Human Services Committee
JOINT FAVORABLE REPORT
Bill No.: HB-6319
AN ACT CONCERNING PAYMENT RECOVERIES AND INCENTIVES UNDER
Title: PUBLIC ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS.
Vote Date: 2/23/2021
Vote Action: Joint Favorable
PH Date: 2/16/2021
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:
Human Services Committee
REASONS FOR BILL:
This bill has two main provisions: to notify family members of deceased persons when the
state is claiming their estates for public assistance debt; and to permit non-profit providers of
human services to use any surplus in funding at the end of a contract term to reinvest in client
services. The first section is intended to keep family members of decedents properly informed
of any claim the state has on their assets, and to do so in a timely fashion. The second
section is intended to incentivize providers to achieve efficiencies, enabling them to improve
the quality of their services and reach a greater number of clients.
RESPONSE FROM ADMINISTRATION/AGENCY:
No testimony was submitted.
NATURE AND SOURCES OF SUPPORT:
Alan Aleia, CFO, Southeastern Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, Inc,
Doug Ardrey, CFO, SARAH, Inc.
Becky Blazejowski, CFO, MidState Arc, Inc
Christina Emery, Executive Director, Prime Time House,
Win Evarts, Executive Director, The Arc Connecticut,
Alice Forrester, CEO, Clifford W. Beers Guidance Clinic, Inc.
Tammy Freeberg. Vice President Strategy and Planning, The Village for Families & Children
Nancy W. Gentes, Executive Director, Madonna Place, Inc.
Michelle Grant, Director of Finance of The Caring Community of Connecticut
Linda Iovanna, CEO, MARC Community Resources
Heather Marquis, Goodwill of Western and Northern CT
Pamela Paisey, CEO, Community Residences Inc. (CRI)
Luis B. Perez, President and CEO, Mental Health Connecticut
Anne Ruwet, CEO, CCARC, Inc
Kristie Scott, CEO, Perception Programs
Ben Shaiken, Manager of Advocacy & Public Policy at the CT Community Nonprofit Alliance
Loraine Shea, President and CEO, Easterseals of Greater Waterbury
Stan Soby, Vice President, Public Policy and External Affairs, at Oak Hill
Stephen Zulli, CFO, Journey Found.
Roberta Cook, President and CEO of BHcare
Heather Gates, President/CEO, Community Health Resources
Kimberly L. Beauregard, President and CEO, InterCommunity Health
Sabrina Trocchi, President/ CEO, Wheeler Clinic Inc
In each of their testimonies, they express support for Section 2 of this bill as it would allow
state-contracted nonprofit providers to retain a portion of savings to innovate, invest in
programs and find efficiencies. This money could be used in a variety of ways: facility
improvements, capital improvements, expansion of services, employee compensation, and
program implementation. Ms. Paisey and Ms. Trocchi comment that retaining savings from
the prior year would allow agencies greater flexibility in how cost savings and efficiencies can
be best applied, rather than spending funds in fear of losing them. All of the testifiers agree
that the Innovation Incentive Program is a creative way to support nonprofits considering the
States fiscal challenges. If implemented, this program would be monumental in helping to
fiscally stabilize nonprofits who have been impacted deeply by this pandemic. In each of their
testimonies, they express how the COVID pandemic, has demonstrated exactly how illogical
it is that nonprofits were forced to pay money back to the State in the midst of a deadly
pandemic, especially when standard operating costs were increased. Mr. Ardrey comments
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that if nonprofits were able to retain surplus it would be a huge incentive to maximize
efficiency and increase reserves for future unforeseen circumstances. Mr. Ardrey and Ms.
Emery add that having the ability to keep a surplus would allow nonprofits to offset losses in
other programs that are chronically underfunded.
NATURE AND SOURCES OF OPPOSITION:
Alison Weir, Policy Advocate and Staff Attorney, Greater Hartford Legal Aid, is in opposition
to Section 2 of this bill. She believes that allowing surplus to be reinvested could provide an
incentive to cut corners by limiting services or even denying services although to individuals
for whom saving are not likely achievable. While sympathetic to the desire to increase
funding available to nonprofit service providers, Ms. Weir comments that service provides
should be adequately funded in the first place. She hopes for a pilot program in order to
examine whether the incentive program could successfully operate without sacrificing the
quality and quantity of services.
Reported by: Gianna Vollano Date: March 9, 2021
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Statutes affected:
Raised Bill:
HS Joint Favorable:
File No. 22:
JUD Joint Favorable:
Public Act No. 21-65: