Title 17a, Title 17a: Social and Human Services and Resources

Sec. 17a-101. (Formerly Sec. 17-38a). Protection of children from abuse. Mandated reporters. Educational and training programs. Model mandated reporting policy. (a) The public policy of this state is: To protect children whose health and welfare may be adversely affected through …

Sec. 17a-101a. Report of abuse, neglect or injury of child or imminent risk of serious harm to child. Factors for mandated reporter's suspicion or belief; preliminary inquiries. (a)(1) Any mandated reporter, as described in section 17a-101, who in the ordinary course of such pers…

Sec. 17a-101b. Report by mandated reporter. Notification of law enforcement agency when allegation of sexual abuse or serious physical abuse. Notification of person in charge of institution, facility or school when staff member suspected of abuse or neglect. (a) An oral or electr…

Sec. 17a-101c. Written or electronic report by mandated reporter. Not later than forty-eight hours after making an oral report, a mandated reporter shall submit a written or electronic report to the Commissioner of Children and Families or the commissioner's designee. Such report…

Sec. 17a-101d. Contents of reports. All reports required pursuant to sections 17a-101a to 17a-101c, inclusive, and section 17a-103, shall contain, if known: (1) The names and addresses of the child and his or her parents or other person responsible for his or her care; (2) the ag…

Sec. 17a-101e. Employer prohibited from discriminating or retaliating against employee who makes good faith report or testifies re child abuse or neglect. Immunity from civil or criminal liability. False report of child abuse. Referral to office of the Chief State's Attorney. Pen…

Sec. 17a-101f. Examination by physician. Diagnostic tests and procedures to detect child abuse. Expenses. Any physician examining a child with respect to whom abuse or neglect is suspected shall have the right to keep such child in the custody of a hospital for no longer than nin…

Sec. 17a-101g. Classification and evaluation of reports. Determination of abuse or neglect of child. Investigation. Notice, entry of recommended finding. Referral to local law enforcement authority. Home visit. Removal of child in imminent risk of harm. Family assessment response…

Sec. 17a-101h. Coordination of investigatory activities. Interview with child. Reporter to provide information. Consent of parent, guardian or responsible person. Notwithstanding any provision of the general statutes, any person authorized to conduct an investigation of abuse or …

Sec. 17a-101i. Abuse or neglect by school employee or staff member of public or private institution or facility providing care for children. Notice. Adoption of policy. Employee training program. (a) Notwithstanding any provision of the general statutes, not later than five worki…

Sec. 17a-101j. Notification of law enforcement and prosecutorial authorities when reasonable belief of sexual abuse or serious physical abuse. Notification of agency responsible for licensure of institution or facility where abuse or neglect has occurred. Notification of Probate …

Sec. 17a-101k. Registry of findings of abuse or neglect of children maintained by Commissioner of Children and Families. Notice of finding of abuse or neglect of child. Appeal of finding. Hearing procedure. Appeal after hearing. Confidentiality. Regulations. (a) The Commissioner …

Sec. 17a-101l. Visitation centers. The Commissioner of Children and Families shall, within available resources, establish visitation centers for the purpose of facilitating visits between children in the custody of the commissioner and those family members who are subject to supe…

Sec. 17a-101m. Identification of relatives when child removed from parent's or guardian's custody. Notification of relatives. Immediately upon the removal of a child from the custody of the child's parent or guardian pursuant to subsection (e) of section 17a-101g or section 46b-1…

Sec. 17a-101n. Collection and analysis of data re percentage of abuse and neglect cases involving substance abuse. Reduction strategies. The Department of Children and Families shall collect and analyze data to determine the percentage of the department's cases of child abuse and…

Sec. 17a-101o. Failure or delay in reporting child abuse or neglect. Policy re delayed report by mandated reporters. Notification of Chief State's Attorney. Penalty for failure to report. (a) If the Commissioner of Children and Families suspects or knows that a mandated reporter,…

Sec. 17a-101p. Reports by persons not designated as mandated reporters. Notice to Commissioner of Education. When the Commissioner of Children and Families receives a report from a person not designated as a mandated reporter pursuant to section 17a-101 that such person has reaso…

Sec. 17a-101q. State-wide sexual abuse and assault awareness and prevention program. (a) Not later than July 1, 2023, the Department of Children and Families, in collaboration with the Department of Education and Connecticut Alliance to End Sexual Violence, or a similar entity, s…

Sec. 17a-101r. Guidelines for appropriate interaction with youth athletes and identifying and reporting child sexual abuse. Distribution. (a) As used in this section: (1) “Operator” has the same meaning as provided in section 21a-432; (2) “Youth athletic activity” has the same me…

Sec. 17a-101s. Availability of training materials re child sexual abuse to youth-serving and religious organizations. On and after July 1, 2023, the Department of Children and Families shall make available, upon request of a youth-serving organization or religious organization, a…

Sec. 17a-101t. In-person home visit or evaluation pursuant to safety plan. Exception. (a) For the purposes of this section, “safety plan” means any plan established by the Department of Children and Families to address or mitigate parent or guardian behaviors or conditions or cir…

Sec. 17a-102. (Formerly Sec. 17-38b). Report of danger of abuse. Section 17a-102 is repealed. (P.A. 73-205, S. 2; P.A. 75-420, S. 4, 6; P.A. 77-308, S. 2, 4; 77-614, S. 521, 610; P.A. 79-631, S. 61, 111; P.A. 93-91, S. 1, 2; P.A. 96-246, S. 38.)

Sec. 17a-102a. Education and training for nurses and birthing hospital staff caring for high-risk newborns re responsibilities as mandated reporters of child abuse and neglect. Information dissemination. Development of guidelines for safe care of newborns. Notification to Departm…

Sec. 17a-103. (Formerly Sec. 17-38c). Reports by others. False reports. Notification to law enforcement agency. (a) Any mandated reporter acting outside his or her professional capacity and any other person having reasonable cause to suspect or believe that any child under the ag…

Sec. 17a-103a. Telephone Careline to receive reports of child abuse or neglect. The Commissioner of Children and Families shall establish and operate the telephone Careline for child abuse and neglect that shall be dedicated to receive reports of child abuse or neglect and to pro…

Sec. 17a-103b. Notice to parent or guardian of investigation or substantiated complaint of child abuse or neglect. (a) Upon the opening of an investigation concerning the alleged abuse or neglect of a child, the Department of Children and Families shall give, when deemed to be in…

Sec. 17a-103c. Report of abuse or neglect re child committed as delinquent. Notification. Section 17a-103c is repealed, effective July 1, 2019. (P.A. 02-127, S. 6; P.A. 04-48, S. 1; P.A. 19-120, S. 6.)

Sec. 17a-103d. Initial contact with parent or guardian. Written notice re parent or guardian rights. List of legal services. (a) Upon receiving a complaint of abuse or neglect of a child, the Department of Children and Families shall, at the time of any initial face-to-face conta…

Sec. 17a-103e. Reports of child abuse and neglect by a school employee. Review of records and information. (a) The Department of Children and Families shall conduct, at least annually, random quality assurance reviews of reports and investigations that a child has been abused or …

Sec. 17a-104. (Formerly Sec. 17-38d). Treatment by Christian Science practitioner. For the purposes of sections 17a-101 to 17a-103, inclusive, and section 46b-129a, the treatment of any child by a Christian Science practitioner in lieu of treatment by a licensed practitioner of t…

Sec. 17a-105. (Formerly Sec. 17-38e). Temporary custody of abused child upon arrest of parent or guardian. Whenever any person is arrested and charged with an offense under section 53-20 or 53-21 or under part V, VI or VII of chapter 952, the victim of which offense was a minor r…

Sec. 17a-105a. Child abuse and neglect unit within Division of State Police to assist investigation of child abuse and neglect. There shall be within the Division of State Police within the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection a child abuse and neglect unit whic…

Sec. 17a-106. (Formerly Sec. 17-38f). Cooperation in relation to prevention, identification and investigation of child abuse and neglect. All law enforcement officials, courts of competent jurisdiction, school personnel and all appropriate state agencies providing human services …

Sec. 17a-106a. Multidisciplinary teams. Purpose. Composition. Confidentiality. Records of meetings. (a) For purposes of this section, “children's advocacy center” means an entity accredited or granted associate or developing status by the National Children's Alliance that provide…

Sec. 17a-106b. Impact of family violence in child abuse cases. (a) The state of Connecticut finds that family violence can result in abuse and neglect of the children living in the household where such violence occurs and that the prevention of child abuse and neglect depends on …

Sec. 17a-106c. Family Violence Coordinating Council. Members. Responsibilities. Section 17a-106c is repealed, effective October 1, 2005. (P.A. 96-246, S. 25; P.A. 05-246, S. 18.)

Sec. 17a-106d. Report of neglected or cruelly treated animals part of record in open child protective service case. Not later than one week after receiving a report pursuant to subsection (c) of section 22-329b, the Commissioner of Children and Families shall determine if any add…

Sec. 17a-106e. Screening of young children who are victims of abuse or neglect for developmental delays. Referral. Report. (a)(1) On and after October 1, 2013, the Department of Children and Families shall, within available appropriations, ensure that each child thirty-six months…

Sec. 17a-106f. Trafficking of minor children. Child welfare services. Training for law enforcement officials. (a) The Commissioner of Children and Families may: (1) Provide child welfare services for any minor child residing in the state who is identified by the Department of Chi…

Sec. 17a-106g. Training re identification of human trafficking for employees of hotels, motels, inns and similar lodging. The Commissioner of Children and Families and the Commissioner of Emergency Services and Public Protection shall consult with state and national hotel and lod…

Sec. 17a-106h. Training re identification and reporting of suspected human trafficking for law enforcement personnel, judges, persons involved with the criminal justice system, emergency and urgent care staff and school and constituent unit employees. (a) The Commissioner of Chil…

Sec. 17a-106i. Disclosure of personal injury. Provision of notice re victim compensation. Any employee of the Department of Children and Families or a children's advocacy center, as defined in section 17a-106a, to whom a personal injury resulting from any conduct described in sub…

Sec. 17a-107. (Formerly Sec. 17-38g). Regulations on reports of child abuse. Section 17a-107 is repealed, effective June 11, 2014. (P.A. 86-337, S. 11; P.A. 12-82, S. 15; P.A. 14-187, S. 55.)

Sec. 17a-108. (Formerly Sec. 17-38h). Financial assistance for programs which monitor child abuse and neglect cases. The Judicial Department may provide financial assistance, within available appropriations, to programs which monitor cases of child abuse and neglect. (P.A. 87-328…

Sec. 17a-109. (Formerly Sec. 17-39). Commitment of children to child-caring facilities. When, because of the mental or physical condition of any child committed to the Commissioner of Children and Families under the provisions of section 46b-129, or because of a behavior problem,…

Sec. 17a-110. (Formerly Sec. 17-39a). Permanency plans for children. Contracts with private child-placing agencies. Funding. (a) As used in this section, “child” means a person under the age of eighteen years; “foster child” means a child placed temporarily in a home pending perm…