§ 17a-6 — (Formerly Sec. 17-415). Powers and duties of commissioner.

Connecticut § 17a-6

• Jurisdiction: Connecticut
• Title 17a: Social and Human Services and Resources
• Ch. 319: Department of Children and Families

Text

The commissioner, or the commissioner's designee, shall: (a) Establish or contract for the use of a variety of facilities and services for identification, evaluation, discipline, rehabilitation, aftercare, treatment and care of children and youths in need of the department's services; (b) Administer in a coordinated and integrated manner all institutions and facilities which are or may come under the jurisdiction of the department and shall appoint advisory groups for any such institution or facility; (c) Encourage the development of programs and the establishment of facilities for children and youths by public or private agencies and groups; (d) Enter into cooperative arrangements with public or private agencies outside the state; (e) Insure that all children under the commissioner's supervision have adequate food, clothing, shelter and adequate medical, dental, psychiatric, psychological, social, religious and other services; (f) Provide, in the commissioner's discretion, needed service to any municipality, agency, or person, whether or not such person is committed to the commissioner; (g) Adopt and enforce regulations and establish rules for the internal operation and administration of the department in accordance with chapter 54; (h) Undertake, contract for or otherwise stimulate research concerning children and youths; (i) Subject to the provisions of chapter 67, appoint such professional, technical and other personnel as may be necessary for the efficient operation of the department; (j) Coordinate the activities of the department with those of other state departments, municipalities and private agencies concerned with providing services for children and youths and their families; (k) Provide or arrange for the provision of suitable education for every child under the commissioner's supervision, either in public schools, special educational programs, private schools, educational programs within the institutions or facilities under the commissioner's jurisdiction, or work and training programs otherwise provided by law. The suitability of educational programs provided by the commissioner shall be subject to review by the Department of Education; (l) Submit to the state advisory council for its comment proposals for new policies or programs and the proposed budget for the department; (m) Have any and all other powers and duties as are necessary to administer the department and implement the purposes of sections 17a-1 to 17a-26 , inclusive, and 17a-28 to 17a-49 , inclusive; and (n) Conduct and render a final decision in administrative hearings; (o) Establish a standardized data reporting system to support the collection of data regarding (1) the race and ethnicity of children and families referred to the department at key decision points, including, but not limited to, referral, substantiation, removal and placement, and (2) rates of retention of children and families by race and ethnicity; and (p) Work to eliminate disparities in referral rates, substantiations, placements and retention among racial and ethnic groups and groups known to experience higher rates of adverse child welfare, health and services outcomes because of religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, socioeconomic status, immigration status, language, ancestry, intellectual or physical disability, mental health status, prior criminal convictions, homelessness, gender identity or expression or geographic area of residence. See Sec. 17a-63 re reports to General Assembly concerning data from administrative case reviews. See Secs. 20-14h to 20-14j, inclusive, re administration of medication in day and residential programs and facilities.

Legislative History

(1969, P.A. 664, S. 6; 1971, P.A. 818, S. 3, 4; 1972, P.A. 107, S. 1; P.A. 73-49, S. 1, 3; P.A. 75-524, S. 5, 30; P.A. 93-54; P.A. 01-181, S. 1; P.A. 03-255, S. 2; P.A. 06-196, S. 104; P.A. 09-205, S. 2; P.A. 18-31, S. 18; 18-111, S. 2.) History: 1971 act deleted references to consultation with council in Subsec. (b) and to policies formulated by council in Subsec. (e), reflecting council's change to advisory status; 1972 act inserted new Subsec. (q) re vocational parole and redesignated former Subsec. (q) as Subsec. (r); P.A. 73-49 rephrased Subsec. (q) and stated that limitations on employment of those under sixteen do not apply; P.A. 75-524 replaced previous provisions and included commissioner's designee; Sec. 17-415 transferred to Sec. 17a-6 in 1991; P.A. 93-54 added Subdiv. (o) authorizing commissioner to conduct administrative hearings and render final decisions (Revisor's note: The reference in Subdiv. (n) to Sec. 17a-51 was deleted editorially by the Revisors to reflect the repeal of that section by P.A. 93-216, S. 8); P.A. 01-181 made technical changes for purposes of gender neutrality in introductory language and Subdivs. (e), (f) and (l) and added Subdiv. (p) re provision of programs for juvenile offenders that are gender specific, addressing needs of targeted gender group; P.A. 03-255 amended Subdiv. (k) to replace “Interstate Compact on Juveniles established by section 46b-151a, when so designated by the Governor in accordance with section 46b-151c” with “Interstate Compact for Juveniles under section 46b-151h”, effective July 1, 2004, or upon enactment of the Interstate Compact for Juveniles by thirty-five jurisdictions, whichever is later; Illinois became the thirty-fifth enacting jurisdiction on August 26, 2008; P.A. 06-196 made technical changes, effective June 7, 2006; P.A. 09-205 amended Subdiv. (b) by replacing “may” with “shall” re appointment of advisory groups, effective July 1, 2009; P.A. 18-31 deleted Subsecs. (k) and (p) re the Interstate Compact for Juveniles and juvenile offenders, respectively, and redesignated Subsecs. (l) to (o) as Subsecs. (k) to (n), and made conforming changes, effective July 1, 2018; P.A. 18-111 added Subsec. (q), codified by the Revisors as Subsec. (o), re establishing standardized data reporting system for collection of data on race and ethnicity, added Subsec. (r), codified by the Revisors as Subsec. (p), re working to eliminate disparities in referral rates, substantiations, placements and retention, and made conforming changes, effective July 1, 2018. Annotations to former section 17-415: Cited. 171 C. 644; Id., 652.