File No. 304

Senate, March 31, 2011

The Committee on Human Services reported through SEN. MUSTO of the 22nd Dist., Chairperson of the Committee on the part of the Senate, that the substitute bill ought to pass.

AN ACT CONCERNING RIVERVIEW HOSPITAL.

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

Section 1. Section 32 of public act 10-3 is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage):

Not later than [April 15] October 1, 2011, the Department of Children and Families in consultation with the Child Advocate, shall submit a plan, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a of the general statutes, to the select committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to children and to the joint standing committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to human services and appropriations and the budgets of state agencies concerning the future of Riverview Hospital for Children and Youth. Said plan shall include, but not be limited to, an assessment of the following issues: (1) The minimum essential level of employees required to provide care for the children at Riverview Hospital on July 1, 2011; (2) the impact on the children cared for at Riverview Hospital if the staff were reduced by twenty-five per cent or fifty per cent, respectively; (3) alternative placement options for children currently cared for at Riverview Hospital if the hospital closed on July 1, 2011; (4) the estimated number of children at Riverview Hospital who would be placed in out-of-state facilities if the hospital closed on July 1, 2011; (5) estimated facility, personnel and cost requirements for expanding existing in-state private facilities or establishing new in-state private facilities to accommodate children currently cared for at Riverview Hospital; (6) financing options for expanding or establishing in-state private facilities to accommodate children currently cared for at Riverview Hospital; (7) how other states accommodate children in state care or custody who require care comparable to that provided at Riverview Hospital; and (8) how to obtain substantial savings to the state.

The following Fiscal Impact Statement and Bill Analysis are prepared for the benefit of the members of the General Assembly, solely for purposes of information, summarization and explanation and do not represent the intent of the General Assembly or either chamber thereof for any purpose. In general, fiscal impacts are based upon a variety of informational sources, including the analyst's professional knowledge. Whenever applicable, agency data is consulted as part of the analysis, however final products do not necessarily reflect an assessment from any specific department.

OFA Fiscal Note

State Impact: None

Municipal Impact: None

Explanation

There is no fiscal impact to the Department of Children and Families to meet additional Riverview Hospital plan requirements and submit the expanded plan to various committees of the General Assembly no later than 10/1/11.

The Out Years

State Impact: None

Municipal Impact: None

OLR Bill Analysis

sSB 198

AN ACT CONCERNING RIVERVIEW HOSPITAL.

SUMMARY:

This bill postpones for five and a half months the deadline for the report on the future of Riverview Hospital for Children and Youth, required by PA 10-3, and prescribes specific issues the report must address. Current law requires the Department of Children and Families, in consultation with the child advocate, to report a plan by April 15, 2011 to the Appropriations, Children's, and Human Services committees. The bill makes the deadline October 1, 2011. It requires the plan to address:

1. the minimum essential level of employees needed to provide care for the children at the hospital on July 1, 2011;

2. the impacts on those children if the staff were reduced by 25% and 50%;

3. alternative placement options for children currently at the hospital and the estimated number who would be placed in out-of-state facilities if it were to close on July 1, 2011;

4. estimates of necessary facility, personnel, and costs to expand existing in-state private facilities or establish new ones to accommodate the children currently at Riverview;

5. financing options for expanding existing in-state private facilities or establishing new ones;

6. other states' accommodations for children in their care or custody who require comparable care; and

7. ways to obtain substantial state savings.

EFFECTIVE DATE: Upon passage

COMMITTEE ACTION

Select Committee on Children

Joint Favorable Substitute

Human Services Committee

Joint Favorable Substitute