Conn. Gen. Stat. » Title 17a — SOCIAL AND HUMAN SERVICES AND RESOURCES · Chapter 319i — Persons with Psychiatric Disabilities
Connecticut General Statutes

Conn. Gen. Stat. § 17a-581 (2026)

(Formerly Sec. 17-257b). Psychiatric Security Review Board. Membership. Meetings. Regulations

✓ current as of May 2026
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(a) There is hereby established a Psychiatric Security Review Board which shall be an autonomous body within the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services for administrative purposes only. The board shall consist of six members who shall serve for a term of four years and shall be appointed by the Governor with the advice and consent of either house of the General Assembly, except that of the members first appointed to the board: (1) One shall serve for a term ending June 30, 1987; (2) two shall serve for terms ending June 30, 1988; (3) two shall serve for terms ending June 30, 1989; and (4) one appointed pursuant to subdivision (6) of subsection (b) of this section shall serve for a term ending June 30, 1999.

(b) The membership shall be composed of: (1) A psychiatrist experienced with the criminal justice system and not otherwise employed on a permanent basis by the state, except that a psychiatrist employed by The University of Connecticut Health Center who is not responsible for the administration of or treatment decisions for persons under the jurisdiction of the Psychiatric Security Review Board shall be eligible for membership under this subdivision; (2) a psychologist experienced with the criminal justice system and not otherwise employed on a permanent basis by the state, except that a psychologist employed by The University of Connecticut Health Center who is not responsible for the administration of or treatment decisions for persons under the jurisdiction of the Psychiatric Security Review Board shall be eligible for membership under this subdivision; (3) a person with substantial experience in the process of probation; (4) a member of the general public; (5) an attorney who is a member of the bar of this state; and (6) a member of the general public with substantial experience in victim advocacy.

(c) No employee of the Division of Criminal Justice or the Public Defender Services Commission shall be a member of the board.

(d) The Governor at any time may remove any member for inefficiency, neglect of duty or malfeasance in office.

(e) A member of the board not otherwise employed full-time by the state shall be paid seventy-five dollars for each day during which the member is engaged in the performance of official duties. In addition, subject to sections 4-15 and 5-141c regulating travel and other expenses of state officers and employees, the member shall be reimbursed for actual and necessary travel and other expenses incurred in the performance of official duties.

(f) Subject to any applicable provision of sections 5-193 to 5-268, inclusive, the board may hire employees to assist in the performance of its duties under sections 17a-580 to 17a-602, inclusive.

(g) A majority of the members of the board constitutes a quorum for the transaction of business. Hearings shall be held before members of the board.

(h) The board shall meet at least twice every month, unless the chairman determines that there is not sufficient business before the board to warrant a meeting at the scheduled time. The board shall also meet at other times and places specified by the call of the chairman or of a majority of the members of the board.

(i) No member of the board shall be personally liable for damage or injury caused in the discharge of his duties. Any person having a complaint for such damage or injury shall present it as a claim against the state under the provisions of chapter 53.

(j) The board may adopt in accordance with chapter 54 such regulations as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of sections 17a-580 to 17a-602, inclusive.

(P.A. 85-506, S. 2, 32; P.A. 95-257, S. 11, 58; P.A. 96-121, S. 1, 3; P.A. 05-16, S. 1.)

History: Sec. 17-257b transferred to Sec. 17a-581 in 1991; (Revisor's note: In 1993 an obsolete reference in Subsec. (e) to repealed Sec. 5-141a was deleted editorially by the Revisors); P.A. 95-257 replaced Commissioner and Department of Mental Health with Commissioner and Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, effective July 1, 1995; P.A. 96-121 added Subsec. (a)(4) re term of member appointed pursuant to Subsec. (b)(6) and added said Subsec. (b)(6) re member of the general public with substantial experience in victim advocacy, effective May 24, 1996; P.A. 05-16 amended Subsec. (b)(1) and (2) to authorize psychiatrist and psychologist employed by The University of Connecticut Health Center who are not responsible for administration of or treatment decisions for persons under board jurisdiction to be eligible for membership.

See Sec. 4-38f for definition of “administrative purposes only”.

Annotation to former section 17-257b:

Cited. 215 C. 675.

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Notes of Decisions
Cited in 13 cases (4 in the last 5 years), 2003–2025 · leading case: State v. Long, 847 A.2d 862 (Conn. 2004).
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State v. Long, 847 A.2d 862 (Conn. 2004). · cites it 4× “” General Statutes § 17a-582 (e) (1) (A). The board is “an autonomous body within the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services for administrative purposes only.”
State v. March, 830 A.2d 212 (Conn. 2003). · cites it 5× “” General Statutes § 17a-581 (j) 12 authorizes the board to adopt regulations necessary to carry out the purposes of chapter 319i.”
State v. Harris, 890 A.2d 559 (Conn. 2006). · cites it 4× “See General Statutes §§ 17a-581 through 17a-582.”
State v. Corr, 867 A.2d 124 (Conn. App. Ct. 2005). · cites it 4× “” General Statutes § 17a-581 (a). The board is comprised of “(1) [a] psychiatrist experienced with the criminal justice system and not otherwise employed on a permanent basis by the state; (2) a psychologist experienced with the criminal justice system and not otherwise employed…”
State v. Dyous, 198 Conn. App. 253 (Conn. App. Ct. 2020). · cites it 3× “’’ General Statutes § 17a-581 (g) provides in relevant part that ‘‘[a] majority of the members of the board constitutes a quorum for the transaction of business .”
Sastrom v. Psychiatric Sec. Review Bd., 938 A.2d 1233 (Conn. App. Ct. 2008). · cites it 8× “On appeal, the plaintiff claims that the court improperly determined that it lacked subject matter jurisdiction to consider his claim that General Statutes § 17a-581 requires the defendant to have a psychiatrist and a psychologist as active, voting members.”
State v. Vasquez, 194 Conn. App. 831 (Conn. App. Ct. 2019). · cites it 2× “General Statutes § 17a-581 (j) authorizes the board to adopt regulations necessary to carry out the purposes of chapter 319i.”
State v. Warren, 919 A.2d 465 (Conn. App. Ct. 2007). · cites it 2× “” General Statutes § 17a-581 created the board, an autonomous administrative body within the department of mental health and addiction services.”
State v. Kalman, 868 A.2d 766 (Conn. App. Ct. 2005). · cites it 2× “’ General Statutes § 17a-581 (j) authorizes the board to adopt regulations necessary to carry out the purposes of chapter 319i.”
Isaiah Lindsay v. Navarretta (D. Conn. 2024). · cites it 3× “7 Conn. Gen. Stat. § 17a-581. While one member must be a “psychiatrist experienced with the criminal justice system” and another member must be a “psychologist experienced with the criminal justice system,” the other members of the PSRB are not required to be behavioral health…”
State v. Foster (Conn. App. Ct. 2023). · cites it 2× “The state may file a petition to extend the maximum term of commitment if reasonable cause exists to believe that the acquittee remains a person with psychiatric disabilities and would constitute a danger to others or himself or herself.”
Dyous v. Mental Health & Addiction Servs. (D. Conn. 2024). · cites it 2× “§ 17a-581, plays a central role in administering Connecticut’s system of confinement and treatment for acquittees.”
Show all 13 citing cases →
— Conn. Gen. Stat. § 17a-581(a) — 1 case
Dyous v. Mental Health & Addiction Servs. (D. Conn. 2024). “§ 17a-581, plays a central role in administering Connecticut’s system of confinement and treatment for acquittees.”
— Conn. Gen. Stat. § 17a-581(b) — 1 case
Isaiah Lindsay v. Navarretta (D. Conn. 2024). “7 Conn. Gen. Stat. § 17a-581. While one member must be a “psychiatrist experienced with the criminal justice system” and another member must be a “psychologist experienced with the criminal justice system,” the other members of the PSRB are not required to be behavioral health…”
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