2012 Connecticut General Statutes
Title 45a - Probate Courts and Procedure
Chapter 801 - Probate Court: Administrative Provisions
Section 45a-8c - Truancy clinic. Administration. Policies and procedures. Report.

(a) The Probate Court Administrator may, within available appropriations, establish a pilot truancy clinic within the regional children’s probate court for the district of Waterbury. The administrative judge of the regional children’s probate court for the district of Waterbury shall administer the truancy clinic.

(b) The principal of any elementary or middle school in the Waterbury school district, or the principal’s designee, may refer to the truancy clinic a parent or guardian with a child enrolled in such school who is a truant, as defined in section 10-198a, or at risk of becoming a truant. Upon receiving such referral, the truancy clinic shall prepare a citation and summons for the parent or guardian of the child to appear at the clinic. An attendance officer authorized pursuant to section 10-199, or an officer authorized pursuant to section 10-200, shall deliver the citation, summons and a copy of the referral to the parent or guardian.

(c) The administrative judge of the regional children’s probate court for the district of Waterbury may refer any matter referred to the truancy clinic to a probate magistrate or attorney probate referee assigned by the Probate Court Administrator pursuant to section 45a-123a to hear the matter.

(d) The truancy clinic shall operate for the purpose of identifying and resolving the cause of a child’s truancy using nonpunitive procedures. After the initial appearance made pursuant to the summons described in subsection (b) of this section, the participation of a parent or guardian in the truancy clinic shall be voluntary. The truancy clinic shall establish protocols for clinic participation and shall establish programs and relationships with schools, individuals, public and private agencies, and other organizations to provide services and support for parents, guardians and children participating in the clinic.

(e) The Probate Court Administrator shall establish policies and procedures to implement the truancy clinic and measure the clinic’s effectiveness.

(f) Not later than September 1, 2012, and annually thereafter, the administrative judge of the regional children’s probate court for the district of Waterbury shall file a report with the Probate Court Administrator assessing the truancy clinic’s effectiveness.

(g) Not later than January 1, 2015, the Probate Court Administrator shall submit, in accordance with section 11-4a, a report assessing the effectiveness of the truancy clinic to the joint standing committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to the judiciary and education.

(P.A. 11-177, S. 1.)

History: P.A. 11-177 effective July 13, 2011.