(a) The Department of Social Services shall plan, develop, administer, operate, evaluate and provide funding for services for individuals and families served by the department who are in need of personal or economic development. In cooperation with other social service agencies and organizations, including community-based agencies, the department shall work to develop and fund prevention, intervention and treatment services for individuals and families. The department shall: (1) Provide appropriate services to individuals and families as needed through direct social work services rendered by the department and contracted services from community-based organizations funded by the department; (2) collect, interpret and publish statistics relating to individuals and families serviced by the department; (3) monitor, evaluate and review any program or service which is developed, operated or funded by the department; (4) supervise the establishment of pilot programs funded by the department in local communities which assist and support individuals and families in personal and economic development; (5) improve the quality of services provided, operated and funded by the department and increase the competency of its staff relative to the provision of effective social services by establishing and supporting ongoing staff development and training; and (6) encourage citizen participation in the development of social service priorities and programs.

(b) The Department of Social Services, in conjunction with the Department of Public Health, may adopt regulations in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54 to establish requirements with respect to the submission of reports concerning financial solvency and quality of care by nursing homes for the purpose of determining the financial viability of such homes, identifying homes that appear to be experiencing financial distress and examining the underlying reasons for such distress. Such reports shall be submitted to the Nursing Home Financial Advisory Committee established under section 17b-339.

(P.A. 93-262, S. 4, 87; P.A. 98-239, S. 24, 35; P.A. 03-278, S. 61; P.A. 13-125, S. 3; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 17-2, S. 306.)

History: P.A. 93-262 effective July 1, 1993 (Revisor’s note: In 1997 a reference in Subsec. (b) to “Transportation Department” was changed editorially by the Revisors to “Department of Transportation” for consistency with customary statutory usage); P.A. 98-239 added Subsec. (c) to allow Department of Social Services, in conjunction with the Department of Public Health, to adopt regulations to establish requirements re submission of reports concerning financial solvency and quality of care by nursing homes and to require that such reports be submitted to the Nursing Home Financial Advisory Committee, effective July 1, 1998; P.A. 03-278 made technical changes in Subsec. (b), effective July 9, 2003; P.A. 13-125 deleted former Subsec. (b) re study of conditions and needs of elderly persons and re social services delivery system for elderly persons and the aged, and redesignated existing Subsec. (c) as Subsec. (b) and amended same to add “and the Department on Aging”, effective July 1, 2013; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 17-2 amended Subsec. (b) by deleting reference to Department on Aging re adoption of regulations, effective October 31, 2017.