State Codes and Statutes
Statutes > Connecticut > Title17a > Chap319b > Sec17a-218Sec. 17a-218. (Formerly Sec. 19a-464a). Programs of community-based residential facilities and respite care and emergency placement for persons with mental retardation. Requirement re enrollment in federal programs. (a) For purposes of this section, the following terms have the following meanings: "Commissioner" means the Commissioner of Developmental Services; "department" means the Department of Developmental Services; and "emergency placement" means cases in which there has been a request for a residential accommodation for an individual for whom there is an unforeseen emergency in his current living arrangement, or cases in which the department has had no previous knowledge of a need for placement, or cases in which such a placement is needed because of actions of another state agency or department, including, but not limited to, the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, the Department of Children and Families, and any court, or cases prior to any other planned placements, because the health or safety of the individual needing such placement would be adversely affected without such placement.
(b) The commissioner shall plan, develop and administer a comprehensive program of community-based residential facilities including, but not limited to, transitional facilities, group homes, community training homes and supervised apartments. On and after January 1, 1997, every contract by the commissioner for the construction, renovation or rehabilitation of a community-based residential facility shall be awarded to the lowest responsible and qualified bidder on the basis of competitive bids in accordance with procedures which the commissioner shall establish in regulations adopted by the commissioner in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54.
(c) The commissioner may provide, within available appropriations, subsidies to persons with mental retardation who are placed in supervised apartments, condominiums or homes which do not receive housing payments under section 17b-244, in order to assist such persons to meet housing costs.
(d) The commissioner may provide, within available appropriations, respite care services which may be administered directly by the department, or through contracts for services with providers of such services, or by means of direct subsidy to parents of mentally retarded persons to enable them to purchase such services.
(e) The commissioner may, within available appropriations and in accordance with individualized plans of care, provide a full range of services to support persons with mental retardation living with their families, caretakers, independently or in community-based residential facilities licensed pursuant to section 17a-227. Such services may include, but are not limited to, education and training programs, social services, counseling services, medical services, physical or occupational therapy, parent training, recreation and transportation. Such services may be provided by the department or be purchased from persons or private agencies through contracts pursuant to subsection (c) of section 4-70b or purchased directly by the service recipient or his family. The department may provide a direct subsidy to persons with mental retardation or their families to be used for such purchases of such support services. The recipient of such subsidy shall provide a documented accounting of such subsidy to the department.
(f) Notwithstanding the provisions of part III of chapter 59, the commissioner may, within available appropriations, enter into a rental or lease agreement for an apartment, home, or similar private residence if it has been determined by the commissioner that an individual is in need of an emergency placement. Such agreements shall not exceed the fair market price for the area in which the leased premises are located and shall not be for more than twelve months. Upon entering such agreements, the commissioner shall notify the State Properties Review Board and shall begin the leasing procedures outlined in said part III of chapter 59.
(g) Any person who is in or is seeking a placement through the Department of Developmental Services or is receiving any support or service that is included within or covered by any federal program being administered and operated by the Department of Social Services and the Department of Developmental Services, and who meets the eligibility criteria for the federal program, shall enroll in such program in order to continue in the existing placement or to remain eligible for a placement or continue to receive such support or service. Any person who is ineligible for such federal program due to excess income or assets may continue in existing placement, or continue to receive existing supports and services through the Department of Developmental Services while spending down available excess income and assets until such person qualifies for enrollment in the applicable federal program. The Commissioner of Developmental Services may make exceptions to the requirements of this provision and provide or continue to provide, within available appropriations, placement, support or services to individuals who are not eligible for enrollment in such federal programs and for whom it is determined there is a legal requirement to serve pursuant to state or federal law or court order.
(P.A. 83-64, S. 2, 4; P.A. 87-152, S. 3, 4; P.A. 88-28, S. 3, 8; P.A. 89-375, S. 1, 5; P.A. 90-230, S. 29, 101; P.A. 93-91, S. 1, 2; P.A. 94-222, S. 1; P.A. 95-257, S. 11, 58; P.A. 96-186, S. 5, 6; P.A. 05-280, S. 31; P.A. 07-73, S. 2(a), (b).)
History: P.A. 87-152 added provisions designated as Subsecs. (a) and (f) re emergency placement, relettering prior Subsecs. accordingly; P.A. 88-28 added "within available appropriations" in Subsec. (c), (d) and (e) and authorized placements in "condominiums or homes which do not receive payments under section 17-313b" to Subsec. (c); P.A. 89-375 made technical changes in Subsec. (c); P.A. 90-230 corrected internal references in Subsec. (f); Sec. 19a-464a transferred to Sec. 17a-218 in 1991; P.A. 93-91 substituted commissioner and department of children and families for commissioner and department of children and youth services, effective July 1, 1993; P.A. 94-222 amended Subsec. (e) to add provision to permit direct subsidies to persons with mental retardation or their families and made technical corrections; 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; P.A. 96-186 amended Subsec. (b) by adding lowest-bidder requirements, effective May 31, 1996; P.A. 05-280 added new Subsec. (g) re enrollment in federal programs, effective July 1, 2005; pursuant to P.A. 07-73 "Commissioner of Mental Retardation" and "Department of Mental Retardation" were changed editorially by the Revisors to "Commissioner of Developmental Services" and "Department of Developmental Services", effective October 1, 2007.
See Sec. 17a-219 re regulations concerning community-based residential facilities and respite care services for the mentally retarded.
