Connecticut General Statutes
Chapter 319b - Department of Developmental Services
Section 17a-210. (Formerly Sec. 19a-460). - Department and Commissioner of Developmental Services. Duties. Patient transfer, programs and placement. Right to object and hearing.

(a) There shall be a Department of Developmental Services. The Department of Developmental Services, with the advice of a Council on Developmental Services, shall be responsible for the planning, development and administration of complete, comprehensive and integrated state-wide services for persons with intellectual disability and persons medically diagnosed as having Prader-Willi syndrome. The Department of Developmental Services shall be under the supervision of a Commissioner of Developmental Services, who shall be appointed by the Governor in accordance with the provisions of sections 4-5 to 4-8, inclusive. The Council on Developmental Services may advise the Governor on the appointment. The commissioner shall be a person who has background, training, education or experience in administering programs for the care, training, education, treatment and custody of persons with intellectual disability. The commissioner shall be responsible, with the advice of the council, for: (1) Planning and developing complete, comprehensive and integrated state-wide services for persons with intellectual disability; (2) the implementation and where appropriate the funding of such services; and (3) the coordination of the efforts of the Department of Developmental Services with those of other state departments and agencies, municipal governments and private agencies concerned with and providing services for persons with intellectual disability. The commissioner shall be responsible for the administration and operation of the state training school, state developmental services regions and all state-operated community-based residential facilities established for the diagnosis, care and training of persons with intellectual disability. The commissioner shall be responsible for establishing standards, providing technical assistance and exercising the requisite supervision of all state-supported residential, day and program support services for persons with intellectual disability and work activity programs operated pursuant to section 17a-226. The commissioner shall stimulate research by public and private agencies, institutions of higher education and hospitals, in the interest of the elimination and amelioration of intellectual disability and care and training of persons with intellectual disability. The commissioner shall conduct or monitor investigations into allegations of abuse and neglect and file reports as requested by state agencies having statutory responsibility for the conduct and oversight of such investigations. The commissioner shall receive and investigate complaints from persons with intellectual disabilities and persons receiving services from the Department of Social Services' Division of Autism Spectrum Disorder Services, or legal representatives of such persons or from any other interested person. In the event of the death of a person with intellectual disability for whom the department has direct or oversight responsibility for medical care, the commissioner shall ensure that a comprehensive and timely review of the events, overall care, quality of life issues and medical care preceding such death is conducted by the department and shall, as requested, provide information and assistance to the Independent Mortality Review Board established by Executive Order No. 57 of Governor Dannel P. Malloy. The commissioner shall report to the board and the board shall review any death: (A) Involving an allegation of abuse or neglect; (B) for which the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner or local medical examiner has accepted jurisdiction; (C) in which an autopsy was performed; (D) which was sudden and unexpected; or (E) in which the commissioner's review raises questions about the appropriateness of care. The department's mortality review process and the Independent Mortality Review Board shall operate in accordance with the peer review provisions established under section 19a-17b for medical review teams and confidentiality of records provisions established under section 19a-25 for the Department of Public Health.

(b) The commissioner shall be responsible for the development of criteria as to the eligibility of any person with intellectual disability for residential care in any public or state-supported private facility and, after considering the recommendation of a properly designated diagnostic agency, may assign such person to a public or state-supported private facility. The commissioner may transfer such person from one such facility to another when necessary and desirable for their welfare, provided such person and such person's legal representative receive written notice of their right to object to such transfer at least ten days prior to the proposed transfer of such person from any such facility. Such prior notice shall not be required when transfers are made between residential units within the training school or a state developmental services region or when necessary to avoid a serious and immediate threat to the life or physical or mental health of such person or others residing in such facility. The notice required by this subsection shall notify such person and such person's legal representative of the person's right to object to such transfer, except in the case of an emergency transfer as provided in this subsection, and shall include the name, address and telephone number of the nonprofit entity designated by the Governor in accordance with section 46a-10b to serve as the Connecticut protection and advocacy system. In the event of an emergency transfer, the notice required by this subsection shall notify such person and such person's legal representative of the person's right to request a hearing in accordance with subsection (c) of this section and shall be given within ten days following the emergency transfer. In the event of an objection to the proposed transfer, the commissioner shall conduct a hearing in accordance with subsection (c) of this section and the transfer shall be stayed pending final disposition of the hearing, provided no such hearing shall be required if the commissioner withdraws such proposed transfer.
(c) Any person with intellectual disability who is eighteen years of age or older and who resides at any facility operated by the Department of Developmental Services, or the legal representative of any person with intellectual disability who resides at any such facility, may object to any transfer of such person from one facility to another for any reason other than a medical reason or an emergency, or may request such a transfer. In the event of any such objection or request, the commissioner shall conduct a hearing on such proposed transfer, provided no such hearing shall be required if the commissioner withdraws such proposed transfer. In any such transfer hearing, the proponent of a transfer shall have the burden of showing, by clear and convincing evidence, that the proposed transfer is in the best interest of the resident being considered for transfer and that the facility and programs to which transfer is proposed (1) are safe and effectively supervised and monitored, and (2) provide a greater opportunity for personal development than the resident's present setting. Such hearing shall be conducted in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54.
(d) Any person with intellectual disability, or the legal representative of such person, may request a hearing for any final determination by the department that denies such person eligibility for programs and services of the department. A request for a hearing shall be made in writing to the commissioner. Such hearing shall be conducted in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54.
(e) Any person with intellectual disability, or the legal representative of such person, may request a hearing to contest the category assignment made by the department for persons seeking residential placement, residential services or residential support. A request for hearing shall be made, in writing, to the commissioner. Such hearing shall be conducted in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54.
(f) Any person with intellectual disability or the legal representative of such person, may object to (1) a proposed approval by the department of a program for such person that includes the use of behavior-modifying medications or aversive procedures, or (2) a proposed determination of the department that community placement is inappropriate for such person placed under the direction of the commissioner. The department shall provide written notice of any such proposed approval or determination to the person, or to the legal representative of such person, at least ten days prior to making such approval or determination. In the event of an objection to such proposed approval or determination, the commissioner shall conduct a hearing in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54, provided no such hearing shall be required if the commissioner withdraws such proposed approval or determination.
(1959, P.A. 148, S. 22; 1963, P.A. 377, S. 3; P.A. 75-594; 75-638, S. 2, 23; P.A. 76-153, S. 1; P.A. 81-185; P.A. 83-64, S. 1, 4; P.A. 86-41, S. 9, 11; P.A. 87-109, S. 1, 2; P.A. 88-28, S. 2, 8; 88-317, S. 80, 107; P.A. 89-144, S. 7; 89-325, S. 21, 26; P.A. 90-164, S. 4; P.A. 91-193; 91-406, S. 22, 29; P.A. 94-124, S. 1; 94-222, S. 2; June 18 Sp. Sess. P.A. 97-8, S. 22, 88; P.A. 00-135, S. 1, 21; P.A. 01-140, S. 1; P.A. 03-146, S. 1; P.A. 05-256, S. 9; P.A. 07-73, S. 1, 2(a), (b); P.A. 08-7, S. 1; 08-42, S. 1; P.A. 09-11, S. 2; P.A. 11-16, S. 2; P.A. 17-61, S. 1; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 17-2, S. 86, 87; P.A. 18-32, S. 1.)
History: 1963 act eliminated deputy commissioner's responsibility for the Mansfield-Southbury social service; P.A. 75-594 added Subsec. (b) re requests for transfers; P.A. 75-638 replaced office of mental retardation in health department with independent department of mental retardation headed by commissioner appointed by the governor; P.A. 76-153 included responsibility for regional centers in commissioner's duties and again replaced office of mental retardation with independent department of mental retardation; Sec. 19-4c transferred to Sec. 19-570 in 1977; P.A. 81-185 added provisions re required notice of intended transfers of persons from one institution to another in Subsec. (a) and amended Subsec. (b) to include conservators or other legal representatives as persons authorized to request hearing; Sec. 19-570 transferred to Sec. 19a-460 in 1983; P.A. 83-64 amended Subsec. (a) to include vocational training and work activity programs under the commissioner's responsibility and supervision; P.A. 86-41 substituted references to mental retardation regions for references to regional centers and made other technical changes in Subsec. (a); P.A. 87-109 substituted “services” for “program” and “persons with mental retardation” for “mentally retarded”; P.A. 88-28 divided Subsec. (a) into two subsections, relettering Subsec. (b) as Subsec. (c) and substituted “residential, day and program support services” for “diagnostic facilities, day care centers, habilitation centers, sheltered workshops, boarding homes and other facilities”; P.A. 88-317 amended reference to Secs. 4-177 to 4-184 in Subsec. (b) to include new sections added to Ch. 54, effective July 1, 1989, and applicable to all agency proceedings commencing on or after that date; P.A. 89-144 amended Subsec. (b) by substituting the office of protection and advocacy for persons with disabilities for the office of protection and advocacy for handicapped and developmentally disabled persons; P.A. 89-325 deleted the references to Secs. 19a-477 to 19a-479, inclusive, in Subsec. (a); P.A. 90-164 made technical changes in Subsec. (a) and deleted a provision requiring the council on mental retardation to recommend the appointment of the commissioner and added authority for the council to advise the governor on the appointment; Sec. 19a-460 transferred to Sec. 17a-210 in 1991; P.A. 91-193 added Subsec. (d) authorizing the parent, guardian, conservator or other legal representative of a person, or the person himself, to request a hearing by the department on certain final decisions of the department; P.A. 91-406 substituted “determination” for “decision” in the phrase “final decision” in Subsec. (d); P.A. 94-124 required that commissioner conduct investigations of allegations of abuse and neglect and made technical changes; P.A. 94-222 amended Subsec. (a) to provide for services to persons with Prader-Willi Syndrome; June 18 Sp. Sess. P.A. 97-8 made technical changes in Subsecs. (a) and (b) and in (c) added the evidentiary requirements for transfer hearings, effective July 1, 1997; P.A. 00-135 amended Subsec. (a) to add provision re power of commissioner to monitor investigations, effective May 26, 2000; P.A. 01-140 amended Subsec. (a) by making technical changes, amended Subsec. (b) by making technical changes and adding provisions re notice of right to object to transfer and withdrawal of proposed transfer, amended Subsec. (c) by making technical changes, deleting provision re request for hearing and adding provisions re objection to or request for transfer and withdrawal of proposed transfer, amended Subsec. (d) by making technical changes and deleting provisions re hearing for use of behavior-modifying medications or aversive procedures and determination of inappropriate community placement, and added new Subsec. (e) re objection to and hearing for proposed approval of use of behavior-modifying medications or aversive procedures and proposed determination of inappropriate community placement; P.A. 03-146 amended Subsec. (a) by adding provisions re duties in the event of death of a person for whom department has direct or oversight responsibility; P.A. 05-256 amended Subsec. (c) to permit person with mental retardation residing at institution or facility who is 18 years of age or older to object to transfer to another institution or facility, made technical changes in Subsec. (d), added new Subsec. (e) to permit person with mental retardation, or parent, guardian, conservator or other legal representative of person, to contest priority assignment made by department re residential placement, services or support, redesignated existing Subsec. (e) as Subsec. (f) and made technical changes therein; P.A. 07-73 amended Subsecs. (a) and (c) by renaming the Department and Commissioner of Mental Retardation as the Department and Commissioner of Developmental Services; P.A. 08-7 amended Subsec. (a) by renaming Council on Mental Retardation as Council on Developmental Services and changing reference from “retardation” to “mental retardation” and amended Subsecs. (a) and (b) by renaming state mental retardation regions as state developmental services regions, effective April 29, 2008; P.A. 08-42 amended Subsec. (a) by renaming Council on Mental Retardation as Council on Developmental Disabilities, renaming state mental retardation regions as state developmental services regions, adding provision re commissioner's responsibility for stimulating research and adding provision re operation of department's mortality review process and Independent Mortality Review Board; P.A. 09-11 made technical changes in Subsec. (a); P.A. 11-16 substituted “intellectual disability” for “mental retardation” and, in Subsec. (d), substituted “person with intellectual disability” for “person”, effective May 24, 2011; P.A. 17-61 amended Subsec. (e) by replacing “priority” with “category”, effective July 1, 2018; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 17-2 amended Subsec. (a) by adding provision re commissioner to receive and investigate complaints from and re persons with intellectual disabilities and persons receiving autism services from department's Division of Autism Spectrum Disorder services and replacing reference to Executive Order No. 25 of Governor Rowland with reference to Executive Order No. 57 of Governor Malloy, amended Subsec. (b) by replacing reference to Office of Protection and Advocacy for Persons with Disabilities with nonprofit entity designated to serve as protection and advocacy system and deleting references to parent, conservator, guardian and institution, amended Subsec. (c) by deleting references to institution, and amended Subsecs. (d) to (f) by deleting references to parent, guardian and conservator, effective October 31, 2017, and amended Subsec. (e) by deleting reference to parent, guardian and conservator, effective July 1, 2018; P.A. 18-32 amended Subsec. (b) by replacing “persons” with “person” and “the recipient of his or her” with “such person and such person's legal representative of the person's”, effective July 1, 2018.
See Sec. 1-101aa re provider participation in informal committees, task forces and work groups of department not deemed to be lobbying.
See Sec. 17a-270 et seq. re Council on Developmental Services.
See Sec. 17a-475a re medical services for women in state-operated facilities.
See Sec. 17b-492b re authority of Commissioner of Developmental Services with respect to Medicare Part D program.
See Secs. 20-14h to 20-14j, inclusive, re administration of medication in day and residential programs and facilities.
Annotation to former section 19-570:
Cited. 31 CS 197.
Annotation to former section 19a-460:
Cited. 207 C. 296.
Annotation to present section:
Cited. 30 CA 463.

Structure Connecticut General Statutes