Attorney General's Opinion
Attorney General Richard Blumenthal
August 31, 1994
Representative Thomas S. Luby
House Majority Leader
State of Connecticut
General Assembly
State Capitol
Hartford, CT 06106
Senator M. Adela Eads
State Republican Leader
State of Connecticut
General Assembly
State Capitol
Hartford, CT 06106
Dear Representative Luby and Senator Eads:
You have requested our advice regarding the interpretation of Conn. Gen. Stat. 17a-17 and regulations promulgated thereunder. These provisions require the Commissioner of Children and Families and the Commissioner of Education to jointly develop regulations to implement "a single cost accounting system" which is the system of determining payment for room, board and education to private residential treatment centers.1 These centers provide treatment to children who have emotional or learning disorders. The regulations were developed and adopted by the two agencies and now govern per diem rates paid for children placed in these centers by the Department of Children and Families (DCF) or local educational agencies (LEAs).
Both the statute and the regulations have been the subject of recent litigation. Last September, Judge Robert Satter issued a ruling in CACCA v. Senatore, Docket No. CV 92-0703543S upholding the regulations as validly promulgated and implemented. You inquire whether this ruling means that the rates are subject to negotiations. We conclude that payments to residential treatment centers are to be based on the single cost accounting system and arrived at through a purchase of service agreement. Neither the statute nor the ruling requires the parties to negotiate over the terms of the agreement. The ruling is clear that the regulatory scheme for the single cost accounting system is the basis for paying rates pursuant to these agreements.
The regulations in question state:
Reg. 17-42la-2. Per Diem Payment for Residential Care
Essentially identical provisions exist with regard to payment and computation of educational per diem rates in Reg. 17-42la-3. The language in these sections establishes that DCF and Department of Education (DOE) must compute and promulgate one rate for each treatment center.
Judge Satter explains in his decision that:
CACCA v. Senatore, at 24.
The court further points out in the decision that the treatment centers are not required to sign such agreements since they cannot be forced to accept any particular child. A rate could conceivably be revised if a child required special services (e.g. one on one care, specialized educational programming, etc.). However the state's basic rate structure must be based on the single cost accounting system. If the center finds the rate calculated by the state to be unacceptable, the center may decline to enter into the purchase of service agreement, or they may seek a temporary supplement while the agreement is in effect.
In conclusion, the CACCA v. Senatore decision does not mandate negotiations over rates for residential and educational services.
Very truly yours,
RICHARD BLUMENTHAL
ATTORNEY GENERAL
Susan T. Pearlman
Assistant Attorney General
James Kelly
Assistant Attorney General
RB/STP/gmr
Footnote:
1 The single cost accounting system (SCAS) is a retrospective system, in that it uses historic costs to set future rates. The SCAS uses audited financial information from each treatment center to calculate the specific rates for that center. The SCAS contains limitations on the growth of expenditures in certain categories, but allows unlimited growth in certain "fixed" expenses such as insurance, utilities and rent.