STATEMENT TO

 

[First Reprint]

SENATE COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR

 

SENATE, No. 311

 

with Assembly Floor Amendments

(Proposed by Assemblyman BENSON)

 

ADOPTED: JUNE 29, 2022


 

      The Assembly amendments revise a provision making contracted crisis hotline centers responsible for ascertaining whether a 9-8-8 caller has children to instead provide that contracted crisis hotline centers are to attempt to ascertain whether a 9-8-8 caller has children.  The amendments additionally provide that the crisis hotline centers are to make this inquiry only when it would not interfere with responding to an emergency. 

      The Assembly amendments clarify that, when a crisis hotline center determines a 9-8-8 caller has children, the center will make a referral to appropriate services offered by the Department of Children and Families (DCF) or any other referral agency, which may include the Children’s System of Care in the DCF.  Prior to amendment, the provision required all such referrals be made to the Children’s System of Care.

      The Assembly amendments make various technical changes to clarify certain provisions of the bill, harmonize terminology, and address certain grammatical issues.