(a) It shall be the policy of the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services to develop and implement treatment programs for pregnant women of any age with substance use disorders and their children. The department shall seek private and public funds for such programs. Each program shall, to the extent possible and within available appropriations, offer comprehensive services, including (1) education and prevention programs in high schools and family planning clinics; (2) outreach services to identify pregnant women with substance use disorders early and enroll them in prenatal care and substance abuse treatment programs; (3) case management services; (4) hospital care with substance abuse treatment available in coordination with obstetric services; (5) pediatric care, including therapeutic care for neurologically, behaviorally or developmentally impaired infants; (6) child care for other siblings; (7) classes on parenting skills; (8) home visitation for those who need additional support or who are reluctant to enter a treatment program; (9) access to WIC and other entitlement programs; (10) vocational training for mothers seeking entry to the job market; and (11) a housing component. To the extent possible all services shall be coordinated to be delivered from a centralized location, utilizing medical vans where available and providing transportation assistance when needed.

(b) In addition to establishing new programs pursuant to subsection (a) of this section, the department shall incorporate the comprehensive services set forth in subsection (a) of this section in existing treatment programs when feasible.

(c) The department shall include in the state substance abuse plan, developed in accordance with subsection (j) of section 17a-451, goals to overcome barriers to treatment which are specific to pregnant women and women with children and to provide increased treatment services and programs to pregnant women. Such programs shall be developed in collaboration with other state agencies providing child care, family support, health services and early intervention services for parents and young children. Such collaboration shall not be limited to agencies providing substance abuse services.

(P.A. 89-390, S. 22, 37; P.A. 90-183, S. 1, 5; P.A. 93-381, S. 22, 39; P.A. 95-257, S. 5, 58; P.A. 16-130, S. 7; P.A. 18-39, S. 1.)

History: P.A. 90-183 replaced prior provisions with Subsecs. (a) and (b) re substance abuse treatment program for pregnant women and their children; P.A. 93-381 replaced Connecticut alcohol and drug abuse commission with the department of public health and addiction services, and added Subsec. (c) re inclusion of goals in the state substance abuse plan and Subsec. (d) re annual report, effective July 1, 1993; Sec. 17a-644 transferred to Sec. 19a-4f in 1995; P.A. 95-257 replaced Commissioner and Department of Public Health and Addiction Services with Commissioner and Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, effective July 1, 1995; Sec. 19a-4f transferred to Sec. 17a-710 in 1997; P.A. 16-130 amended Subsec. (a) by deleting “substance-abusing”, adding “with substance use disorders” and, in Subdiv. (2), replacing “pregnant substance abusers” with “pregnant women with substance use disorders”; P.A. 18-39 amended Subsec. (c) by replacing “section 19a-7” with “subsection (j) of section 17a-451” and deleted Subsec. (d) re report, effective July 1, 2018.

Annotation to former section 17a-644:

Cited. 223 C. 492.