Sec. 17a-750. Delivery of human services in the northeastern region: Definitions.
Sec. 17a-752. Organization of council. Negotiated investment strategy.
Sec. 17a-753. Five-year strategic plan.
Sec. 17a-754. Consideration of plan in state and local budgeting.
Secs. 17a-755 to 17a-759. Reserved
Sec. 17a-760. Regional human services coordinating councils.
Sec. 17a-750. Delivery of human services in the northeastern region: Definitions. As used in sections 17a-750 to 17a-753, inclusive:
(1) “Northeastern region” means the towns of Brooklyn, Canterbury, Eastford, Killingly, Plainfield, Pomfret, Putnam, Sterling, Thompson and Woodstock;
(2) “Human services” means services provided to persons or families experiencing difficulty in meeting their basic human needs for (A) physical survival, including their need for food, shelter, clothing and maintenance of minimum income, (B) preparing for and sustaining employment, (C) job readiness, including employment and training programs and child care programs, (D) social support and interaction, especially in time of personal or family crisis, (E) assistance in addressing specific pathologies, such as health, mental health and substance abuse, and (F) access to available appropriate services, such as education, transportation, information and referral services and includes remedial and preventative services targeted to low and moderate income individuals and families, by age group or by specific need;
(3) “Negotiated investment strategy” means a mediated negotiation process to solve problems, resolve conflicts, develop plans for joint action and to implement those plans by involving all affected interests and which requires (A) an implementation plan to establish coherent, coordinated strategies to guide and target the investment of time and resources by all public and private interests, and (B) a written agreement that sets forth each party's roles and commitments and provides for subsequent monitoring to assure the commitments are carried out; and
(4) “State agency” means each state board, authority, commissioner, department, office, institution, council or other agency of the state, including, but not limited to, each constituent unit and each public institution of higher education.
(P.A. 97-249, S. 1, 6; P.A. 02-89, S. 28.)
History: P.A. 97-249 effective June 27, 1997; P.A. 02-89 replaced reference to Sec. 17a-754 with reference to Sec. 17a-753, reflecting the repeal of Sec. 17a-754 by the same public act, and made a technical change in Subdiv. (3).
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Sec. 17a-751. Pilot program to address human services needs in the northeastern region. Regional human services negotiating council. (a) There is established for the northeastern region a pilot program to address the human services needs of such region. The pilot program shall allow local governments in partnership with public and private providers of human services and human service users, educators, business and other appropriate individuals or groups to establish a program to address the human services needs of the northeastern region. The goals of the pilot program shall be to (1) implement a regional partnership strategy that allows the northeastern region to coordinate programs and carry out the complex, sensitive and lengthy process of community-based planning based on a unified vision that results in strengthening the community; (2) nurture human development; (3) achieve opportunities for all persons in the community; and (4) incorporate the principles of caring, prevention and healing.
(b) Decisions in the development and implementation of the five-year strategic plan developed under section 17a-753 shall be made through a negotiated investment strategy as provided in section 17a-752.
(c) The pilot program shall include the establishment of a regional human services negotiating council made up of five sectors: (1) Local, state and federal elected officials servicing the northeastern region; (2) public and private human service providers from the northeastern region; (3) users of human services; (4) persons who shall include, but not be limited to, educators and representatives of labor and of business; and (5) state and federal agencies involved in human services. The negotiating council shall prepare the plan required under section 17a-753.
(d) Each sector identified in subsection (c) of this section shall designate five persons to serve as the negotiating team for such sector. The process for selecting the team shall be determined by each sector. Sectors and teams shall establish a schedule and procedures. Each team shall have one vote in the decisions of the negotiating council. The five-year strategic plan developed under section 17a-753 shall not be effective unless unanimously approved by the negotiating council.
(P.A. 97-249, S. 2, 6.)
History: P.A. 97-249 effective June 27, 1997.
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Sec. 17a-752. Organization of council. Negotiated investment strategy. (a) The Institute of Public Service at The University of Connecticut shall organize the negotiating council and call the first meeting of the negotiating council on or before August 1, 1997. The negotiating council shall, with the assistance of such Institute for Public Service, prepare and issue a request for proposals for a qualified mediator to coordinate, organize, facilitate and mediate the negotiated investment strategy process. Prior to securing the services of a mediator, the negotiating council shall acquire the funds necessary to obtain such services including funds to support the operation of the negotiating council and participation by each sector.
(b) Prior to or at the first joint meeting of the negotiating council, the members may request and exchange information about issues related to the formation of the five-year strategic plan. On or before the first meeting or between the first two meetings of the negotiating council, the members shall prepare preliminary positions on issues related to a five-year strategic plan. At the first meeting of the negotiating council, each of the five members shall agree in writing to a set of rules of procedure consistent with the negotiated investment strategy process.
(c) Following the initial exchange of information, the members of the negotiating council shall negotiate their differences. Between meetings, members shall continue to work towards the resolution of differences and may establish subcommittees to facilitate such efforts. Written position papers shall be prepared and exchanged through the mediator. The mediator shall summarize points of agreement and disagreement. Unanimous agreement on issues shall result in a written memorandum of understanding which will then be circulated by the mediator. The members of the negotiating council shall determine when to meet jointly and shall establish formal and informal deadlines for the work of the negotiating council. After each meeting elements of the final agreement shall be incorporated into the final agreement by the mediator. After agreement has been obtained on all outstanding issues, such agreements shall be incorporated into one document and signed by all participants in the process and adopted by all agencies and authorities represented in the negotiations. The council may be called back at the call of any one of the council members to review or discuss issues as they deem necessary.
(d) All meetings of the negotiating council, except caucuses of members initiated during a joint meeting of the council, shall be public meetings and advertised to the general public. Meetings shall be held in facilities that permit the observation by members of the general public. The negotiating council shall hold a public hearing in the northeastern region upon the completion of the five-year strategic plan prepared pursuant to section 17a-753 and prior to the adoption of the plan by the negotiating council.
(P.A. 97-249, S. 3, 6.)
History: P.A. 97-249 effective June 27, 1997.
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Sec. 17a-753. Five-year strategic plan. (a) On or before October 1, 1998, the regional negotiating council shall develop a five-year strategic plan that addresses the human services needs of the northeastern region. Such plan shall be submitted to the legislative body of each town constituting the northeastern region, the United States Congress, the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management and the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to appropriations.
(b) The five-year strategic plan shall be developed by means of a negotiated investment strategy and shall set forth goals to meet basic human needs for the northeastern region and establish benchmarks to measure progress towards achieving such goals. The plan shall identify regional issues and needs and resources and address efficiency and effectiveness of service delivery. The plan shall be consistent with the planning and policy objectives of the state that are implemented in the state budget and shall comply with state and federal law. The plan shall include a project component relating specific regional and local proposals to state planning goals and a component which describes the administration and fund distribution process. The project component shall be updated annually. The plan shall include a description of the planning process used to identify needs and set priorities for the region, a description of the programs to be funded, a description of any eligibility standards to be used, an implementation schedule and a budget detailing the specific use of funds available under the regional human services pilot program and related funds. The plan shall identify opportunities for state agencies to award grants on a regional basis and shall identify state, local and federal funding sources and make recommendations for legislation to implement the plan for the biennium beginning July 1, 1999. The plan shall include an analysis of the fiscal and administrative impact on the state and municipalities outside of the pilot region. If the plan recommends continuation of the negotiating council, the negotiating council shall continue.
(c) The five-year plan developed under this section shall not impact existing state, local or federal funds received by human service providers or the existing programs of northeastern region human service providers. Any realignment of existing human service programs shall be done by an affirmative action of the governing body of the program and be consistent with the five-year strategic plan.
(P.A. 97-249, S. 4, 6.)
History: P.A. 97-249 effective June 27, 1997.
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Sec. 17a-754. Consideration of plan in state and local budgeting. Section 17a-754 is repealed, effective October 1, 2002.
(P.A. 97-249, S. 5, 6; P.A. 02-89, S. 90.)
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Secs. 17a-755 to 17a-759. Reserved for future use.
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Sec. 17a-760. Regional human services coordinating councils. (a) On or after January 1, 2015, there shall be established a regional human services coordinating council for each planning region redesignated pursuant to section 16a-4c to encourage collaborations that will foster the development and maintenance of a client-focused structure for the health and human services system in the region.
(b) Membership on the regional human services coordinating councils established under this section shall include the Commissioners of Developmental Services, Social Services, Children and Families, Mental Health and Addiction Services, Correction, Education and Public Health, or said commissioners' designees, and the executive director of the Court Support Services Division of the Judicial Branch, or the executive director's designee. Additional membership shall be determined at the discretion of the executive director of each regional council of governments. Such membership may include, but not be limited to: (1) Municipal elected officials, (2) workforce development boards, (3) nonprofit agencies, and (4) family advocacy groups.
(c) Each regional human services coordinating council established under this section shall meet not less than twice annually to (1) ensure that regional plans and activities are coordinated with the human service needs of each region, and (2) develop approaches to improve service delivery and achieve cost savings in the region.
(P.A. 13-247, S. 327.)
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