Vermont H 219: An act relating to establishing the Department of Corrections’ Family Support Program

Bill Text

BILLAS PASSED BY THE HOUSE AND SENATE H.219
2025 Page 1 of 9
H.219
Introduced by Representatives Headrick of Burlington, Arsenault of Williston,
Bos-Lun of Westminster, Burkhardt of South Burlington, Casey
of Montpelier, Chapin of East Montpelier, Cole of Hartford,
Greer of Bennington, Gregoire of Fairfield, LaLonde of South
Burlington, Logan of Burlington, Masland of Thetford, McGill
of Bridport, Minier of South Burlington, Morrissey of
Bennington, Sweeney of Shelburne, and Winter of Ludlow
Referred to Committee on
Date:
Subject: Corrections; administration of the Department; family support and
programming
Statement of purpose of bill as introduced: This bill proposes to establish
Family Support Pilot Programs at the Chittenden Regional Correctional
Facility and Northern State Correctional Facility to provide free family support
services and programming to incarcerated parents and guardians.
An act relating to creating a family support pilot program for incarcerated
parents and guardians
An act relating to establishing the Department of Corrections’ Family
Support Program
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BILLAS PASSED BY THE HOUSE AND SENATE H.219
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It is hereby enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Vermont:
Sec. 1. FINDINGS AND INTENT
(a) Findings. The General Assembly finds that:
(1) Approximately 6,000 children in Vermont have an incarcerated
parent or guardian annually, with a significant majority unable to maintain
meaningful family connections due to a lack of correctional facility
programming.
(2) Research demonstrates that comprehensive family programs,
including opportunities for child-friendly visitation, assists with reducing
recidivism, enhancing community reintegration, and promoting child well-
being.
(3) The Department of Corrections collaborates with a local nonprofit to
provide incarcerated female parents and guardians at the Chittenden Regional
Correctional Center with a trauma-informed, comprehensive approach to
strengthen family connections that minimizes the adverse effects of parental
incarceration and fosters better outcomes for parents and children.
(4) While Vermont incarcerates a higher percentage of parents and
guardians compared to the national average and provides family-friendly
support services for incarcerated female parents and guardians, no comparable
program exists for incarcerated males, which leaves a critical gap in family
support services.
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BILLAS PASSED BY THE HOUSE AND SENATE H.219
2025 Page 3 of 9
(5) Expanding family support services and programming to incarcerated
male parents and guardians may yield societal benefits by preserving family
connections and mitigating the trauma of incarceration on parents, guardians,
children alike.
(b) Intent.
(1) It is the intent of the General Assembly that the Department of
Corrections ensures gender parity in the access to services and programs that
strengthen family connections.
(2) It is the further intent of the General Assembly that the Department
of Corrections develop a phased plan to expand the application of 28 V.S.A.
§ 128 to all Vermont correctional facilities by 2028.
Sec. 2. 28 V.S.A. § 102(c) is amended to read:
(c) The Commissioner is charged with the following responsibilities:
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(24) To include funding to sufficiently provide and sustain trauma-
informed family support services and programming pursuant to section 128 of
this title in the Department’s annual proposed budget for the next subsequent
fiscal year for the purposes of developing the State budget required to be
submitted to the General Assembly in accordance with 32 V.S.A. § 306.
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BILLAS PASSED BY THE HOUSE AND SENATE H.219
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Sec. 3. 28 V.S.A. § 128 is added to read:
§ 128. DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS; INCARCERATED PARENTS
AND GUARDIANS; FAMILY SUPPORT PILOT PROGRAM
(a) Family Support Pilot Program. The Department of Corrections shall
establish pilot programs at the Chittenden Regional Correctional Facility and
Northern State Correctional Facility to provide free parenting and family
support to all incarcerated individuals who are parents and guardians. The
program shall include services and programming to provide:
(1) increased knowledge and skill for incarcerated parents and
guardians to address the specific needs of their children;
(2) enhanced capacity and resources to incarcerated parents and
guardians to engage in needs-specific planning and communication strategies
with their children and their children’s caregivers;
(3) child-friendly visitation spaces for in-person and virtual visits
between parents or guardians and their children, including establishing safety
protocol;
(4) outreach and coordination with appropriate services for the
children of incarcerated parents and guardians and the children’s caregivers;
(5) reentry support and preparation for incarcerated parents and
guardians; and