2023 Connecticut General Statutes
Title 17a - Social and Human Services and Resources
Chapter 319 - Department of Children and Families
Section 17a-22ff. - Children's Mental, Emotional and Behavioral Health Plan Implementation Advisory Board.

(a) There is established a Children's Mental, Emotional and Behavioral Health Plan Implementation Advisory Board that shall advise (1) the Departments of Children and Families, Developmental Services, Social Services, Public Health, Mental Health and Addiction Services, and Education, the Insurance Department, the Offices of Early Childhood, the Child Advocate and the Healthcare Advocate, the Court Support Services Division of the Judicial Branch and the Commission on Women, Children, Seniors, Equity and Opportunity, (2) providers of mental, emotional or behavioral health services for children and families, (3) advocates, and (4) others interested in the well-being of children and families in the state regarding: (A) The execution of the comprehensive implementation plan developed pursuant to section 17a-22bb; (B) cataloging the mental, emotional and behavioral health services offered for families with children in the state by agency, service type and funding allocation to reflect capacity and utilization of services; (C) adopting standard definitions and measurements for the services that are delivered, when applicable; and (D) the collaboration of such agencies, providers, advocates and other stakeholders enumerated in said section in order to prevent or reduce the long-term negative impact of mental, emotional and behavioral health issues on children.

(b) The board shall consist of the following members:

(1) Eight appointed by the Commissioner of Children and Families, who shall represent families of children who have been diagnosed with mental, emotional or behavioral health issues;

(2) Two appointed by the Commissioner of Children and Families, who shall represent a private foundation providing mental, emotional or behavioral health care services for children and families in the state;

(3) Six appointed by the Commissioner of Children and Families, who shall be providers of mental, emotional or behavioral health care services to children in the state, one of whom shall be a psychiatrist licensed to practice pursuant to chapter 370, one of whom shall be a marital and family therapist licensed under chapter 383a, one of whom shall be a psychologist licensed under chapter 383, one of whom shall be a clinical social worker licensed under chapter 383b, one of whom shall be a professional counselor licensed under chapter 383c and one of whom shall be an advanced practice registered nurse licensed under chapter 378. At least one of such appointees shall be a provider of mental, emotional or behavioral health care services to children involved with the juvenile justice system;

(4) Three appointed by the Commissioner of Children and Families, who shall represent private advocacy groups that provide services for children and families in the state;

(5) One appointed by the Commissioner of Children and Families, who shall represent the United Way of Connecticut 2-1-1 Infoline program;

(6) One appointed by the majority leader of the House of Representatives, who shall be a medical doctor representing the Connecticut Children's Medical Center Emergency Department;

(7) One appointed by the majority leader of the Senate, who shall be a superintendent of schools in the state;

(8) One appointed by the minority leader of the House of Representatives, who shall represent the Connecticut Behavioral Healthcare Partnership;

(9) One appointed by the minority leader of the Senate who shall represent the Connecticut Association of School-Based Health Centers;

(10) The Commissioner of Children and Families, or the commissioner's designee;

(11) The Commissioner of Developmental Services, or the commissioner's designee;

(12) The Commissioner of Social Services, or the commissioner's designee;

(13) The Commissioner of Public Health, or the commissioner's designee;

(14) The Commissioner of Mental Health and Addiction Services, or the commissioner's designee;

(15) The Commissioner of Education, or the commissioner's designee;

(16) The Commissioner of Early Childhood, or the commissioner's designee;

(17) The Insurance Commissioner, or the commissioner's designee;

(18) The Labor Commissioner, or the commissioner's designee;

(19) The Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management, or the secretary's designee;

(20) The Commissioner of Correction, or the commissioner's designee;

(21) The executive director of the Court Support Services Division of the Judicial Branch, or the executive director's designee;

(22) The Child Advocate, or the Child Advocate's designee;

(23) The Healthcare Advocate, or the Healthcare Advocate's designee;

(24) The executive director of the Commission on Women, Children, Seniors, Equity and Opportunity, or the executive director's designee;

(25) One representative of the Governor's office, who shall be appointed by the Governor;

(26) One representative of commercial health insurance carriers, who shall be appointed by the Governor;

(27) One representative of the Commission on Racial Equity in Public Health established under section 19a-133a, who shall be appointed by said commission;

(28) One representative of the Commission on the Disparate Impact of COVID-19 established pursuant to special act 21-37, who shall be appointed by said commission;

(29) One representative of the task force created pursuant to section 4 of public act 21-125* concerning mental health service provider networks; and

(30) One representative of the task force on children's needs created pursuant to section 30 of public act 21-46*.

(c) All initial appointments to the board shall be made not later than July 31, 2015. All subsequent appointments to the board made pursuant to subdivision (3) and subdivisions (25) to (30), inclusive, of subsection (b) of this section shall be made not later than October 1, 2022. All members shall serve an initial term of three years, except the members appointed pursuant to subdivisions (29) and (30) of subsection (b) of this section, who shall serve a term of two years. Following the expiration of their initial terms, subsequent members appointed to the board shall serve two-year terms. Any vacancy shall be filled by the appointing authority not later than thirty calendar days after the appointment becomes vacant. Any member previously appointed to the board may be reappointed, except the members appointed pursuant to subdivisions (29) and (30) of subsection (b) of this section, who shall serve only one term and may not be reappointed.

(d) The Commissioner of Children and Families shall select two chairpersons of the board from among the members of the board. Such chairpersons shall schedule the first meeting of the board, which shall be held not later than sixty days after July 1, 2015. The board shall meet at least quarterly.

(e) Each member shall be entitled to one vote on the board. A majority of the board shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of any business, the exercise of any power or the performance of any duty authorized or imposed by law.

(f) Not later than October 1, 2018, and annually thereafter, the board shall submit a report, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a, to the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to children. Such report shall detail (1) the status of the execution of the implementation plan, (2) the level of collaboration among the agencies and stakeholders involved in the execution of the implementation plan, (3) any recommendations for improvements in the execution of the implementation plan or the collaboration among such agencies and stakeholders, and (4) any additional information the board deems necessary and relevant to prevent or reduce the long-term negative impact of mental, emotional and behavioral health issues on children.

(P.A. 15-27, S. 1; May Sp. Sess. P.A. 16-3, S. 146; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 17-2, S. 144; P.A. 18-67, S. 2; P.A. 19-117, S. 119; P.A. 22-47, S. 7.)

*Note: Section 30 of public act 21-46 and section 4 of public act 21-125 are special in nature and therefore have not been codified but remain in full force and effect according to their terms.

History: P.A. 15-27 effective July 1, 2015; May Sp. Sess. P.A. 16-3 amended Subsecs. (a)(1) and (b)(21) by replacing “Commission on Children” with “Commission on Women, Children and Seniors”, effective July 1, 2016; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 17-2 added provider of services to children involved with the juvenile justice system as member in Subsec. (b)(3), effective October 31, 2017; P.A. 18-67 amended Subsec. (f) by replacing “September 15, 2016” with “October 1, 2018”, effective July 1, 2018; P.A. 19-117 amended Subsecs. (a)(1) and (b)(21) by replacing “Commission on Women, Children and Seniors” with “Commission on Women, Children, Seniors, Equity and Opportunity”, effective July 1, 2019; P.A. 22-25 amended Subsec. (b) by adding members to the board and Subsec. (c) by requiring initial appointments to have been made not later than July 31, 2015, all subsequent appointments to be made pursuant to Subdivs. (3) and (25) to (30) not later than October 1, 2022, and members appointed pursuant to Subdivs. (29) and (30) to serve a term of 2 years and prohibiting members previously appointed to the board pursuant to Subdivs. (29) and (30) from serving more than 1 term, effective July 1, 2022.