Public Safety and Security Committee
JOINT FAVORABLE REPORT
Bill No.: SB-572
AN ACT CONCERNING COMMUNITY CRISIS RESPONSE TEAMS AND
Title: REENTRY CENTERS.
Vote Date: 3/24/2021
Vote Action: Joint Favorable Substitute
PH Date: 2/11/2021
File No.:
Disclaimer: The following JOINT FAVORABLE Report is prepared for the benefit of the
members of the General Assembly, solely for purposes of information, summarization and
explanation and does not represent the intent of the General Assembly or either chamber
thereof for any purpose.
SPONSORS OF BILL:
Public Safety and Security Committee
REASONS FOR BILL:
Currently law enforcement is called upon to handle many crisis situations in which they do not
have the same level of training as other professionals. There are many instances that the
outcome is negative and more violent than necessary. This bill would establish an
alternative police response program and support individuals reentering the community from
prison. Many unnecessary violent outcomes maybe avoided.
RESPONSE FROM ADMINISTRATION/AGENCY:
Miriam Delphin-Rittman, Commissioner, Department of Mental Health and Addiction
Services The testimony received supports this legislation. DMHAS currently provides
mobile emergency crisis services to residents eighteen years of age or older. The services
offered by DMHAS range from the prevention of crisis among persons and families to
postvention services. Many of these services and supports assist people in developing a
meaningful sense of belonging to their communities to the reduction in the need of arrests in
favor of referrals to appropriate community resources and supports. These services can lead
to promotion of safety for persons in crisis, the entire community as well as law enforcement.
The community programs being offered by DMHAS have no additional funds for expansion at
this time. An increase in funding would extend the reach of DMHAS and assist more people
in crisis in our communities.
Neil M. OLeary, Mayor, City of Waterbury The testimony submitted is in support of this
legislation. It was noted that as of 9/10/2020 men who call Waterbury their home comprises
8.4% of the total incarcerated population in the state, while 7.4% of the incarcerated women
also call Waterbury their home. Reentry centers provide a comprehensive effort to provide
better opportunities to men and women returning to their homes after prison, as well as
meaningful on-going support. These centers and their support offer the men and women who
have recently left prison a better chance of reentering the community and decrease the
number who will need re-incarceration. It was noted that The Hartford Reentry Center has
served over 700 individuals since 2018, while only being funded for 150 people annually. This
illustrates the need for Reentry centers in our state.
NATURE AND SOURCES OF SUPPORT:
Kathleen Flaherty, Esq., Executive Director, CT Legal Rights Project, Inc. The
testimony offered by the CLRP supports the concept of SB 572 with some concerns and an
outline for a new proposal. The testimony states that the CLRP feels thar community
members in crisis should not have to interact with law enforcement. The CLRP wants to know
who will be designing the programs addressed in this bill and who will decide what
someones needs are. The testimony lays out a bold proposal of ten steps for communities
who are trying to design an alternative to the current police response system. The CLRP
feels that the current system is failing many residents, and the existing system does not keep
us safe.
Achilles Generoso, Statewide Director, Project Longevity This testimony is in support
of SB 572. This legislation is the first step in ensuring that men and women returning home
from prison will have a better chance to integrate back into their communities and society.
Those returning from incarceration are disproportionately affected by issues relating to
housing, employment, substance abuse, mental and medical illness. Reentry centers will
ensure that people are connected to the services they need on the day they are released
from prison, Fiscally, this legislation is a long-term investment to generate savings from the
diversion of incarceration and the unnecessary use of emergency rooms. From a human
perspective SB 572 attempts to reduce the on-going issues that affect communities of color.
Rev. Abraham Hernandez, Executive Chapter Director, CT Chapter of the National
Hispanic Christiana Leadership Conference This testimony supports SB 572. This
organization represents over 300 Hispanic Evangelical churches throughout the state.
Reentry Centers will ensure that men and women released from prison will be able to meet
with experts equipped and willing to provide support to connect these individuals with social
services support on the day they are released from prison. By increasing funding in this area,
long-term savings will be generated by the decrease in recidivism.
Rebecca Simonsen, Vice President, SEIU 1199NE The testimony submitted is in favor of
this legislation. The testimony notes that DMHAS funds many mobile crisis units throughout
the state. The work done by these professionals is very important in many crisis situations.
These professionals (social workers and first responders) are more equipped to respond to
mental health and addiction crisis situations, rather than law enforcement. Statistics indicate
thar people with mental health issues are sixteen times more likely to be killed by police.
Many of these deaths maybe unnecessary, if trained mental health care workers were
responding to crisis situations. District 1199 feels that Mobile Crisis services promote the
most effective strategy in responding to mental health emergencies, thus preventing suicides
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and other deaths. Mobile Crisis services are needed now more than ever and they are
operating on lean budgets leaving big gaps in services at night and on the weekends.
Louise C. Pyers, M.S., B.C.E.T.S. This testimony supports SB 572. Evidence shows that
more funding is needed to support to increase the capacity of our state funded Mobile Crisis
teams. Many of these teams only are funded Monday through Friday 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM ,
leaving law enforcement on their own to respond crisis situations at night and on the
weekends.
Beth Hines, Executive Director, Community Partners in Action The testimony supports
the legislation. The testimony addresses the issues that currently disproportionately affect
communities of color. The Community Crisis Response Team (CCRT) will limit the unneeded
law enforcement contact by dispatching appropriately qualified professionals to respond to
emergency and non-emergency calls. This legislation is also the first step in ensuring that
men and women coming home from prison have more support in their efforts to reintegrate
into society. The legislation will also have long-term savings by decreasing the amount of
unnecessary incarcerations, as well as trips to the emergency rooms.
Margaret Middleton, CEO, Columbus House, Inc. This testimony supports SB 572. The
testimony noted the disproportionate nature of issues that face communities of color
throughout the state. CCRTs will limit the amount of unnecessary law enforcement contact in
crisis situations by dispatching appropriately trained personnel to respond to emergency and
non-emergency calls. The program will provide a support system for those individuals who do
not need to be incarcerated, but rather need connection to treatment services and other
programs during the moment of crisis. The testimony also noted that working with men and
women just prior to their release from prison Increases the probability of a positive reentry
into communities.
Kelly McCooney Moore, Interim Senior Policy Counsel, ACLU CT This testimony
supports the legislation. The idea of community-based crisis response to people in mental
health emergencies is long past due. Statistics show that law enforcement response to
people with mental health emergencies is inadequate and often times leads to unnecessary
violence. Additionally, minorities are more likely to be killed in these situations than white
people. Community-based responders save more lives as we as police time and resources.
Similar programs implemented in other states have been successful and have seen a
decrease in unnecessary law enforcement violence.
Alison Weir, Policy Advocate and Staff Attorney, Greater Hartford Legal Aid This
testimony supports SB 572. This legislation disrupts the potential road back to prison in two
ways first, that the right type of response is provided to address those in crisis, and second
that those reentering society have the necessary tools available to them to become a
productive member of the community. Reentry centers are an important tool in assisting
individuals to create a strong foundation so they may contribute to the community.
Additionally, the testimony points out that police are asked to handle many calls that would be
better addressed by social workers or mental health providers in such issues as
homelessness, substance abuse or mental health,
Hartford Foundation for Public Giving This testimony supports SB 572. In 2017, the
Foundation provided a three-year $450,000 grant to the Community Partners in Action, along
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with the collaboration of other nonprofit and government partners, to launch the Greater
Hartford Reentry Welcome Center. The City of Hartford provided the space and the staff to
provide additional support. This public-private partnership has been working to change the
course of the lives of men and women from prison at the end of their sentences. The
Foundation funded an evaluation of the Centers first year and found that this collaboration
was an effective way to ensure retuning men and women an immediate way to receive
services and support in their reintegration in the community,
Paul Acker, Constituent, Portland The testimony submitted supports the bill. As part of
CCRTs I would ask that the state start looking into Peer Respite programs. Peer Respite
gives people going through crisis a chance to work with peers who have had similar crisis.
These respite programs are entirely staffed gone through crisis themselves. The state
currently does not have a program based on a peer run model. These programs have been
effective in other states.
Janet M. Carter, PhD, Constituent, New Haven This testimony supports SB 572 and the
notion of working to establish peer respite facilities in the state. This is a different alternative
of addressing the crisis and care needs throughout the state. According to Mental Health
America (2018) peer support programs have led to decreased inpatient stays, reduced
rehospitalization and an overall cost of services to the taxpayers in the state. A peer respite
program option will involve community members who have experienced these situations and
provide a recovery approach to crisis and care that is more peer supported and more cost
effective.
Mollie Greenwood, Constituent, West Hartford The testimony submitted supports SB
572. CCRT programs will create a support system to deal with individuals who should not be
incarcerated but rather the opportunity to get connected to treatment and services during
their moment of crisis. Mollie notes that she worked in homeless services for over five years
and during that time witnessed many instances of incarceration to vulnerable individuals
experiencing homelessness and compounded by their mental care issues of the day-to-day
stress of not knowing where they would stay at night. The social services approach to these
law enforcement issues will reduce incarceration rates and the unnecessary trips to
emergency rooms. SB 572 will address the first step by ensuring men and women returning
from prison a better chance of reentry into society. This bill will have long-term savings by
reducing unnecessary incarcerations and usage of emergency rooms.
There were sixteen other pieces of testimony from various groups and constituents
that supported the proposed legislation.
NATURE AND SOURCES OF OPPOSITION:
There was none submitted.
Reported by: Richard ONeil Date: 4-7-2021
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