Senate Leadership
April 26, 2006
Williams, Senator Meyer Lead Passage of Legislative Oversight in Closing of DCF Facilities
Past problems in shutting down facilities show need for oversight and accountability
State Senate President Donald E. Williams, Jr. (D-Brooklyn) and Sen. Ed Meyer (D-Guilford), co-chair of the legislature's Select Committee on Children, today secured Senate passage of a bill designed to help avoid the problems of the past regarding the closing of residential facilities operated by the state Department of Children and Families (DCF). The bill requires legislative approval before closing any DCF residential facility.
"The need for this bill became clear when the executive branch-under then-Governor John Rowland-closed a juvenile facility and put before the legislature a plan for a massive, prison-like facility and said 'trust us,'" Sen. Williams said. "We must be sure to not repeat the mistakes of the past such as with the Connecticut Juvenile Training School."
Added Sen. Williams, "We've seen other attempts to close facilities and replace them with new ones. Sadly, DCF has never provided the proper programming at these facilities, dooming them to failure. With this bill, we will be requiring a plan from the state agency operating the facility they propose to close so we can ensure the proper programming and educational services are being pursued."
'The Connecticut Juvenile Training School was a $58 million boondoggle, both in cost and lack of programming. It was a boondoggle because of corruption and lack of good-faith planning," Sen. Meyer said. "I believe the legislature has the responsibility to exercise some oversight over what is often life and death power in order to protect the best interests of the kids who are in state custody and who we're responsible for."
In order for the state to close a DCF facility, the agency must propose a plan to the General Assembly that includes any proposed new facility for residents displaced by the closure; the number of residents and staff affected by the closure and the number of potential residents of any proposed new facility; the associated costs of the proposed closure and any proposed new facility; and the planned use, if any, of the facility's land and buildings after the closure.
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Senator Williams’ Larry Cook |
Listing of Leadership’s recent press releases. |
Senator Looney’s Larry Cook |
