The Department of Children and Families, in consultation with the Departments of Social Services, Mental Health and Addiction Services and Developmental Services, shall establish, within available appropriations, a kinship navigator program. Such program shall ensure that: (1) When the Department of Children and Families determines that it is in the best interest of the child to be placed with a relative for foster care, the department informs the relative regarding procedures to become licensed as a foster parent, and (2) grandparents and other relatives caring for a minor child are provided with information on the array of state services and benefits for which they may be eligible, including the subsidy program established pursuant to section 17a-126. The Commissioner of Children and Families shall, within available appropriations, ensure that information on the array of services available under the kinship navigator program is accessible through the 2-1-1 Infoline program.

(P.A. 03-42, S. 1; P.A. 06-182, S. 2; P.A. 07-73, S. 2(a); 07-174, S. 2; P.A. 11-105, S. 1.)

History: P.A. 06-182 designated existing provisions as Subsec. (a) and amended same to change program name from “kinship foster care program” to “kinship navigator program”, add consultative role for Departments of Social Services, Mental Health and Addiction Services and Mental Retardation in establishment of program, and require that program ensure grandparents and other relatives are provided with information on array of state services for which they may be eligible and that information is accessible through 2-1-1 Infoline program, and added Subsec. (b) requiring Commissioner of Children and Families to report annually on program to the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to human services; pursuant to P.A. 07-73 “Department of Mental Retardation” was changed editorially by the Revisors to “Department of Developmental Services”, effective October 1, 2007; P.A. 07-174 amended Subsec. (a)(2) to delete “related to such persons” and change “child” to “minor child”; P.A. 11-105 deleted former Subsec. (b) re annual report and made a conforming change, effective July 1, 2011.