(a) Each birthing hospital shall provide education and training for nurses and other staff who care for high-risk newborns on the roles and responsibilities of such nurses and other staff as mandated reporters of potential child abuse and neglect under section 17a-101.

(b) The Department of Children and Families shall coordinate with each birthing hospital in the state to disseminate information regarding (1) procedures for the principal providers of daily direct care of high-risk newborns in birthing hospitals to participate in the discharge planning process, and (2) ongoing department functions concerning high-risk newborns.

(c) Not later than January 1, 2019, the Commissioner of Children and Families shall, in consultation with other departments, agencies or entities concerned with the health and well-being of children, develop guidelines for the safe care of newborns who exhibit physical, neurological or behavioral symptoms consistent with prenatal substance exposure, withdrawal symptoms from prenatal substance exposure or fetal alcohol spectrum disorder. Such guidelines shall include, but are not limited to, instructions to providers regarding such providers' participation in the discharge planning process, including the creation of written plans of safe care, which shall be developed between such providers and mothers of such newborns as part of such process.

(d) A provider involved in the delivery or care of a newborn who, in the estimation of such provider, exhibits physical, neurological or behavioral symptoms consistent with prenatal substance exposure, withdrawal symptoms from prenatal substance exposure or fetal alcohol spectrum disorder shall notify the Department of Children and Families of such condition in such newborn. Such notice shall be made in a form and manner prescribed by the Commissioner of Children and Families and in addition to any applicable reporting requirements pursuant to chapter 319a. On and after January 15, 2019, such notice shall include a copy of the plan of safe care created pursuant to the guidelines developed pursuant to subsection (c) of this section.

(e) For purposes of this section:

(1) “Birthing hospital” means a health care facility, as defined in section 19a-630, operated and maintained in whole or in part for the purpose of caring for women during delivery of a child and for women and their newborns following birth;

(2) “High-risk newborn” means any newborn identified as such under any regulation or policy of the Department of Children and Families; and

(3) “Provider” means any person licensed pursuant to chapter 370, 377 or 378.

(P.A. 01-190; P.A. 11-120, S. 3; P.A. 18-111, S. 5.)

History: P.A. 11-120 amended Subsec. (b) by replacing provision re adoption of regulations with provision requiring department to coordinate with birthing hospitals to disseminate information re discharge planning process and department functions, effective July 1, 2011; P.A. 18-111 amended Subsec. (b) by designating existing provision re procedures for principal providers as Subdiv. (1), designating existing provision re ongoing department functions as Subdiv. (2), and making technical changes, added new Subsec. (c) re development of guidelines, added Subsec. (d) re provider involved in delivery or care of newborn exhibiting certain symptoms to notify department of condition, redesignated existing Subsec. (c) re definitions as Subsec. (e) and amending same to designate provision defining “birthing hospital” as Subdiv. (1), designating provision defining “high-risk newborn” as Subdiv. (2), adding Subdiv. (3) defining provider, and making conforming changes, effective July 1, 2018.