(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, shall identify or develop a state-wide sexual abuse and assault awareness and prevention program for use by local and regional boards of education. Such program shall be implemented in each local and regional school district and shall include:
(1) For school employees, as defined in section 53a-65, instructional modules that may include, but not be limited to, (A) training regarding the prevention and identification of, and response to, child sexual abuse and assault, (B) resources to further student, teacher and parental awareness regarding child sexual abuse and assault and the prevention of such abuse and assault, (C) bystander training program, and (D) appropriate interaction with children training program;
(2) For students, age-appropriate educational materials designed for children in grades kindergarten to twelve, inclusive, regarding child sexual abuse and assault awareness and prevention that may include, but not be limited to, (A) the skills to recognize (i) child sexual abuse and assault, (ii) boundary violations and unwanted forms of touching and contact, and (iii) ways offenders groom or desensitize victims, and (B) strategies to (i) promote disclosure, (ii) reduce self-blame, and (iii) mobilize bystanders; and
(3) A uniform child sexual abuse and assault response policy and reporting procedure that may include, but not be limited to, (A) actions that child victims of sexual abuse and assault may take to obtain assistance, (B) intervention and counseling options for child victims of sexual abuse and assault, (C) access to educational resources to enable child victims of sexual abuse and assault to succeed in school, and (D) uniform procedures for reporting instances of child sexual abuse and assault to school staff members.
(b) For the school year commencing July 1, 2023, and each school year thereafter, each local and regional board of education shall implement the sexual abuse and assault awareness and prevention program identified or developed pursuant to subsection (a) of this section.
(c) No student in grades kindergarten to twelve, inclusive, shall be required by any local or regional board of education to participate in the sexual abuse and assault awareness and prevention program offered within the public schools. A written notification to the local or regional board of education by the student's parent or legal guardian shall be sufficient to exempt the student from such program in its entirety or from any portion thereof so specified by the parent or legal guardian.
(d) If a student is exempted from the sexual abuse and assault awareness and prevention program pursuant to subsection (c) of this section, the local or regional board of education shall provide, during the period of time in which the student would otherwise be participating in such program, an opportunity for other study or academic work.
(P.A. 14-196, S. 1; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 15-5, S. 415; P.A. 18-83, S. 2; P.A. 22-87, S. 6.)
History: P.A. 14-196 effective July 1, 2014; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 15-5 amended Subsecs. (a) and (b) to change “2015” to “2016”, effective June 30, 2015; P.A. 18-83 amended Subsec. (a) to replace “Connecticut Sexual Assault Crisis Services, Inc.” with “Connecticut Alliance to End Sexual Violence”, effective July 1, 2018; P.A. 22-87 amended Subsec. (a) by replacing “July 1, 2016” with “July 1, 2023” and replacing “teachers” with “school employees, as defined in section 53a-65” and adding Subparas. (C) and (D) re bystander training program and appropriate interaction with children training program, respectively, in Subdiv. (1), and amended Subsec. (b) by replacing “Not later than October 1, 2016” with “For the school year commencing July 1, 2023, and each school year thereafter”, effective July 1, 2022.
Structure Connecticut General Statutes
Title 17a - Social and Human Services and Resources
Section 17a-93. (Formerly Sec. 17-32d). - Definitions.
Section 17a-94. (Formerly Sec. 17-34). - Establishment of receiving homes.
Section 17a-95. (Formerly Sec. 17-35). - Religious and moral instruction.
Section 17a-97. (Formerly Sec. 17-36a). - Foster parent families.
Section 17a-98a. - Kinship navigator program.
Section 17a-98b. - Visit to family home of child with behavioral health needs.
Section 17a-98c. - Written special requests from foster families to the department.
Section 17a-99. (Formerly Sec. 17-37a). - Delegation of guardianship authority.
Section 17a-100. (Formerly Sec. 17-38). - Ill treatment of children.
Section 17a-100a. - Reporting of neglected or cruelly treated animals. Training program.
Section 17a-100c. - Annual report re actual or suspected instances of animal neglect or cruelty.
Section 17a-101c. - Written or electronic report by mandated reporter.
Section 17a-101d. - Contents of reports.
Section 17a-101l. - Visitation centers.
Section 17a-101q. - State-wide sexual abuse and assault awareness and prevention program.
Section 17a-102. (Formerly Sec. 17-38b). - Report of danger of abuse.
Section 17a-103a. - Telephone Careline to receive reports of child abuse or neglect.
Section 17a-103c. - Report of abuse or neglect re child committed as delinquent. Notification.
Section 17a-104. (Formerly Sec. 17-38d). - Treatment by Christian Science practitioner.
Section 17a-106b. - Impact of family violence in child abuse cases.
Section 17a-106c. - Family Violence Coordinating Council. Members. Responsibilities.
Section 17a-106i. - Disclosure of personal injury. Provision of notice re victim compensation.
Section 17a-107. (Formerly Sec. 17-38g). - Regulations on reports of child abuse.
Section 17a-109. (Formerly Sec. 17-39). - Commitment of children to child-caring facilities.
Section 17a-110b. - Permanency resource exchange.
Section 17a-114a. - Liability of persons for personal injury to children placed in their care.
Section 17a-114b. - Credit report review for youth placed in foster care.
Section 17a-114c. - Approval of foster or adoptive family application when a child has died.
Section 17a-114d. - Caregiver authority. Reasonable and prudent parent standard. Liability.
Section 17a-114e. - Foster family profiles. Foster family survey.
Section 17a-114f. - Notification of support for foster parents and relative caregivers.
Section 17a-114g. - Annual report re foster care licensing practices.
Section 17a-115. (Formerly Sec. 17-43d). - Arrest records.
Section 17a-115a. - Emergency placement of children. Criminal history records checks.
Section 17a-116. (Formerly Sec. 17-44a). - “Special needs” child defined.
Section 17a-116a. - Information handbook re adoption of children with special needs.
Section 17a-116d. - Interstate Compact on Adoption and Medical Assistance.
Section 17a-116e. - Compact administrator.
Section 17a-117. (Formerly Sec. 17-44b). - Subsidies for adopting parents.
Section 17a-119. (Formerly Sec. 17-44d). - Moneys for subsidies. Regulations.
Section 17a-121. (Formerly Sec. 17-44f). - Prior subsidies not affected. Increases.
Section 17a-125. - Out-of-Home Placements Advisory Council.
Section 17a-126. - Subsidized guardianship program.
Section 17a-127. - Development and implementation of individual service plan. Child specific team.
Section 17a-128. - Liaison to Department of Social Services.
Section 17a-129. - Department not required to seek custody of certain children and youths.
Section 17a-130. - Application to insurance contracts.
Section 17a-147. - Licensing of extended day treatment programs.
Section 17a-148. (Formerly Sec. 17-49). - When license not required; agreement for adoption.
Section 17a-150. (Formerly Sec. 17-49b). - Regulations.
Section 17a-152. (Formerly Sec. 17-51). - Placement of child from another state.
Section 17a-175. (Formerly Sec. 17-81a). - Compact.
Section 17a-176. (Formerly Sec. 17-81b). - Licensing or bonding not required of sending agency.
Section 17a-177. (Formerly Sec. 17-81c). - Financial responsibility for children. Enforcement.
Section 17a-178. (Formerly Sec. 17-81d). - Duties of Commissioner of Children and Families.
Section 17a-179. (Formerly Sec. 17-81e). - Agreements with other states.
Section 17a-180. (Formerly Sec. 17-81f). - Requirements for visitation, inspection, supervision.
Section 17a-181. (Formerly Sec. 17-81g). - Placement of delinquent children.
Section 17a-182. (Formerly Sec. 17-81h). - Appointment of compact administrator.
Section 17a-195 to 17a-201. - Casey Child Welfare Unit.
Section 17a-201a. (Formerly Sec. 17-408). - Commitment under sixteen restricted.
Section 17a-201b. (Formerly Sec. 17-409). - Religious instruction.