General Assembly Raised Bill No. 7071 proposes significant amendments to the definition and handling of "family with service needs" in section 46b-120 of the general statutes. The bill removes the previous requirement that a petition must have been filed on or before June 30, 2020, and expands the definition to include children who are habitual truants or overtly defiant of school rules. It introduces provisions allowing parents or guardians to file complaints about their child's behavior, which will be assessed by a probation officer. If substantiated, the child and family may be referred to youth services or family support centers for a minimum of ninety days. The bill also outlines the process for filing petitions with the Superior Court, including necessary information and the court's authority to issue summonses, and mandates educational evaluations for habitual truants.

Additionally, the bill establishes new procedures for addressing children at risk of physical harm and those involved in juvenile delinquency. It allows probation officers to file petitions for children in imminent risk, enabling court-authorized placements in staff-secure facilities for up to 45 days, with regular reviews. The bill repeals the previous provision allowing police to hold a child in protective custody for up to 12 hours, replacing it with a more flexible approach for transporting children to guardians or youth service agencies. It also mandates the creation of family support centers to provide crisis intervention and mental health treatment, while emphasizing the need for less restrictive alternatives for children adjudicated as from families with service needs. Overall, Raised Bill No. 7071 aims to enhance support for families and streamline the legal process for addressing the needs of children at risk.

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