Bill Text: CT HB06520 | 2011 | General Assembly | Comm Sub

Connecticut House Bill 6520 (Prior Session Legislation)

Bill Title: An Act Concerning Results-based Accountability.

Spectrum: Committee Bill

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2011-05-05 - File Number 765 [HB06520 Detail]

Download: Connecticut-2011-HB06520-Comm_Sub.html


General Assembly		*Raised Bill No. 6520*
*January Session, 2011*		LCO No. 3916
		_____HB06520APP___042611____
Referred to Committee on Appropriations
Introduced by:
(APP)

AN ACT CONCERNING RESULTS-BASED ACCOUNTABILITY.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened:

Section 1. (NEW) (Effective from passage) On or before January 15, 2012, and annually thereafter from January 15, 2013, to January 15, 2017, inclusive, the Commissioner of Social Services shall report, in accordance with section 11-4a of the general statutes, to the joint standing committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to human services and appropriations on the ongoing implementation of the Healthy Start program and the program's outcomes using a results-based accountability framework.

Sec. 2. Section 17b-751b of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage):

(a) The Children's Trust Fund Council shall establish the structure for a state-wide system for a Nurturing Families Network, which demonstrates the benefits of preventive services by significantly reducing the abuse and neglect of infants and by enhancing parent-child relationships through hospital-based assessment with home outreach follow-up on infants and their families within families identified as high risk.

(b) The Children's Trust Fund Council shall: (1) Develop the comprehensive risk assessment to be used by the Nurturing Families Network's providers; (2) develop the training program, standards, and protocols for the pilot programs; and (3) develop, issue and evaluate requests for proposals to procure the services required by this section. In evaluating the proposals, the Children's Trust Fund Council shall take into consideration the most effective and consistent service delivery system allowing for the continuation of current public and private programs.

(c) The Children's Trust Fund Council shall establish a data system to enable the programs to document the following information in a standard manner: (1) The level of screening and assessment; (2) profiles of risk and family demographics; (3) the incidence of child abuse and neglect; (4) rates of child development; and (5) any other information the Children's Trust Fund Council deems appropriate.

(d) The Children's Trust Fund Council shall report to the General Assembly, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a, on the establishment, implementation and progress of the Nurturing Families Network, using a results-based accountability framework, on January first and July first, of each year.

Sec. 3. Section 19a-59g of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage):

(a) The Department of Public Health, within available appropriations and in consultation with the Departments of Social Services and Education, shall seek to reduce the incidence of low birth weight among infants and reduce the cost to the state from unnecessary hospitalizations of such infants by (1) maximizing coenrollment in the federal Special Supplemental Food Program for Women, Infants and Children and Medicaid for all eligible women; (2) encouraging tobacco cessation programs targeted to pregnant women; and (3) promoting the use of the centering pregnancy model of prenatal care. The department may recover the costs of implementing the provisions of this section through funds available from the Tobacco and Health Trust Fund established under section 4-28f and the federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Emergency Fund.

(b) On or before January 15, 2012, and annually thereafter from January 15, 2013, to January 15, 2017, inclusive, the Commissioner of Public Health shall report, in accordance with section 11-4a, to the joint standing committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to human services and appropriations on the programs established under subsection (a) of this section and the programs' outcomes using a results-based accountability framework.

Sec. 4. Section 31-3k of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage):

(a) There is established within the Labor Department a regional work force development board for each work force development region in the state. Each board shall assess the needs and priorities for investing in the development of human resources within the region and shall coordinate a broad range of employment, education, training and related services that shall be focused on client-centered, lifelong learning and shall be responsive to the needs of local business, industry, the region, its municipalities and its citizens.

(b) Each board, within its region, shall:

(1) Carry out the duties and responsibilities of a private industry council under the Job Training Partnership Act, provided the private industry council within the region elects by a vote of its members to become a board and the Labor Commissioner approves the council as a regional work force development board.

(2) Within existing resources and consistent with the state employment and training information system and any guidelines issued by the commissioner under subsection (b) of section 31-2, and with the annual plan developed by the commission under section 31-3h and approved by the Governor, (A) assess regional needs and identify regional priorities for employment and training programs, including, but not limited to, an assessment of the special employment needs of unskilled and low-skilled unemployed persons, including persons receiving state-administered general assistance or short-term unemployment assistance, (B) conduct planning for regional employment and training programs, (C) coordinate such programs to ensure that the programs respond to the needs of labor, business and industry, municipalities within the region, the region as a whole, and all of its citizens, (D) serve as a clearinghouse for information on all employment and training programs in the region, (E) prepare and submit an annual plan containing the board's priorities and goals for regional employment and training programs to the commissioner and the commission for their review and approval, (F) review grant proposals and plans submitted to state agencies for employment and training programs that directly affect the region to determine whether such proposals and plans are consistent with the annual regional plan prepared under subparagraph (E) of this subdivision and inform the commission and each state agency concerned of the results of the review, (G) evaluate the effectiveness of employment and training programs within the region in meeting the goals contained in the annual regional plan prepared under subparagraph (E) of this subdivision and report its findings to the commissioner and the commission on an annual basis, (H) ensure the effective use of available employment and training resources in the region, and (I) allocate funds where applicable for program operations in the region.

(3) Provide information to the commissioner concerning (A) all employment and training programs, grants or funds to be effective or available in the region in the following program year, (B) the source and purpose of such programs, grants or funds, (C) the projected amount of such programs, grants or funds, (D) persons, organizations and institutions eligible to participate in such programs or receive such grants or funds, (E) characteristics of clients eligible to receive services pursuant to such programs, grants or funds, (F) the range of services available pursuant to such programs, grants or funds, (G) goals of such programs, grants or funds, (H) where applicable, schedules for submitting requests for proposals, planning instructions, proposals and plans, in connection with such programs, grants or funds, (I) the program period for such programs, grants or funds, and (J) any other data relating to such programs, grants or funds that the commissioner or the commission deems essential for effective state planning.

(4) Carry out the duties and responsibilities of the local board for purposes of the federal Workforce Investment Act of 1998, P.L. 105-220, as from time to time amended.

(5) Establish a worker training education committee comprised of persons from the education and business communities within the region, including, but not limited to, regional community-technical colleges and regional vocational-technical schools.

(c) Each board shall make use of grants or contracts with appropriate service providers to furnish all program services under sections 31-3j to 31-3r, inclusive, unless the commission concurs with the board that direct provision of a service by the board is necessary to assure adequate availability of the service or that a service of comparable quality can be provided more economically by the board. Any board seeking to provide services directly shall include in the annual regional plan submitted to the commissioner and the commission under subparagraph (E) of subdivision (2) of subsection (b) of this section its plan to provide services directly and appropriate justification for the need to do so. When the decision to provide services directly must be made between annual planning cycles, the board shall submit to the commissioner and the commission a plan of service and appropriate justification for the need to provide services directly. Such plan of service shall be subject to review and approval by the commission.

(d) On October 1, 2002, and annually thereafter, each board shall submit to the Office of Workforce Competitiveness comprehensive performance measures detailing the results of any education, employment or job training program or activity funded by moneys allocated to the board, including, but not limited to, programs and activities specified in the federal Workforce Investment Act of 1998, P.L. 105-220, as from time to time amended. Such performance measures shall include, but shall not be limited to, the identity and performance of any vendor that enters into a contract with the board to conduct, manage or assist with such programs or activities, the costs associated with such programs or activities, the number, gender and race of persons served by such programs or activities, the number, gender and race of persons completing such programs or activities, occupational skill types, the number, gender and race of persons who enter unsubsidized employment upon completion of such programs or activities, the number, gender and race of persons who remain in unsubsidized employment six months later and the earnings received by such persons.

(e) The Office of Workforce Competitiveness shall evaluate each regional workforce development board, using a results-based accountability framework, to determine whether such board is carrying out the duties and responsibilities imposed on it under this section. On or before January 15, 2012, and annually thereafter from January 15, 2013, to January 15, 2017, inclusive, said office shall report, in accordance with section 11-4a, to the joint standing committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to employment advancement and appropriations on the results of such evaluations.


This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following sections:
Section 1	from passage	New section
Sec. 2	from passage	17b-751b
Sec. 3	from passage	19a-59g
Sec. 4	from passage	31-3k