Sec. 17a-460. (Formerly Sec. 17-209b). Center advisory board.
Sec. 17a-470. (Formerly Sec. 17-213a). Advisory boards for state-operated facilities.
Sec. 17a-480. (Formerly Sec. 17-226g). Regional mental health directors.
Sec. 17a-482. (Formerly Sec. 17-226j). Definitions.
Sec. 17a-450a. Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services. Successor to the Department of Mental Health and to the addiction services component of the former Department of Public Health and Addiction Services. (a) The Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services shall constitute a successor department to the Department of Mental Health. Whenever the words “Commissioner of Mental Health” are used or referred to in the following general statutes, the words “Commissioner of Mental Health and Addiction Services” shall be substituted in lieu thereof and whenever the words “Department of Mental Health” are used or referred to in the following general statutes, the words “Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services” shall be substituted in lieu thereof: 4-5, 4-38c, 4-77a, 4a-12, 4a-16, 5-142, 8-206d, 10-19, 10-71, 10-76d, 17a-14, 17a-26, 17a-31, 17a-33, 17a-218, 17a-246, 17a-450, 17a-451, 17a-453, 17a-454, 17a-455, 17a-456, 17a-457, 17a-458, 17a-459, 17a-464, 17a-465, 17a-466, 17a-467, 17a-468, 17a-470, 17a-471, 17a-472, 17a-473, 17a-474, 17a-476, 17a-478, 17a-479, 17a-480, 17a-481, 17a-482, 17a-483, 17a-498, 17a-499, 17a-502, 17a-506, 17a-510, 17a-511, 17a-512, 17a-513, 17a-519, 17a-528, 17a-560, 17a-561, 17a-562, 17a-565, 17a-581, 17a-582, 17a-675, 17-836a, 17b-28, 17b-59a, 17b-222, 17b-223, 17b-225, 17b-359, 17b-694, 19a-82, 19a-495, 19a-498, 19a-507a, 19a-576, 19a-583, 20-14i, 20-14j, 21a-240, 21a-301, 27-122a, 31-222, 38a-514, 51-51o, 52-146h and 54-56d.
(b) The Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services shall constitute a successor department to the addiction services component of the Department of Public Health and Addiction Services. Whenever the words “Commissioner of Public Health and Addiction Services” are used or referred to in the following general statutes, the words “Commissioner of Mental Health and Addiction Services” shall be substituted in lieu thereof and whenever the words “Department of Public Health and Addiction Services” are used or referred to in the following general statutes, the words “Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services” shall be substituted in lieu thereof: 4a-12, 17a-670 to 17a-676, inclusive, 17a-678 to 17a-682, inclusive, 17a-684 to 17a-687, inclusive, 17a-691, 17a-694, 17a-710, 17a-712, 17a-713, 19a-89c, 20-74o, 20-74p, 20-74q, 21a-274a, 54-36i and 54-56g.
(c) Any order or regulation of the Department of Mental Health or the addiction services component of the Department of Public Health and Addiction Services that is in force on July 1, 1995, shall continue in force and effect as an order or regulation of the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services until amended, repealed or superseded pursuant to law. Where any order or regulation of the departments conflict, the Commissioner of Mental Health and Addiction Services may implement policies and procedures consistent with the provisions of public act 95-257* while in the process of adopting the policy or procedure in regulation form, provided notice of intention to adopt the regulations is printed in the Connecticut Law Journal within twenty days of implementation. The policy or procedure shall be valid until the time final regulations are effective.
(P.A. 95-257, S. 5, 11, 58; P.A. 98-247, S. 12; P.A. 99-284, S. 56, 60; P.A. 02-89, S. 27; 02-123, S. 8; P.A. 07-148, S. 4; P.A. 09-145, S. 12; 09-205, S. 11; P.A. 12-143, S. 7; P.A. 15-120, S. 3; May Sp. Sess. P.A. 16-3, S. 151; P.A. 18-86, S. 13; P.A. 19-118, S. 45; P.A. 22-69, S. 13; P.A. 23-121, S. 3.)
*Note: Public act 95-257 is entitled “An Act Concerning the Consolidation of State-Operated Programs at Fairfield Hills, Norwich and Connecticut Valley Hospitals, Transfer of Addiction Services to the Former Department of Mental Health, Medicaid Waiver and the Office of Health Care Access”. (See Reference Table captioned “Public Acts of 1995” in Volume 16 of the General Statutes of Connecticut, revised to January 1, 2023, which lists the sections amended, created or repealed by the act.)
History: P.A. 95-257, S. 5 and 11 effective July 1, 1995; P.A. 98-247 repealed Sec. 20-74r and specifically authorized deletion of reference to Sec. 20-74r in this section; P.A. 99-284 deleted obsolete reference to Sec. 38a-539 and made a technical change in Subsec. (a), effective January 1, 2000; P.A. 02-89 amended Subsec. (a) to delete reference to Sec. 22a-224, reflecting the repeal of said section by the same public act; P.A. 02-123 amended Subsec. (a) to delete reference to repealed Sec. 13b-38n, effective June 7, 2002; P.A. 07-148 amended Subsec. (a) to delete reference to repealed Sec. 17a-463; P.A. 09-145 amended Subsec. (b) by deleting reference to Sec. 17a-465a; P.A. 09-205 amended Subsec. (b) by deleting reference to Sec. 17a-3, effective July 1, 2009; P.A. 12-143 amended Subsec. (a) to delete reference to Sec. 2c-2b, effective July 1, 2012; P.A. 15-120 deleted reference to Sec. 17a-452; May Sp. Sess. P.A. 16-3 amended Subsec. (a) by deleting reference to Sec. 17b-420, effective July 1, 2016; P.A. 18-86 amended Subsec. (a) by deleting reference to Sec. 17a-576, effective June 4, 2018; P.A. 19-118 amended Subsec. (a) by deleting reference to Sec. 19a-507c, effective July 1, 2019; P.A. 22-69 amended Subsec. (a) by deleting reference to Sec. 17a-484, effective May 24, 2022; P.A. 23-121 amended Subsec. (a) by deleting reference to Sec. 17a-460, effective June 27, 2023.
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Sec. 17a-453h. *(See end of section for amended version of subdivision (1) of subsection (c) and effective date.) Mental health first aid training program. (a) The Commissioner of Mental Health and Addiction Services, in consultation with the Commissioner of Education, shall administer a mental health first aid training program. Said program shall: (1) Help persons attending the training program recognize the signs of mental disorders in children and young adults; and (2) connect children and young adults who show signs of having a mental disorder with a professional who offers the appropriate services.
(b) Said commissioners may seek federal and state funding and may accept private donations for the administration of, and providing for persons to participate in, the mental health first aid training program.
*(c) (1) For the school year commencing July 1, 2014, the Commissioner of Mental Health and Addiction Services shall provide mental health first aid training to any person appointed to serve as the district safe school climate coordinator, pursuant to section 10-222k. Each such district safe school climate coordinator shall successfully complete such mental health first aid training.
(2) For the school year commencing July 1, 2015, the Commissioner of Mental Health and Addiction Services shall provide mental health and first aid training to any person appointed to serve as the district safe school climate coordinator for such school year and who did not serve as the district safe school climate coordinator for the prior school year or did not otherwise successfully complete such training. Each such district safe school climate coordinator shall successfully complete such mental health first aid training.
(3) No district safe school climate coordinator shall be required to successfully complete such mental health first aid training more than once.
(d) Each local and regional board of education may require teachers, school nurses, counselors and other school employees to participate in mental health first aid training.
(P.A. 13-3, S. 90.)
*Note: On and after July 1, 2025, subdivision (1) of subsection (c) of this section, as amended by section 70 of public act 23-167, is to read as follows:
“(c) (1) For the school year commencing July 1, 2025, the Commissioner of Mental Health and Addiction Services shall provide mental health first aid training to any person appointed to serve as the school climate coordinator, as described in section 10-222dd. Each such school climate coordinator shall successfully complete such mental health first aid training.”
(P.A. 13-3, S. 90; P.A. 23-167, S. 70.)
History: P.A. 13-3 effective April 4, 2013; P.A. 23-167 amended Subsec. (c)(1) by replacing “July 1, 2014” with “July 1, 2025” and replacing references to district safe school climate coordinator and Sec. 10-222k with school climate coordinator and Sec. 10-222dd, effective July 1, 2025.
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Sec. 17a-460. (Formerly Sec. 17-209b). Center advisory board. Section 17a-460 is repealed, effective June 27, 2023.
(1963, P.A. 579, S. 2; 1969, P.A. 44, S. 1; P.A. 95-257, S. 11, 13, 58; P.A. 23-121, S. 4.)
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Sec. 17a-470. (Formerly Sec. 17-213a). Advisory boards for state-operated facilities. Each state-operated facility for the treatment of persons with psychiatric disabilities or persons with substance use disorders, or both, shall have an advisory board appointed by the superintendent or director of the facility for terms to be decided by such superintendent or director. The superintendent or director shall appoint at least two persons with lived experience with a behavioral health disorder to the advisory board. In any case where the present number of members of an advisory board is less than the number of members designated by the superintendent or director of the facility, the superintendent or director shall appoint additional members to such board in accordance with this section in such manner that the terms of an approximately equal number of members shall expire in each odd-numbered year. The superintendent or director shall fill any vacancy that may occur for the unexpired portion of any term. No member shall serve more than two successive terms plus the balance of any unexpired term to which the member had been appointed. The superintendent or director of the facility shall be an ex-officio member of the advisory board. Each member of an advisory board of a state-operated facility within the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services assigned a geographical territory shall be a resident of the assigned geographical territory. Members of said advisory boards shall receive no compensation for their services but shall be reimbursed for necessary expenses involved in the performance of their duties. At least one-third of such members shall be from regional behavioral health action organizations, established pursuant to section 17a-484f, and at least one-third shall be members of the catchment area councils, as provided in section 17a-483, for the catchment areas served by such facility, except that members serving as of October 1, 1977, shall serve out their terms.
(1972, P.A. 145, S. 9; P.A. 76-435, S. 56, 82; P.A. 77-83; P.A. 80-2, S. 1, 2; P.A. 81-473, S. 7, 43; P.A. 84-7, S. 1, 3; P.A. 95-257, S. 17, 58; P.A. 07-148, S. 14; P.A. 18-86, S. 15; P.A. 22-69, S. 5; P.A. 23-121, S. 1.)
History: P.A. 76-435 replaced “security treatment center” with “Whiting Forensic Institute”; P.A. 77-83 required that one-third of members of board be members of catchment area councils except that present members to serve out their terms; P.A. 80-2 excepted Dubois Day Treatment Center from requirement for 15-member institution advisory board and revised provisions to reflect completion of transition from boards of trustees to advisory boards and added Subsec. (b) containing special provisions for Dubois Day Treatment Center; P.A. 81-473 eliminated the requirement that each state hospital or facility for the treatment of the mentally disordered have an advisory board of 15 members appointed by the commissioner and provided for optional appointment of such boards by the superintendent or director of the hospital or facility and deleted Subsec. (b) which had established a 7-member advisory board for the Dubois Day Treatment Center; P.A. 84-7 excepted the Connecticut Mental Health Center and the Whiting Forensic Institute from the requirement that each state facility for the mentally disordered have an advisory board; Sec. 17-213a transferred to Sec. 17a-470 in 1991; P.A. 95-257 changed name of Whiting Forensic Institute to Whiting Forensic Division, and included it in facilities authorized to have an advisory board, required at least one-third of board members to be from a substance abuse subregional planning and action council and replaced Department of Mental Health with Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, effective July 1, 1995; P.A. 07-148 replaced “substance abuse disabilities” with “substance use disorders”; P.A. 18-86 deleted “Division of the Connecticut Valley”, effective June 4, 2018; P.A. 22-69 replaced reference to substance abuse subregional planning and action council with reference to regional behavioral health action organizations, effective May 24, 2022; P.A. 23-121 deleted references to state hospitals and Whiting Forensic Hospital, deleted provision re exception for Connecticut Mental Health Center, substituted “shall” for “may”, added provision re appointment of at least 2 persons with lived experience with a behavioral health disorder and made technical changes.
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Sec. 17a-471a. Connecticut Valley Hospital: Development of policies and standards for resident clients; advisory council. (a) The Commissioner of Mental Health and Addiction Services, in consultation and coordination with the advisory council established under subsection (b) of this section, shall develop policies and set standards related to clients residing on the Connecticut Valley Hospital campus and to the discharge of such clients from the hospital into the adjacent community. Any such policies and standards shall ensure that no discharge of any client admitted to Whiting Forensic Hospital under commitment by the Superior Court or transfer from the Department of Correction shall take place without full compliance with sections 17a-511 to 17a-524, inclusive, 17a-566 to 17a-575, inclusive, 17a-580 to 17a-603, inclusive, and 54-56d.
(b) There is established a Connecticut Valley Hospital Advisory Council that shall advise the Commissioner of Mental Health and Addiction Services on policies concerning, but not limited to, building use, security, clients residing on the campus and the discharge of clients from the campus into the adjacent community. In addition, the advisory council shall periodically review the implementation of the policies and standards established by the commissioner in consultation with the advisory council. The council shall be composed of six members appointed by the mayor of Middletown, eight members appointed by the Commissioner of Mental Health and Addiction Services and one member who shall serve as chairperson appointed by the Governor. On and after January 1, 2024, at least two members appointed by the Commissioner of Mental Health and Addiction Services shall have lived experience with a behavioral health disorder.
(P.A. 95-257, S. 4, 58; P.A. 10-60, S. 2; P.A. 18-86, S. 16; P.A. 23-121, S. 2.)
History: P.A. 95-257, S. 4 effective July 1, 1995; P.A. 10-60 amended Subsecs. (a) and (b) by replacing references to placement of clients discharged with references to discharge of clients and, in Subsec. (b), by making technical changes; P.A. 18-86 amended Subsec. (a) by replacing “Division” with “Hospital” and amended Subsec. (b) by replacing “campuses” with “campus”, effective June 4, 2018; P.A. 23-121 amended Subsec. (a) by making a technical change, and amended Subsec. (b) by changing the number of members appointed by the Commissioner of Mental Health and Addiction Services from 6 to 8 and adding provision re appointment of members with lived experience with a behavioral health disorder, effective June 27, 2023.
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Sec. 17a-476. (Formerly Sec. 17-226b). Grants to general hospitals, municipalities and nonprofit organizations for mental health services. (a) Any general hospital, municipality or nonprofit organization in Connecticut may apply to the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services for funds to establish, expand or maintain psychiatric or mental health services. The application for funds shall be submitted on forms provided by the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, and shall be accompanied by (1) a definition of the towns and areas to be served; (2) a plan by means of which the applicant proposes to coordinate its activities with those of other local agencies presently supplying mental health services or contributing in any way to the mental health of the area; (3) a description of the services to be provided, and the methods through which these services will be provided; and (4) indication of the methods that will be employed to effect a balance in the use of state and local resources so as to foster local initiative, responsibility and participation. In accordance with subdivision (4) of section 17a-480, the regional behavioral health action organization serving the mental health region in which the applicant is located shall review each such application with the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services and make recommendations to the department with respect to each such application.
(b) Upon receipt of the application with the recommendations of the regional behavioral health action organization and approval by the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, the department shall grant such funds by way of a contract or grant-in-aid within the appropriation for any annual fiscal year.
(c) The Commissioner of Mental Health and Addiction Services may adopt regulations, in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54, concerning minimum standards for eligibility to receive said state contracted funds and any grants-in-aid. Any such funds or grants-in-aid made by the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services for psychiatric or mental health services shall be made directly to the agency submitting the application and providing such service or services.
(February, 1965, P.A. 501, S. 1, 2; 1967, P.A. 716, S. 5; P.A. 74-224, S. 5, 8; P.A. 75-563, S. 7, 14; P.A. 78-166, S. 1, 6; P.A. 88-357, S. 1; P.A. 95-257, S. 11, 58; June 18 Sp. Sess. P.A. 97-8, S. 3, 88; P.A. 03-278, S. 58; P.A. 14-62, S. 3; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 15-5, S. 396; P.A. 22-69, S. 6; P.A. 23-195, S. 6; 23-204, S. 289.)
History: 1967 act related the section to new Sec. 17-226a, requiring the approval of the appropriate regional mental health council, added prohibition of use of funds for the renovation of buildings and added Subsec. (c); P.A. 74-224 replaced regional mental health council with regional mental health board and referred to annual appropriations rather than biennial appropriations; P.A. 75-563 required that applications for funds to mental health department be made through regional mental health director in Subsec. (a); P.A. 78-166 included applications by general hospitals in Subsec. (a) and specified that funds to be for psychiatric or mental health services; P.A. 88-357 authorized municipalities to apply for funds in Subsec. (a); Sec. 17-226b transferred to Sec. 17a-476 in 1991; P.A. 95-257 replaced Commissioner and Department of Mental Health with Commissioner and Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, effective July 1, 1995; June 18 Sp. Sess. P.A. 97-8 amended Subsecs. (b) and (c) by adding reference to contracts and grants-in-aid, and made technical changes reflecting the elimination of mental health regions, effective July 1, 1997; P.A. 03-278 made technical changes in Subsec. (a), effective July 9, 2003; P.A. 14-62 added new Subsec. (c) re administrative services organization to provide intensive case management and redesignated existing Subsec. (c) as Subsec. (d), effective July 1, 2016; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 15-5 deleted former Subsec. (c) re intensive case management and redesignated existing Subsec. (d) as Subsec. (c), effective July 1, 2016; P.A. 22-69 amended Subsec. (a) by deleting reference to Sec. 17a-484 and replacing reference to regional mental health board with reference to regional behavioral action organization and amended Subsec. (b) by replacing “regional mental health board” with “regional behavioral action organization”, effective May 24, 2022; P.A. 23-195 amended Subsecs. (a) and (b) by making a technical change; P.A. 23-204 amended Subsec. (b) by deleting prohibition on use of funds for construction or renovation of buildings, effective June 12, 2023.
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Sec. 17a-480. (Formerly Sec. 17-226g). Regional mental health directors. The Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, in consultation with regional behavioral health action organizations, established pursuant to section 17a-484f, (1) may purchase services from other public agencies and from municipal and private agencies, (2) shall supervise, plan and coordinate mental health services with the goal of improving and expanding existing services and providing new ones, (3) shall develop joint programs in conformity with Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services standards, (4) shall make recommendations concerning all requests for grants and all contract proposals emanating from the regions, (5) shall evaluate mental health service delivery and monitor such services to ensure that they are in conformity with the plans and policies of the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, and (6) shall report annually to the Board of Mental Health and Addiction Services on the status of programs and needs of the regions.
(P.A. 74-224, S. 3, 8; P.A. 75-563, S. 3, 14; P.A. 77-614, S. 67, 610; P.A. 95-257, S. 11, 58; June 18 Sp. Sess. P.A. 97-8, S. 5, 88; P.A. 03-278, S. 59; P.A. 22-69, S. 7; P.A. 23-195, S. 7.)
History: P.A. 75-563 replaced reference to repealed Sec. 17-226h with reference to Sec. 17-226k, included reference to department regulations and changed duty to “administer” services to duty to “supervise” services in Subsec. (b); P.A. 77-614 replaced personnel policy board with commissioner of administrative services in Subsec. (a); Sec. 17-226g transferred to Sec. 17a-480 in 1991; P.A. 95-257 replaced Commissioner and Department of Mental Health with Commissioner and Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, effective July 1, 1995 (Revisor's note: A reference to “Mental Health and Addiction Services Department” was replaced editorially by the Revisors with “Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services” for consistency with customary statutory usage); June 18 Sp. Sess. P.A. 97-8 transferred duties of regional mental health directors to Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, reflecting the elimination of mental health regions, effective July 1, 1997; P.A. 03-278 made technical changes, effective July 9, 2003; P.A. 22-69 replaced reference to regional mental health boards with reference to regional behavioral action organizations, effective May 24, 2022; P.A. 23-195 made a technical change.
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Sec. 17a-482. (Formerly Sec. 17-226j). Definitions. As used in this section, subsection (a) of section 17a-476, sections 17a-478 to 17a-480, inclusive, and section 17a-483, unless the context otherwise requires: “Catchment area” means any geographical area within the state established as such by the Commissioner of Mental Health and Addiction Services, the boundaries of which may be redesignated by said commissioner when deemed necessary to equalize the population of each area and in such manner as is consistent with the boundaries of the municipalities therein, provided such boundaries of any catchment area shall be entirely within the boundaries of a mental health region established under section 17a-478; “council” means the catchment area council established under section 17a-483; “regional behavioral health action organization” means the organization established pursuant to section 17a-484f; and “provider” means any person who receives income from private practice or any public or private agency which delivers mental health services.
(P.A. 75-563, S. 4, 14; P.A. 76-435, S. 58, 82; P.A. 78-166, S. 3, 6; P.A. 82-198, S. 3, 7; P.A. 90-209, S. 21; P.A. 95-257, S. 11, 58; June 18 Sp. Sess. P.A. 97-8, S. 6, 88; P.A. 22-69, S. 8; P.A. 23-195, S. 8.)
History: P.A. 76-435 clarified sections to which definitions apply; P.A. 78-166 deleted reference to repealed Sec. 17-226; P.A. 82-198 changed mental health service region to mental health region and redefined regional mental health board; P.A. 90-209 deleted reference to repealed Sec. 17-226d; Sec. 17-226j transferred to Sec. 17a-482 in 1991; P.A. 95-257 replaced Commissioner and Department of Mental Health with Commissioner and Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, effective July 1, 1995; June 18 Sp. Sess. P.A. 97-8 made technical changes reflecting the elimination of mental health regions, effective July 1, 1997; P.A. 22-69 deleted reference to Sec. 17a-484, deleted definition of “regional mental health board”, defined “regional behavioral action organization” and made a technical change, effective May 24, 2022; P.A. 23-195 made technical changes.
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Sec. 17a-500. (Formerly Sec. 17-180). Maintenance and confidentiality of records of cases of persons with psychiatric disabilities. Exchange of information concerning commitment or admission status of firearm permit or certificate applicants and holders. (a) Each court of probate shall keep a record of the cases relating to persons with psychiatric disabilities coming before it under sections 17a-75 to 17a-83, inclusive, 17a-450 to 17a-483, inclusive, 17a-495 to 17a-528, inclusive, 17a-540 to 17a-550, inclusive, 17a-560 to 17a-575, inclusive, and 17a-615 to 17a-618, inclusive, and the disposition of them. It shall also keep on file the original application and certificate of physicians required by said sections, or a microfilm duplicate of such records in accordance with regulations issued by the Probate Court Administrator. All records maintained in the courts of probate under the provisions of said sections shall be sealed and available only to the respondent or his or her counsel unless the Court of Probate, after hearing held with notice to the respondent, determines such records should be disclosed for cause shown.
(b) The Commissioner of Mental Health and Addiction Services shall, notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a) of this section, maintain information, in accordance with section 17a-499, on commitment orders by a probate court, section 17a-506a, on voluntary admissions, and section 17a-502, on commitment under an emergency certificate, and shall provide such information to the Commissioner of Emergency Services and Public Protection in fulfillment of the commissioner's obligations under sections 29-28 to 29-38, inclusive, and section 53-202d, in such a manner as to report identifying information on the commitment or voluntary admission status, including, but not limited to, name, address, sex, date of birth and date of commitment or admission, for a person who applies for or holds a permit or certificate under said sections 29-28 to 29-38, inclusive, and section 53-202d. The Commissioner of Emergency Services and Public Protection shall maintain as confidential any such information provided to him and shall use such information only for purposes of fulfilling his obligations under sections 29-28 to 29-38, inclusive, and section 53-202d, except that nothing in this section shall prohibit said commissioner from entering such information into evidence at a hearing held in accordance with section 29-32b.
(c) (1) The Commissioner of Mental Health and Addiction Services shall obtain from the Commissioner of Emergency Services and Public Protection the status of any firearm application, permit or certificate under sections 29-28 to 29-38, inclusive, and section 53-202d, of each person who is the subject of an order of commitment as provided in section 17a-499 or is the subject of a voluntary admission as provided in section 17a-506a, in such a manner so as to only receive a report on the firearm application, permit or certificate status of the person with respect to whom the inquiry is made.
(2) The Commissioner of Mental Health and Addiction Services shall report to the Commissioner of Emergency Services and Public Protection any commitment or voluntary admission status and identifying information for any person who is an applicant for or holder of any permit or certificate under said sections 29-28 to 29-38, inclusive, and section 53-202d.
(3) The Commissioner of Mental Health and Addiction Services shall advise the hospital for psychiatric disabilities to which a person has been committed or voluntarily admitted of the status of a firearm application, permit or certificate of such person under sections 29-28 to 29-38, inclusive, and section 53-202d, as reported by the Commissioner of Emergency Services and Public Protection for consideration by such hospital in any psychiatric treatment procedures.
(4) The Commissioner of Mental Health and Addiction Services and a hospital for psychiatric disabilities shall maintain as confidential any information provided to said commissioner or such hospital concerning the status of a firearm application, permit or certificate under sections 29-28 to 29-38, inclusive, and section 53-202d, of any person.
(1949 Rev., S. 2648; P.A. 77-595, S. 6, 9; P.A. 94-27, S. 6, 17; P.A. 95-257, S. 48, 58; P.A. 98-129, S. 18; P.A. 11-51, S. 134; P.A. 13-3, S. 11; P.A. 18-86, S. 23; P.A. 22-69, S. 20; P.A. 23-89, S. 10.)
History: P.A. 77-595 replaced “complaint” with “application”, allowed use of microfilmed records and required records be sealed and available only to respondent and his counsel unless court orders disclosure after hearing; Sec. 17-180 transferred to Sec. 17a-500 in 1991; P.A. 94-27 deleted reference to Secs. 17a-580 to 17a-603, inclusive, effective July 1, 1994; P.A. 95-257 substituted “persons with psychiatric disabilities” for “mentally ill persons”, effective July 1, 1995; P.A. 98-129 designated the existing provisions as Subsec. (a), added Subsec. (b) to require the Commissioner of Mental Health and Addiction Services to maintain information on commitment orders and provide such information to the Commissioner of Public Safety with respect to persons who apply for or hold a firearm permit or certificate and require the Commissioner of Public Safety to maintain such information as confidential and use it only for specified purposes and added Subsec. (c) to require in Subdiv. (1) that the Commissioner of Mental Health and Addiction Services obtain from the Commissioner of Public Safety the status of any firearm application, permit or certificate of any person who is the subject of a commitment order, require in Subdiv. (2) that the Commissioner of Mental Health and Addiction Services report to the Commissioner of Public Safety any commitment status and identifying information for a person who is an applicant for or holder of a firearm permit or certificate, require in Subdiv. (3) that the Commissioner of Mental Health and Addiction Services advise a hospital for psychiatric disabilities of the status of a firearm application, permit or certificate of a committed person and require in Subdiv. (4) that the Commissioner of Mental Health and Addiction Services and a hospital for psychiatric disabilities maintain as confidential information concerning the status of a firearm application, permit or certificate; (Revisor's note: In 2001 references to Sec. 29-38a were replaced editorially by the Revisors with references to Sec. 29-38, since Sec. 29-38a was repealed by P.A. 99-212); pursuant to P.A. 11-51, “Commissioner of Public Safety” was changed editorially by the Revisors to “Commissioner of Emergency Services and Public Protection”, effective July 1, 2011; P.A. 13-3 amended Subsec. (b) to require Commissioner of Mental Health and Addiction Services to maintain information in accordance with Sec. 17a-506a on voluntary admissions, include obligations of Commissioner of Emergency Services and Public Protection under Secs. 29-37p to 29-37s, require reporting of identifying information on voluntary admission status of applicants or holders including date of admission and make provisions applicable with respect to certificate under Secs. 29-37p to 29-37s, and amended Subsec. (c) to make provisions applicable with respect to certificate under Secs. 29-37p to 29-37s, make provisions applicable with respect to person who is the subject of a voluntary admission as provided in Sec. 17a-506a and replace “commitment status” with “commitment or voluntary admission status” and “committed” with “committed or voluntarily admitted”, effective July 1, 2013; P.A. 18-86 amended Subsec. (a) by replacing reference to Sec. 17a-576 with reference to Sec. 17a-575, effective June 4, 2018; P.A. 22-69 amended Subsec. (a) by replacing “17a-484” with “17a-483”, effective May 24, 2022; P.A. 23-89 amended Subsec. (b) by adding provision re commitment under an emergency certificate pursuant to Sec. 17a-502 and making technical changes.
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Sec. 17a-506a. Voluntary admissions. Commitments under an emergency certificate. Notification of commissioner. Maintenance of identifying information. Whenever a person is voluntarily admitted or committed under an emergency certificate pursuant to section 17a-502 to a hospital for persons with psychiatric disabilities, as defined in section 17a-495, for care and treatment of a psychiatric disability and not solely for being an alcohol-dependent person or a drug-dependent person as those terms are defined in section 17a-680, the hospital shall forthwith notify the Commissioner of Mental Health and Addiction Services of such admission or commitment and provide identifying information including, but not limited to, name, address, sex, date of birth and the date of admission. The commissioner shall maintain such identifying information on all such admissions occurring on and after October 1, 2013, and commitments occurring on and after October 1, 2023.
(P.A. 13-3, S. 10; P.A. 23-89, S. 11.)
History: P.A. 23-89 added provision re commitment under an emergency certificate on or after October 1, 2023, and made conforming changes.
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Sec. 17a-566. (Formerly Sec. 17-244). Certain convicted persons to be examined. Report and recommendation. (a) Except as provided in section 17a-574 any court prior to sentencing a person convicted of an offense for which the penalty may be imprisonment in any correctional institution of this state, or of a sex offense involving (1) physical force or violence, (2) disparity of age between an adult and a minor or (3) a sexual act of a compulsive or repetitive nature, may if it appears to the court that such person has psychiatric disabilities and is dangerous to himself or others, upon its own motion or upon request of any of the persons enumerated in subsection (b) of this section and a subsequent finding that such request is justified, order the commissioner to conduct an examination of the convicted defendant by qualified personnel of the hospital. Upon completion of such examination the examiner shall report in writing to the court. Such report shall indicate whether the convicted defendant should be committed to the diagnostic unit of the hospital for additional examination or should be sentenced in accordance with the conviction. Such examination shall be conducted and the report made to the court not later than fifteen days after the order for the examination. Such examination may be conducted at a correctional facility if the defendant is confined or it may be conducted on an outpatient basis at the hospital or other appropriate location. If the report recommends additional examination at the diagnostic unit, the court may, after a hearing, order the convicted defendant committed to the diagnostic unit of the hospital for a period not to exceed sixty days, except as provided in section 17a-567 provided the hearing may be waived by the defendant. Such commitment shall not be effective until the director certifies to the court that space is available at the diagnostic unit. While confined in said diagnostic unit, the defendant shall be given a complete physical and psychiatric examination by the staff of the unit and may receive medication and treatment without his consent. The director shall have authority to procure all court records, institutional records and probation or other reports which provide information about the defendant.
(b) The request for such examination may be made by the state's attorney or assistant state's attorney who prosecuted the defendant for an offense specified in this section, or by the defendant or his attorney in his behalf. If the court orders such examination, a copy of the examination order shall be served upon the defendant to be examined.
(c) Upon completion of the physical and psychiatric examination of the defendant, but not later than sixty days after admission to the diagnostic unit, a written report of the results thereof shall be filed in quadruplicate with the clerk of the court before which he was convicted, and such clerk shall cause copies to be delivered to the state's attorney, to counsel for the defendant and to the Court Support Services Division.
(d) Such report shall include the following: (1) A description of the nature of the examination; (2) a diagnosis of the mental condition of the defendant; (3) an opinion as to whether the diagnosis and prognosis demonstrate clearly that the defendant is actually dangerous to himself or others and requires custody, care and treatment at the hospital; and (4) a recommendation as to whether the defendant should be sentenced in accordance with the conviction, sentenced in accordance with the conviction and confined in the hospital for custody, care and treatment, placed on probation by the court or placed on probation by the court with the requirement, as a condition to probation, that he receive outpatient psychiatric treatment.
(1957, P.A. 650, S. 7; 1959, P.A. 426, S. 2; P.A. 73-245, S. 7; P.A. 80-470, S. 3, 11; P.A. 81-472, S. 39, 159; P.A. 85-350, S. 1; P.A. 95-257, S. 20, 48, 58; P.A. 02-132, S. 2; P.A. 18-86, S. 38; P.A. 23-47, S. 2.)
History: 1959 act deleted prerequisite for finding in Subsec. (d)(3) as to whether defendant is mentally ill, mentally deficient or emotionally unbalanced and added requirement for opinion as to whether he is a danger to himself; P.A. 73-245 replaced “center”, i.e. security treatment center, with “institute”, i.e. Whiting Forensic Institute, and replaced “State Prison” with “Connecticut Correctional Institution, Somers”; P.A. 80-470 clarified provisions re psychiatric examinations of convicted offenders and treatment in lieu of or in addition to imprisonment; P.A. 81-472 made technical changes; P.A. 85-350 amended Subsec. (c) by replacing “triplicate” with “quadruplicate” and by requiring copies to be delivered to the office of adult probation; Sec. 17a-244 transferred to Sec. 17a-566 in 1991; P.A. 95-257 substituted “has psychiatric disabilities” for “is mentally ill” and “division” for “institute”, effective July 1, 1995; P.A. 02-132 amended Subsec. (c) by replacing “Office of Adult Probation” with “Court Support Services Division”; P.A. 18-86 amended Subsecs. (a) and (d) by replacing “division” and “institute” with “hospital”, effective June 4, 2018; P.A. 23-47 replaced “the Connecticut Correctional Institution at Somers” with “any correctional institution of this state” in Subsec. (a).
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