The Department in Brief

The Department of Social Services provides a broad range of services to the elderly, people with disabilities, families, and individuals who need assistance in maintaining or achieving their full potential for self-direction, self-reliance and independent living.

Department Overview

Mission and Vision 

Divisions within the department

Programs administered by the department

Entities attached to the department for administrative purposes

Committees of which the Commissioner is a member by statute

The Statewide Advisory Council

Employment opportunities

Our Budget

Regional Office Locations

Department Overview

The Department of Social Services provides a broad range of services to the elderly, persons with disabilities, families, and individuals who need assistance in maintaining or achieving their full potential for self-direction, self-reliance and independent living. It administers over 90 legislatively authorized programs and one-third of the state budget. By statute it is the state agency responsible for administering a number of programs under federal legislation, including the Rehabilitation Act, the Food Stamp Act, the Older Americans Act, and the Social Security Act. The department is also designated as a public housing agency for the purpose of administering the Section 8 program under the federal Housing Act.

The department is headed by the Commissioner of Social Services, and there are deputy commissioners for Administration and Programs. There is a regional administrator responsible for each of the three service regions. By statute, there is a statewide advisory council to the Commissioner, and each region must have a regional advisory council.

The agency administers most of its programs through offices located throughout the state. Within the department, the Bureau of Rehabilitation Services provides vocational rehabilitation services for eligible individuals with physical and mental disabilities at 23 offices throughout the state.  For the other programs, services are available through 11 offices located in the three regions, with central office support located in Hartford. In addition, many services funded by the agency are available through community based agencies, including the 156 senior centers throughout Connecticut. The agency has outstationed employees at hospitals to expedite Medicaid applications, and funds healthy start sites which can accept applications for Medicaid for pregnant women and young children. Many of the services provided by the department are available via mail or phone call.

There are four entities attached to the department for administrative purposes only. They are the Commission on Aging, The Commission on Deaf and Hearing Impaired, the Board of Education services for the Blind, and the Child Day Care Council.

Mission and Vision 

DSS MISSION

The Connecticut Department of Social Services provides a continuum of core services to:

• Meet basic needs of food, shelter, economic support and health care

• Promote and support the choice to live with dignity in one's own home and community

• Promote and support the achievement of economic viability in the workforce

We gain strength from our diverse environment to promote equal access to all DSS programs and services. 

DSS VISION

The Connecticut Department of Social Services is people working together to support individuals and families to reach their full potential and live better lives.  We do this with humanity and integrity.

Divisions Within the Department

Adult Services

Affirmative Action

Aging Services

Bureau of Rehabilitation Services

Central Processing Division

Certificate of Need and Rate Setting

Electronic Benefit Transfer

Family Services

Financial Management and Analysis

Human Resources

Information Technology Services 

Legal Counsel, Regulations and Administrative Hearings  
(Versión en Español)

Medical Administration Policy

Medical Administration Operations

Organizational and Skill Development

Public and Government Relations

Quality Assurance

Social Work and Prevention Services

Strategic Planning

Entities Attached to the Department for Administrative Purposes

Commission on Aging
Established under section 17b-420 of the General Statutes, the commission is charged with advocating on behalf of elderly persons on issues and programs of concern to the elderly including, but not limited to, health care, nutrition, housing, employment, transportation, legal assistance and economic security. The Commissioner of DSS is a non-voting ex- officio member. Pamela Giannini, Director of the Bureau of Aging, Community and Social Work Services, is the Commissioner’s designee to attend.

Child Day Care Council
Section 17b-748 of the General Statutes establishes the Child Day Care Council. The Council is to make recommendations to the Commissioners of Social Services and Public Health and Addiction Services regarding child care licensing standards and on planning for child care services. The Council also is to study issues affecting child day care and make recommendations to the general assembly, and serves as an advisory committee to the department of social services in the development of the state child care plan and is to conduct biennial hearings on the plan. Amparo Stella Garcia, Lead Planning Analyst, is the designee.

Commission on Deaf and Hearing Impaired
Section 46a-27 of the General Statutes establishes the Commission on Deaf and Hearing Impaired. The Commission is to advocate, strengthen and implement state policies affecting deaf and hearing impaired individuals and their relationship to the public, industry, health care and educational opportunity. It is attached to the Department of Social Services for administrative purposes only. The Commissioner of DSS is a non-voting ex-officio member. Irene Mason, Director of Affirmative Action is the designee.

Board of Education and Services for the Blind
Established by section 10-293 of the General Statutes, the board has the responsibility of maintaining a registry of the blind in the state and to take measures for the prevention of blindness or conservation of eyesight and for the education of children and for the vocational guidance of adults having seriously defective sight. The board is attached to the Department of Social Services for administrative purposes only. The Commissioner is an ex-officio member.

Committees of Which the Commissioner is a Member by Statute

Commission on Aging
Established under section 17b-420 of the General Statutes, the commission is charged with advocating on behalf of elderly persons on issues and programs of concern to the elderly including, but not limited to, health care, nutrition, housing, employment, transportation, legal assistance and economic security. The Commissioner of DSS is a non-voting ex- officio member. Pamela Giannini, Director of the Bureau of Aging, Community and Social Work Services, is the Commissioner’s designee to attend.

Commission on Children
Established under section 46a-126 of the General Statutes, the commission is charged with reviewing all matters concerning children, and by law must meet at least twice a year with the Commissioner of DSS. The Commissioner is a non-voting ex-officio member. Sylvia Gafford-Alexander, Project Director, is the Commissioner’s designee.

Purchase of Service Task Force
Established by Public Act 92-123, the task force was to establish uniform procedures for the purchase of program services. The commissioner is a full member. Kathy Brennan, Manager of Contracts Administration, is the commissioner’s designee.

Teacher’s Retirement Board
Section 10-183l of the General Statutes establishes a Teacher’s Retirement Board that is charged with managing the teacher’s retirement system. The Commissioner is a full member, ex-officio. Astread Ferron-Poole, Director of Human Resources, is the commissioner’s designee. Note that we are proposing legislation to remove the commissioner from the board.

Commission for Child Support Guidelines
Section 46b-215a of the General Statutes establishes the commission. The charge of the commission is to establish criteria for the establishment of guidelines to ensure the appropriateness of child support awards and to issue guidelines every four years. Diane Fray, Assistance Unit Director,is the designee.

Family Support Council
Public Act 94-228 established the Family Support Council to assist the Department of Mental Retardation and other involved state agencies to establish a comprehensive and coordinated system of family support services. The Commissioner is a full member. Leslie Burkhart, Program Manager for the Adult Support and Disability Team in Adult Services, is the Commissioner’s designee.

Child Day Care Council
Section 17b-748 of the General Statutes establishes the Child Day Care Council. The Council is to make recommendations to the Commissioners of Social Services and Public Health and Addiction Services regarding child care licensing standards and on planning for child care services. The Council also is to study issues affecting child day care and make recommendations to the general assembly, and serves as an advisory committee to the department of social services in the development of the state child care plan and is to conduct biennial hearings on the plan. Amparo Stella Garcia, Lead Planning Analyst, is the designee.

Commission on Deaf and Hearing Impaired
Section 46a-27 of the General Statutes establishes the Commission on Deaf and Hearing Impaired. The Commission is to advocate, strengthen and implement state policies affecting deaf and hearing impaired individuals and their relationship to the public, industry, health care and educational opportunity. It is attached to the Department of Social Services for administrative purposes only. The Commissioner of DSS is a non-voting ex-officio member. Irene Mason, Director of Affirmative Action is the designee.

Board of Education and Services for the Blind
Established by section 10-293 of the General Statutes, the board has the responsibility of maintaining a registry of the blind in the state and to take measures for the prevention of blindness or conservation of eyesight and for the education of children and for the vocational guidance of adults having seriously defective sight. The board is attached to the Department of Social Services for administrative purposes only. The Commissioner is an ex-officio member.

The Statewide Advisory Council

Overview: Section 3 of Public Act 93-262 states that the commissioner shall establish a state-wide advisory council. The statute does not specify the purpose or the makeup of the Council. As currently constituted, the purpose of the Statewide Advisory Council is “to consult with and advise the Commissioner of Social Services on the development and delivery of human services for Connecticut families and individuals who need assistance in maintaining or achieving their full potential for self-direction, self-reliance and independent living.” The Council also is to serve as a forum among front-line community-based workers for the discussion of human service needs and issues affecting Connecticut Citizens.

Organization: The Council currently consists of 33 members reflecting the many different constituencies involved in the human services programs administered by the department. The members are selected and appointed by the commissioner, and the Council chair is appointed by the commissioner. The Council elected a vice-chair to preside when the chair is not there. There are three sub-committees, Poverty, Health Care, and Housing and Community Development. The Council and the sub-committees are staffed by the Office of Strategic Planning.

The current responsibilities of the Council are to:

• provide ongoing feedback on the impact of the department’s policies, programs, and service delivery on affected consumers;

• identify service delivery gaps and changing service needs;

• advocate on behalf of Connecticut families and individual consumers, with legislative and other governmental entities to assure quality and comprehensive services;

• increase the capacity of the department to collaborate and plan with other human service agencies to maximize the utilization of existing resources;

• inform and educate community constituents and consumers about existing or proposed departmental programs, policies and activities; and,

• review, comment and make formal recommendations on departmental initiatives, as appropriate.

Connecticut Council for Persons with Disabilities (CCPWD)

Pursuant to Connecticut General Statutes 17b-606(b), the CCPWD was established. Its purpose is to advise the Department in its implementation of services to persons with physical and mental disabilities. The Council has 17 members, the majority of whom are persons with disabilities. It is staffed by the Department of Social Services Social Work Division.