Sec. 17b-655. (Formerly Sec. 17-665). Powers and duties of department. - Connecticut Statutes

      Sec. 17b-655. (Formerly Sec. 17-665). Powers and duties of department. (a) In carrying out sections 17b-650 to 17b-665, inclusive, the Department of Social Services shall cooperate with other departments, agencies and institutions, both public and private, in providing for the vocational rehabilitation of persons with disabilities, in studying the problems involved therein and in establishing, developing and providing such programs, facilities and services as it deems necessary or desirable. Notwithstanding any other provisions of the general statutes to the contrary, the Division of Rehabilitation Services shall not be required to pay that portion of the cost of a program of postsecondary education or training which is properly designated as expected parental or family contribution in accordance with state and federal law regarding eligibility for student financial aid.

      (b) Subject to the approval of all real estate acquisitions by the Commissioner of Public Works and the State Properties Review Board, in carrying out said sections, the Department of Social Services may (1) establish, operate, foster and promote the establishment of rehabilitation facilities and make grants to public and other nonprofit and nonsectarian organizations for such purposes; (2) assist persons with severe disabilities to establish and operate small businesses; and (3) make studies, investigations, demonstrations and reports, and provide training and instruction, including the establishment and maintenance of such research fellowships and traineeships with such stipends and allowances as may be deemed necessary, in matters relating to vocational rehabilitation.

      (c) The Commissioner of Social Services shall develop and maintain a program of public education and information. The program shall include, but not be limited to, education of the public concerning services available from the Bureau of Rehabilitation Services, its policies and goals, an outreach effort to discover persons with disabilities, including such persons who are minorities as defined in subsection (a) of section 32-9n, who may benefit from the services it offers and the dissemination of printed materials to persons at their initial meeting with staff of the bureau, including a statement of such person's rights. Each state agency providing services to persons with disabilities shall furnish to each person applying for such services, at the time of initial application, a written summary of all state programs for persons with disabilities. Such summary shall be developed by the Department of Social Services as the lead agency for services to persons with disabilities pursuant to section 17b-606. The Department of Social Services shall distribute sufficient copies of the summary to all state agencies providing services to persons with disabilities in order that such copies may be furnished in accordance with this subsection.

      (1957, P.A. 557, S. 4; 1969, P.A. 449, S. 5; P.A. 75-425, S. 28, 57; P.A. 77-614, S. 73, 542, 610; P.A. 78-354, S. 4, 8; P.A. 87-496, S. 47, 110; P.A. 89-354, S. 8, 21; P.A. 90-325, S. 12, 32; P.A. 91-303, S. 1, 2, 22; P.A. 93-262, S. 1, 87; P.A. 95-355, S. 4.)

      History: 1969 act deleted provision empowering board to enter into reciprocal agreements with other states, allowed state board itself to establish and operate facilities as well as to foster and promote their establishment and deleted reference to workshops; P.A. 75-425 made real estate acquisitions subject to approval of public works commissioner and state properties review board; P.A. 77-614 transferred powers and duties of state board of education to department of human resources, effective January 1, 1979; P.A. 78-354 returned powers and duties to state board of education; P.A. 87-496 substituted public works for administrative services commissioner in Subsec. (b); P.A. 89-354 changed responsibilities of vocational rehabilitation services from state board of education to department of human resources and changed "handicapped individual" to "person with a disability" and added new Subsec. (c) re program of public education and information, effective July 1, 1990; P.A. 90-325 changed the effective date of P.A. 89-354 from July 1, 1990, to 60 days after the determination by the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services of the U.S. Department of Education that department of human resources meets all applicable federal statutory and regulatory requirements to be designated as sole state agency to administer the state plan for vocational rehabilitation services and that proposed bureau of rehabilitation services within the department meets all applicable federal statutory and regulatory requirements as a vocational rehabilitation organizational unit, i.e. July 1, 1991; P.A. 91-303 in Subsec. (a) added the clause concerning expected parental or family contribution; Sec. 10-103 transferred to Sec. 17-665 in 1993 and internal reference to Secs. 10-100 to 10-108, inclusive, revised to reflect their transfer; P.A. 93-262 authorized substitution of commissioner and department of social services for commissioner and department of human resources, effective July 1, 1993; Sec. 17-665 transferred to Sec. 17b-655 in 1995; P.A. 95-355 made a technical change.