03/30/2023
March 9, 2023 Human Services Committee HB 5001
Public Hearing Testimony of
Danté Bartolomeo
Commissioner
Department of Labor
Human Services Committee
March 9, 2023
Good morning, Representative Gilchrest, Senator Lesser, Representative Case, Senator Seminara, Representative Dathan, Senator Gaston, and members of the Human Services Committee. Thank you for the opportunity to provide you with written testimony regarding HB 5001: AN ACT CONCERNING RESOURCES AND SUPPORT SERVICES FOR PERSONS WITH AN INTELLECTUAL OR DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITY. My name is Danté Bartolomeo, and I am the Commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Labor.
The Connecticut Department of Labor (CTDOL) appreciates the goal of HB 5001, which would greatly expand services available for individuals with developmental disabilities. Additionally, CTDOL would look forward to being involved in any conversations on how the state can help support the I/DD community. We do, however, have concerns with Section 11 of the bill, which would charge CTDOL with establishing a “Behavioral Health and Human Services Career Pipeline program to ensure a sufficient number of highly trained providers are available to serve the needs of persons in the state with intellectual, developmental or physical disabilities, mental illness or behavioral health conditions.”
As you may be aware, the Governor’s Workforce Council (GWC) has responsibility for system-wide initiatives. We are concerned that this section, as currently written, would result in a significant fiscal impact as CTDOL would not be permitted per federal law to appropriate federal WIOA Title I funding for what would be a legislative mandate. WIOA Title I is traditionally used to support career pipeline programs through our state’s workforce boards. If the committee decides to move forward with the pipeline program established in Section 11, we respectfully request substitute language that would move CTDOL from the lead agency to a consulting role, as the agency does not currently possess the direct service delivery model, nor the state funding required to establish such model, to implement this program.
Thank you again for the opportunity to testify, and we look forward to continuing to work with you on ways to help our I/DD community in the workforce.
Connecticut Department of Labor • www.ct.gov/dol
An Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer