2005 Connecticut Code - Sec. 17a-4. (Formerly Sec. 17-413). State Advisory Council on Children and Families. Appointment. Powers and duties.
Sec. 17a-4. (Formerly Sec. 17-413). State Advisory Council on Children and
Families. Appointment. Powers and duties. (a) There shall be a State Advisory Council on Children and Families which shall consist of seventeen members appointed by
the Governor, including at least five persons who are child care professionals, one child
psychiatrist licensed to practice medicine in this state and at least one attorney. The
balance of the advisory council shall be representative of young persons, parents and
others interested in the delivery of services to children and youth. No less than fifty per
cent of the council's members shall be parents or family members of children who have
received, or are receiving, behavioral health services, child welfare services or juvenile
services and no more than half the members of the council shall be persons who receive
income from a private practice or any public or private agency that delivers mental
health, substance abuse, child abuse prevention and treatment, child welfare services
or juvenile services. Members of the council shall serve without compensation, except
for necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties. Members shall serve
on the council for terms of two years each and no member shall serve for more than two
consecutive terms. The commissioner shall be an ex-officio member of the council
without vote and shall attend its meetings. Any member who fails to attend three consecutive meetings or fifty per cent of all meetings during any calendar year shall be deemed
to have resigned. The council shall elect a chairperson and vice-chairperson to act in
the chairperson's absence.
(c) The duties of the council shall be to: (1) Recommend to the commissioner programs, legislation or other matters which will improve services for children and youth; (2) annually review and advise the commissioner regarding the proposed budget; (3) interpret to the community at large the policies, duties and programs of the department; and (4) issue any reports it deems necessary to the Governor and the Commissioner of Children and Families.
(1969, P.A. 664, S. 4; 1971, P.A. 818, S. 2; P.A. 74-150, S. 2; P.A. 75-524, S. 4, 30; P.A. 79-45; P.A. 84-256, S. 12, 17; P.A. 93-91, S. 1, 2; P.A. 00-188, S. 1, 5; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 01-2, S. 50, 69; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 01-9, S. 129, 131; P.A. 03-19, S. 29.)
History: 1971 act established council as advisory body, increased membership from eleven to fourteen by adding three youth members as provided in act, required that meeting be called at request of five, rather than three members, and deleted provisions re required appearances and production of documents, re development of department policy and re board of review as no longer conforming with advisory status; P.A. 74-150 deleted requirement that at least one woman member be appointed; P.A. 75-524 increased membership to fifteen and required five to be child-care professionals, one to be attorney with remainder representative of young people, parents and other interested parties, specified that psychiatrist member be "child" psychiatrist, changed schedule of appointments, removed all agency heads, except commissioner of children and youth services, from ex-officio membership, limited terms, required monthly rather than quarterly meetings, allowed council access to records and expanded council's duties in new Subsec. (c); P.A. 79-45 changed age of youth members from between eighteen and twenty-five to between fifteen and twenty-two; P.A. 84-256 added attendance and quorum requirements for members and eliminated requirement of annual report to governor, required that meetings be held quarterly rather than monthly and deleted obsolete appointment provisions; Sec. 17-413 transferred to Sec. 17a-4 in 1991; P.A. 93-91 substituted commissioner and department of children and families and council on children and families for commissioner and department of children and youth services and council on children and youth services, effective July 1, 1993; P.A. 00-188 amended Subsec. (a) to delete requirement that at least three members between fifteen and twenty-two years of age be appointed and to make technical changes, effective July 1, 2000; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 01-2 amended Subsec. (a) to increase, from fifteen to seventeen, the number of members, to require that no less than fifty per cent of the members be parents or family members of children who have received or are receiving behavioral health, child welfare services or juvenile services and that no more than half the members be persons who receive income from a private practice or any public or private agency that delivers mental health, substance abuse, child abuse prevention and treatment, child welfare services or juvenile services, and to require that members serve on the council for terms of two years each, and amended Subsec. (c) to make technical changes, effective July 1, 2001; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 01-9 revised effective date of June Sp. Sess. P.A. 01-2 but without affecting this section; P.A. 03-19 made a technical change in Subsec. (a), effective May 12, 2003.
See title 2c re termination under "Sunset Law".
