Sec. 51-27i. Family violence victim advocate services in Family Division of Superior Court.

(a) As used in this section:

(1) “Domestic violence agency” means any office, shelter, host home or agency offering assistance to victims of domestic violence through crisis intervention, emergency shelter referral and medical and legal advocacy, and which meets the Department of Social Services' criteria of service provision for such agencies.

(2) “Family violence victim advocate” means a person (A) who is employed by and under the control of a direct service supervisor of a domestic violence agency, (B) who has undergone a minimum of twenty hours of training which shall include, but not be limited to, the dynamics of domestic violence, crisis intervention, communication skills, working with diverse populations, an overview of the state criminal justice and civil family court systems and information about state and community resources for victims of domestic violence, (C) who is certified as a counselor by the domestic violence agency that provided such training, and (D) whose primary purpose is the rendering of advice, counsel and assistance to, and the advocacy of the cause of, victims of domestic violence.

(b) The Chief Court Administrator shall permit one or more family violence victim advocates to provide services to victims of domestic violence in the Family Division of the Superior Court in one or more judicial districts in the state.

(P.A. 14-217, S. 191.)

History: P.A. 14-217 effective January 1, 2015.