Substitute Senate Bill No. 500
Substitute Senate Bill No. 500
PUBLIC ACT NO. 98-169
AN ACT ESTABLISHING A SELF-SUFFICIENCY MEASUREMENT
AND EXPANDING JOB TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of
Representatives in General Assembly convened:
Section 1. (NEW) (a) For purposes of this
section, "self-sufficiency measurement" means a
calculation of the income an employed adult may
need to meet his family's needs, including, but
not limited to, housing, food, day care,
transportation and medical costs.
(b) Not later than January 1, 1999, the Office
of Policy and Management shall contract with a
private vendor to develop a self-sufficiency
measurement by October 1, 1999. This measurement
shall take into account geographical variations in
costs and the age and number of children in the
family. The value of any state or federal public
assistance benefit received by a recipient of
temporary family assistance shall be calculated
into such recipient's self-sufficiency
measurement.
(c) Not later than October 31, 1999, the
Office of Policy and Management shall distribute
the self-sufficiency measurement to all state
agencies that counsel individuals who are seeking
education, training or employment. Effective
October 31, 1999, the Office of Policy and
Management may also distribute the
self-sufficiency measurement to any other entity
that requests such measurement. Such state
agencies and other entities may use the
self-sufficiency measurement to assist and guide
individuals who are seeking education, training or
employment in establishing personal financial
goals and estimating the amount of income such
individuals may need to support their families.
(d) The self-sufficiency measurement shall not
be used to: (1) Analyze the success or failure of
any program; (2) determine or establish
eligibility or benefit levels for any state or
federal public assistance program, including, but
not limited to, temporary family assistance, child
care assistance, medical assistance, state
administered general assistance, food stamps or
eligibility for the HUSKY plan; (3) determine
whether a person subject to time-limited benefits
under the temporary family assistance program
qualifies for an extension of benefits under such
program; or (4) supplement the amount of benefits
awarded under the temporary family assistance
program.
Sec. 2. (NEW) (a) In accordance with section
120 of public act 97-2 of the June 18 special
session, the Department of Social Services shall
administer the Employment Services Program for the
purpose of providing services to recipients of
benefits under the Temporary Assistance for Needy
Families Program pursuant to Title IV-A of the
Social Security Act.
(b) To the extent permitted under public act
97-2 of the June 18 special session, the Labor
Department shall be responsible for the
administration of employment services to
recipients of temporary family assistance under
the Employment Services Program administered by
the Department of Social Services pursuant to
section 120 of public act 97-2 of the June 18
special session. The employment services provided
by the Labor Department shall include appropriate
basic education and occupational skills training
combined with subsidized or unsubsidized work
experience and employment, as deemed appropriate
by the Labor Department, and any other programs or
services deemed appropriate by the Labor
Department, to the extent permitted under state
and federal law, including, but not limited to,
the following: (1) Employment, (2) work-study,
internship or apprenticeship opportunities; (3)
adult skills training, including literacy,
mathematics and language proficiency with
curriculum related to job opportunities and job
search skills; (4) occupational skills training;
(5) case management and counseling in successful
work skills; and (6) access to state-subsidized
child care and transportation, where needed.
Services may be provided by existing service
providers, including, but not limited to, local or
regional boards of education or regional
educational service centers that offer adult
education programs, community-technical colleges
and vocational-technical schools.
(c) Not later than January 1, 1999, and
annually thereafter, the Labor Department shall
submit a report to the Governor, the joint
standing committees of the General Assembly having
cognizance of matters relating to appropriations,
human services and labor and public employees and
the Connecticut Training and Employment
Commission. Each report shall contain an
evaluation of the operation of the employment
services administered by the Labor Department
pursuant to this section, including the number of
persons who receive employment services, their
gender and outcomes. Each such report shall also
provide specific information regarding the
cost-effectiveness of the employment services.
Sec. 3. (NEW) (a) Each person found eligible
for time-limited assistance under the temporary
family assistance program after July 1, 1998,
shall be assessed for the purpose of developing an
employability plan, as follows:
(1) The Department of Social Services shall
perform an initial assessment in the following
areas: Education, employment and training history,
basic educational needs and other social service
needs, including transportation, child care, child
support, domestic violence, substance abuse and
mental health.
(2) Following completion of the initial
assessment conducted pursuant to subdivision (1)
of this subsection, the Department of Social
Services shall refer each such person to the Labor
Department which shall, in conjunction with the
regional workforce development boards, (A) conduct
any further assessment of such person, as deemed
necessary by the Labor Department to complete such
person's employability plan, not later than six
months after the initial assessment, (B) finalize
the employability plan, (C) identify the services
such person requires to fulfill his employability
plan, and (D) refer such person for appropriate
employment services, including the services
identified in subsection (b) of section 2 of this
act.
(b) The Department of Social Services shall
assess each person found eligible for time-limited
assistance under the temporary family assistance
program on or before July 1, 1998, who is not
currently reporting earnings to the Department of
Social Services, at the time of redetermination.
The Department of Social Services shall conduct
such assessment in accordance with subdivision (1)
of subsection (a) of this section, unless
substantially similar assessment has already been
completed for such person. Following the
completion of such assessment by the Department of
Social Services, the Department of Social Services
shall refer such person to the Labor Department
for further assessment in accordance with
subdivision (2) of subsection (a) of this section.
Sec. 4. (NEW) (a) Within available
appropriations for the fiscal year ending June 30,
2000, and the next two successive fiscal years,
the Labor Department, in cooperation with the
regional workforce development boards, shall
establish a two-year pilot program for recipients
of temporary family assistance to: (1) Expand
work-study opportunities for such recipients; (2)
expand child care programs for such recipients;
and (3) establish a competitive grant program that
awards grants to providers of innovative short
courses, flexible class schedules, "contextual
learning" curricula related to job skills,
innovative distance learning or on-site learning
initiatives, including, but not limited to,
employers, community-technical colleges,
vocational-technical schools, local or regional
boards of education or regional educational
service centers that offer adult education
programs and community based education and
training providers.
(b) Not later than July 1, 1999, the Labor
Commissioner shall submit a status report on the
establishment and on any operation of the pilot
program authorized under this section to the joint
standing committees of the General Assembly having
cognizance of matters relating to appropriations,
human services and labor and public employees.
Sec. 5. (NEW) Within available appropriations,
the Department of Social Services, in conjunction
with the Labor Department and Department of
Transportation, shall establish a two-year pilot
program designed to assist Connecticut workers and
job seekers who lack reliable transportation in
securing reliable transportation to employment,
educational programs, job training and child care.
Sec. 6. Not later than July 1, 1999, the
Commissioner of Social Services shall submit a
report containing an evaluation of the pilot
program authorized under section 5 of this act to
the joint standing committees of the General
Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to
appropriations, human services and labor and
public employees.
Sec. 7. Not later than October 1, 1998, the
Connecticut Employment and Training Commission
shall submit to the joint standing committees of
the General Assembly having cognizance of matters
relating to employment and training and
appropriations a report detailing the commission's
plan for fully implementing the provisions of
section 3 of public act 97-263, including the
performance measures to be included in the report
card mandated by section 3 of public act 97-263
and the funding required for full implementation
of section 3 of public act 97-263.
Sec. 8. This act shall take effect July 1,
1998.
Approved June 4, 1998