Healthcare

SB 381 requires all public colleges and universities in the state to offer at least one annual on-campus program addressing problem gambling starting July 1, 2026. These programs must provide information about campus and community resources for treatment and rehabilitation of problem gambling, defined as compulsive or uncontrollable gambling causing life disruption. Institutions may partner with nonprofits to deliver the programs, but must prioritize nonprofit organizations already receiving state funding under section 17a-713 of the general statutes. The bill directly affects public higher education institutions and students by mandating accessible resources for gambling-related issues.

This bill establishes a state-funded bridge program designed to help vulnerable individuals maintain access to food, housing, and healthcare benefits while they transition through changes in federal work requirements. The program would target veterans, homeless persons, adults with autism, foster care aging out, and older adults at risk of losing Medicaid or nutrition assistance, requiring state agencies to develop a plan by October 2026. Key provisions include supplementing existing job support programs, providing temporary state-funded assistance equivalent to current benefits, recommending long-term housing solutions, and documenting employability for potential federal waivers. The plan must be submitted to legislative committees by January 2027 along with funding estimates and implementation timelines.