Section 4-124xx - Human Services Career Pipeline program. Training, certification, reporting requirements(a) The Chief Workforce Officer, appointed pursuant to section 4-124w, in consultation with the Labor Commissioner, the Commissioners of Social Services, Developmental Disabilities, Public Health, Higher Education and Aging and Disability Services, the Governor's Workforce Council, the Council on Developmental Disabilities, the Autism Spectrum Disorder Advisory Council and regional workforce development boards, shall establish a Human Services Career Pipeline program to ensure a sufficient number of trained providers are available to serve the needs of persons in the state with an intellectual disability, other developmental disabilities, physical disabilities, cognitive impairment or mental illness and elderly persons. Such pipeline shall include training and certification for cardiopulmonary resuscitation, first aid, medication administration, job placement and incentives for retention in the human services labor sector upon successful completion of the program.(b) The Chief Workforce Officer shall consult with the Labor Commissioner and the Commissioners of Aging and Disability Services, Developmental Services, Mental Health and Addiction Services and Social Services, the Council on Developmental Disabilities and the Autism Spectrum Disorder Advisory Council to determine: (1) The greatest needs for human services providers, and(2) barriers to hiring and retaining qualified providers. The Chief Workforce Officer shall assist local and regional boards of education in enhancing existing partnerships or establishing new partnerships with providers of human services and higher education institutions to provide a pathway to a diploma, credential, certificate or license and a job providing human services.(c) The Chief Workforce Officer, in consultation with the Labor Commissioner, shall develop a plan for the Human Services Career Pipeline program that includes, but shall not be limited to: (1) A strategy to increase the number of state residents pursuing careers in human services, (2) recommended salary and working conditions necessary to retain an adequate number of human services providers to serve state residents, and (3) estimated funding needed to support the Human Services Career Pipeline program. Not later than July 1, 2024, the Chief Workforce Officer shall submit a report on the plan, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a, to the joint standing committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to appropriations, aging, higher education and employment advancement, human services, labor and public health. The report shall include the Chief Workforce Officer's recommendations for establishing the career pipeline and estimates of funding needed to implement the pipeline.(d) The Chief Workforce Officer shall, within available appropriations, establish such career pipeline and, if such pipeline is established, submit a report, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a, not later than January 1, 2026, and annually thereafter, regarding the development and implementation of the pipeline to the joint standing committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to appropriations, aging, higher education and employment advancement, human services, labor and public health. For purposes of this section, "human services labor sector" means persons trained to provide services to persons with an intellectual disability; other developmental disabilities, including, but not limited to, autism spectrum disorder; physical disabilities; cognitive impairment or mental illness; and elderly persons.Conn. Gen. Stat. § 4-124xx
Amended by P.A. 24-0081,S. 132 of the Connecticut Acts of the 2024 Regular Session, eff. 5/30/2024.Amended by P.A. 24-0081,S. 36 of the Connecticut Acts of the 2024 Regular Session, eff. 5/30/2024.Amended by P.A. 24-0035,S. 1 of the Connecticut Acts of the 2024 Regular Session, eff. 5/21/2024.Added by P.A. 23-0137, S. 11 of the Connecticut Acts of the 2023 Regular Session, eff. 7/1/2023.