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Committee reviews H.219 to create family support pilot for incarcerated parents, includes $400,000 appropriation
Summary
H.219 would establish a family support pilot at Chittenden Regional and Northern State correctional facilities to provide trauma-informed parenting services, child-friendly visitation (in-person and virtual), reentry support, and cross-system coordination; the bill includes a $400,000 FY2026 appropriation and a sunset date of July 1, 2028.
Ben Novogrovsky, attorney with the Office of Legislative Council, presented H.219 to the House Corrections & Institutions Committee on Feb. 26, describing it as "an act relating to creating a family support pilot program for incarcerated parents and guardians." The proposal would create 28 V.S.A. §128 to establish pilot programs at Chittenden County Regional Correctional Facility and Northern State Correctional Facility.
The bill text, Novogrovsky said, frames findings and intent that approximately 6,000 children in Vermont have an incarcerated parent or guardian annually and that existing family-friendly programming in the women's facility (operated via a DOC grant and contracts with a nonprofit) has demonstrated benefits. The bill would require the Department of Corrections to ensure gender parity and to develop a phased plan to expand family-support services…
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