(a) In order to achieve early permanency for children, decrease children's length of stay in foster care, reduce the number of moves children experience in foster care and reduce the amount of time between termination of parental rights and adoption, the Commissioner of Children and Families shall establish a program for concurrent permanency planning.

(b) Concurrent permanency planning involves a planning process to identify permanent placements and prospective adoptive parents so that when termination of parental rights is granted by the court pursuant to section 17a-112, or section 45a-717, permanent placement or adoption proceedings may commence immediately.

(c) The commissioner shall establish guidelines and protocols for child-placing agencies involved in concurrent permanency planning, including criteria for conducting concurrent permanency planning based on relevant factors such as: (1) The age of the child and duration of out-of-home placement; (2) the prognosis for successful reunification with parents; (3) the availability of relatives and other concerned individuals to provide support or a permanent placement for the child; (4) special needs of the child; and (5) other factors affecting the child's best interests, goals of concurrent permanency planning, support services that are available for families, permanency options, and the consequences of not complying with case plans.

(d) Within six months of out-of-home placement, the Department of Children and Families shall complete an assessment of the likelihood of the child's being reunited with either or both birth parents, based on progress made to date. The Department of Children and Families shall develop a concurrent permanency plan for families with poor prognosis for reunification within such time period. Such assessment and concurrent permanency plan shall be filed with the court.

(e) Concurrent permanency planning programs must include involvement of parents and full disclosure of their rights and responsibilities.

(f) The commissioner shall provide ongoing technical assistance, support, and training for local child-placing agencies and other individuals and agencies involved in concurrent permanency planning.

(P.A. 99-166, S. 2; P.A. 00-137, S. 5; P.A. 01-159, S. 2; 01-195, S. 20, 181.)

History: P.A. 00-137 added new Subsecs. (d) and (e) re assessment of likelihood of being reunited, development of concurrent permanency plan, involvement of parents and disclosure of rights and responsibilities, and redesignated former Subsec. (d) as Subsec. (f); P.A. 01-159 amended Subsec. (a) by adding “and reduce the amount of time between termination of parental rights and adoption”; P.A. 01-195 made technical changes in Subsecs. (b) and (c), effective July 11, 2001.