(a) There is established a Home Visitation Program Consortium that shall advise the Office of Early Childhood, Department of Children and Families, Department of Developmental Services and the Department of Education regarding the implementation of the recommendations for the coordination of home visitation programs within the early childhood system provided to the joint standing committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to appropriations, human services, education and children pursuant to section 17a-22dd.

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

(1) Four representing families who are receiving services or have received services within the last five years from one or more home visitation programs in the state;

(2) Not more than ten representing home visitation programs in the state, at least four of whom shall utilize different home visitation models;

(3) Two representing private advocacy organizations that provide services for children and families in the state;

(4) One representing the United Way of Connecticut 2-1-1 Infoline program;

(5) One representing the birth-to-three program established under section 17a-248b;

(6) The director of the Connecticut Head Start State Collaboration Office, or the director's designee;

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

(15) The director of the Maternal, Infant Early Childhood Home Visiting program in the state, or the director's designee.

(c) The Commissioner of Early Childhood shall appoint the members of the consortium listed under subdivisions (1) to (5), inclusive, of subsection (b) of this section. The remaining members shall serve as ex-officio members of the consortium.

(d) All appointments to the consortium shall be made not later than thirty days after June 5, 2015. All members appointed under subdivisions (1), (3) and (5) of subsection (b) of this section shall serve an initial term of three years. All members appointed under subdivisions (2) and (4) of subsection (b) of this section shall serve an initial term of two years. Following the expiration of their initial terms, subsequent members appointed to the consortium shall serve two-year terms. Any vacancy shall be filled by the Commissioner of Early Childhood not later than thirty calendar days after the appointment becomes vacant. Any member previously appointed to the consortium may be reappointed.

(e) The Commissioner of Early Childhood shall select two chairpersons of the consortium from among the members of the consortium. Such chairpersons shall schedule the first meeting of the consortium, which shall be held not later than sixty days after June 5, 2015. The consortium shall meet at least quarterly.

(f) Each member shall be entitled to one vote on the consortium. A majority of the consortium 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.

(g) The staff of the Office of Early Childhood shall serve as administrative staff of the consortium.

(h) Not later than September 15, 2016, and annually thereafter, the consortium 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 include (1) the status of the implementation of the recommendations for the coordination of home visitation programs within the early childhood system provided pursuant to section 17a-22dd, (2) the level of collaboration among home visitation programs in the state, (3) any recommendations for improvements in the collaboration among home visitation providers and other stakeholders, and (4) any additional information that the consortium deems necessary and relevant to improve the provision of home visitation services in the state.

(P.A. 15-45, S. 1; P.A. 16-100, S. 5; May Sp. Sess. P.A. 16-3, S. 147.)

History: P.A. 15-45 effective June 5, 2015; P.A. 16-100 amended Subsec. (b) by replacing “eight” with “ten” in Subdiv. (2) and adding Subdiv. (15) re director of Maternal, Infant Early Childhood Home Visiting program, effective June 2, 2016; May Sp. Sess. P.A. 16-3 amended Subsec. (b)(14) by replacing “Commission on Children” with “Commission on Women, Children and Seniors”, effective July 1, 2016.