AN ACT RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN, YOUTH AND FAMILIES

HB 5396 sets specific caseload limits for Department of Children, Youth and Families (DCYF) workers based on Council on Accreditation (COA) standards, directly affecting child welfare staff and the children/families they serve. It limits workers to 12 active investigations (max 8 new monthly), 14 families for in-home services, 12 children in out-of-home care, and 8 children in treatment foster care. The bill also requires DCYF to conduct annual pay reviews to align staff salaries with New England state averages for similar roles. These provisions aim to prevent staff overload and improve service quality by standardizing workloads and compensation.