AN ACT CREATING A COMPREHENSIVE SYSTEM FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES FROM BIRTH TO AGE FIVE.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened:

Section 1. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2008) (a) The Office of Policy and Management, the Departments of Social Services, Education, Public Health, and Children and Families, the Office of the Child Advocate, the Commission on Children and the Children's Trust Fund shall develop a model for master contracting to improve child outcomes and deliver outcome-focused, integrated services to children, from birth to five years of age, and the families of such children. Such model shall promote collaborative management across departments and agencies and promote work with local communities to implement strategies that focus on families and children with an outcome based system.

(b) For purposes of the development of the model for master contracting, the agencies described in subsection (a) of this section shall (1) Identify appropriate opportunities for master contracts that align services and meet the holistic needs of children and families; (2) develop a methodology and protocols for master contracting, including the requirements for state agencies and local grantees; (3) ensure an accountability framework that incorporates results-based accountability principles; (4) identify any common requirements for funding from various sources and any waiver provisions related to such requirements that can be accommodated by the model contract; (5) identify barriers under state or federal law to the effective utilization of the model; (6) work with qualified local planning groups to determine the most effective means of structuring the contract requirements; and (7) focus the model contract in the program areas of maternal and child health, literacy, family support and early care and education, but not limit the contract to such areas.

(c) The model for master contracting shall (1) include research-based practices, (2) align categorical funding streams, (3) adopt common population outcomes for program implementation, (4) include monitoring and evaluation of outcomes using results-based accountability principles, and (5) establish protocols to work collaboratively with local communities and providers.

(d) The model for master contracting shall seek to achieve the following outcomes: (1) Decrease the incidences of low birth weight; (2) increase prenatal care; (3) increase breastfeeding; (4) increase well-child visits; (5) increase early detection and prevention screening and assessment; (6) decrease the incidences of teen pregnancy; (7) increase quality infant, toddler and child care capacity; and (8) increase the sharing of information across agencies.

(e) The following services shall be coordinated under such model to achieve the outcomes outlined in subsection (d) of this section: (1) System prenatal care; (2) home visitation services; (3) nutrition; (4) lactation counseling; (5) early screening and intervention services; (6) family safety net services to meet basic needs; and (7) other services deemed necessary to promote the health and well-being of the mother, father and child.

(f) The model for master contracting shall provide for prevention strategies based on the following: (1) Serving families within the context of their families and communities; (2) utilizing strength-based approaches; (3) ensuring that services and systems are culturally competent; (4) emphasizing targeted research-based interventions; (5) organizing services into a coherent system; (6) establishing service delivery pathways that are comprehensive and easy to navigate; and (7) focusing on performance measures to ensure that services are accountable, effective and accessible to the consumer.

(g) The Early Childhood Education Cabinet shall establish, within available appropriations, a demonstration pilot in a local community to implement the model for master contracting, as outlined in subsections (a) to (f), inclusive, of this section.

(h) On or before February 1, 2009, and annually thereafter, the Commissioner of Social Services and the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management shall jointly report, in accordance with section 11-4a of the general statutes, on the progress made toward achieving the objectives of the model for master contracting to the joint standing committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to appropriations and the budgets of state agencies, human services and public health.