"AN ACT CONCERNING PROCEEDINGS AND OPERATIONS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN AND FAMILIES. "

After the last section, add the following and renumber sections and internal references accordingly:

"Sec. 501. Section 17a-3 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective January 1, 2010):

(a) The department shall plan, create, develop, operate or arrange for, administer and evaluate a comprehensive and integrated state-wide program of services, including preventive services, for children and youths whose behavior does not conform to the law or to acceptable community standards, or who are mentally ill, including deaf and hearing impaired children and youths who are mentally ill, emotionally disturbed, substance abusers, delinquent, abused, neglected or uncared for, including all children and youths who are or may be committed to it by any court, and all children and youths voluntarily admitted to, or remaining voluntarily under the supervision of, the commissioner for services of any kind. Services shall not be denied to any such child or youth solely because of other complicating or multiple disabilities. The department shall work in cooperation with other child-serving agencies and organizations to provide or arrange for preventive programs, including, but not limited to, teenage pregnancy and youth suicide prevention, for children and youths and their families. The program shall provide services and placements that are clinically indicated and appropriate to the needs of the child or youth. In furtherance of this purpose, the department shall: (1) (A) Maintain the Connecticut Juvenile Training School and other appropriate facilities exclusively for [delinquents] the placement of delinquent children under sixteen years of age, and (B) maintain other appropriate facilities exclusively for the placement of delinquent children sixteen years of age and older; (2) develop a comprehensive program for prevention of problems of children and youths and provide a flexible, innovative and effective program for the placement, care and treatment of children and youths committed by any court to the department, transferred to the department by other departments, or voluntarily admitted to the department; (3) provide appropriate services to families of children and youths as needed to achieve the purposes of sections 17a-1 to 17a-26, inclusive, 17a-28 to 17a-49, inclusive, of the 2008 supplement to the general statutes and 17a-51; (4) establish incentive paid work programs for children and youths under the care of the department and the rates to be paid such children and youths for work done in such programs and may provide allowances to children and youths in the custody of the department; (5) be responsible to collect, interpret and publish statistics relating to children and youths within the department; (6) conduct studies of any program, service or facility developed, operated, contracted for or supported by the department in order to evaluate its effectiveness; (7) establish staff development and other training and educational programs designed to improve the quality of departmental services and programs, provided no social worker trainee shall be assigned a case load prior to completing training, and may establish educational or training programs for children, youths, parents or other interested persons on any matter related to the promotion of the well-being of children, or the prevention of mental illness, emotional disturbance, delinquency and other disabilities in children and youths; (8) develop and implement aftercare and follow-up services appropriate to the needs of any child or youth under the care of the department; (9) establish a case audit unit to monitor each area office's compliance with regulations and procedures; (10) develop and maintain a database listing available community service programs funded by the department; (11) provide outreach and assistance to persons caring for children whose parents are unable to do so by informing such persons of programs and benefits for which they may be eligible; and (12) collect data sufficient to identify the housing needs of children served by the department and share such data with the Department of Economic and Community Development.

(b) The department shall prepare and submit biennially to the General Assembly a five-year master plan. The master plan shall include, but not be limited to: (1) The long-range goals and the current level of attainment of such goals of the department; (2) a detailed description of the types and amounts of services presently provided to the department's clients; (3) a detailed forecast of the service needs of current and projected target populations; (4) detailed cost projections for alternate means of meeting projected needs; (5) funding priorities for each of the five years included in the plan and specific plans indicating how the funds are to be used; (6) a written plan for the prevention of child abuse and neglect; (7) a comprehensive mental health plan for children and adolescents, including children with complicating or multiple disabilities; (8) a comprehensive plan for children and youths who are substance abusers, developed in conjunction with the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services pursuant to the provisions of sections 19a-2a and 19a-7; and (9) an overall assessment of the adequacy of children's services in Connecticut. The plan shall be prepared within existing funds appropriated to the department.

(c) The department shall prepare a plan to keep children under the age of sixteen who are convicted as delinquent and will be committed to the Department of Children and Families and placed in the Connecticut Juvenile Training School in such facility for at least one year after their referral to the department, which plan shall include provisions for development of a comprehensive approach to juvenile rehabilitation.

Sec. 502. Section 17a-3a of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective January 1, 2010):

The Department of Children and Families shall ensure that the Connecticut Juvenile Training School:

(1) Completes health, mental health and educational assessments for each child admitted to the school not later than thirty days from the date of such child's admission;

(2) Completes a written individualized treatment plan for each child admitted to the school not later than thirty days from the date of such child's admission;

(3) Complies with the provisions of sections 46a-150 to 46a-154, inclusive, of the 2008 supplement to the general statutes regarding the use of physical restraints, medication and seclusion of children at the school;

(4) Provides training to all staff at the school regarding their mandatory child abuse and neglect reporting obligations under section 17a-101;

(5) Provides the opportunity for each child at the school to engage in at least one hour of physical exercise per day on weekdays and at least two hours of physical exercise per day on the weekends; and

(6) Limits admission to children under the age of sixteen.

Sec. 503. Subsection (c) of section 17a-12 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective January 1, 2010):

(c) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (b) of this section, (1) any delinquent child under the age of sixteen, if a male, may be placed at any time in the Connecticut Juvenile Training School, and (2) the commissioner may transfer any child or youth committed to the commissioner to any institution, hospital or facility for mentally ill children under the commissioner's jurisdiction for a period not to exceed fifteen days if the need for such emergency treatment is certified by a psychiatrist licensed to practice medicine by the state.

Sec. 504. Subsection (j) of section 46b-140 of the 2008 supplement to the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective January 1, 2010):

(j) Except as otherwise provided in this section, the court may order a child be (1) committed to the Department of Children and Families and be placed directly in a residential facility within this state and under contract with said department, or (2) committed to the Commissioner of Children and Families for placement by the commissioner, in said commissioner's discretion, (A) with respect to the juvenile offenders determined by the Department of Children and Families to be the highest risk, in the Connecticut Juvenile Training School, if the juvenile offender is a male under the age of sixteen, or in another state facility, presumptively for a minimum period of twelve months, or (B) in a private residential or day treatment facility within or outside this state, or (C) on parole. The commissioner shall use a risk and needs assessment classification system to ensure that male children under the age of sixteen who are in the highest risk level will be placed in the Connecticut Juvenile Training School. "