such custody in accordance with subsection (b) of section 17a-60. (b) The Commissioner of Children and Families shall assume the care and control of the infant immediately upon receipt of notice under subsection (a) of this section. Any infant in the care and control of the commissioner under the provisions of this section shall be considered to be in the custody of the department and the department shall take any action authorized under state law to achieve safety and permanency for the infant, including institution of legal proceedings for guardianship or termination of parental rights. In order to achieve safety and permanency for the infant, the department shall identify a prospective adoptive parent for the infant not later than one business day after receiving such notice from a designated employee, provided a prospective adoptive parent is available. The department shall provide notification of legal proceedings to any parent of an infant when the identity of the parent is known to the department. (c) Except as otherwise provided by statute, unless ordered to do so by a court of competent jurisdiction, the department shall not disclose any information concerning the parentage of an infant in the care and control of the commissioner under the provisions of this section to a prospective adoptive parent or foster parent.

Legislative History

(P.A. 00-207, S. 3; P.A. 10-161, S. 1; P.A. 17-18, S. 1.) History: P.A. 10-161 amended Subsec. (a) by replacing “designated employee” with “employee designated pursuant to section 17a-57”, amended Subsec. (b) by adding provisions specifying that department may institute legal proceedings and requiring department to provide notice of such proceedings and by repositioning provision from former Subsec. (c) re infant in care and control of commissioner considered to be in custody of department, and deleted said former Subsec. (c), effective July 1, 2010; P.A. 17-18 amended Subsec. (a) by replacing references to Secs. 17a-101a to 17a-101d with reference to Sec. 17a-60(b), amended Subsec. (b) by adding provision re identification of prospective adoptive parent, added Subsec. (c) re department's disclosure of information concerning parentage of infant, and made technical changes.