Month: May 2025

Senator Honig Highlights Federal Cuts to Student Mental Health Services in Litchfield County

Posted on by Devin James

Senator Honig Highlights Federal Cuts to Student Mental Health Services in Litchfield County

Senator Paul Honig, D-Harwinton, and mental health professionals with EdAdvance called Tuesday on the U.S. Department of Education to reverse its decision to cut a grant that provides mental health services to roughly 7,000 students at 32 mostly rural schools in Litchfield County.

Senator Honig joined nonprofit leaders, student counselors, and school administrators for a press conference at EdAdvance’s offices in Litchfield, where they called attention to the impact of a cut to grant funding approved by Congress to support the mental health needs of students.

EdAdvance learned on April 29 that its five-year, $8.7 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education would be canceled well before its planned end date in December 2027. Congress awarded the funds in 2022 and the nonprofit has used the money to hire 17 social workers to provide mental health services in schools across Litchfield County.

“These cuts would be bad under any circumstances, but they’re far worse when you consider what our students have been through since the pandemic, the unprecedented disruption of student development,” said Senator Honig. “It’s no exaggeration to say that young people are in the midst of a mental health crisis. School psychologists are overwhelmed and there aren’t enough social workers to go around. Now more than ever, we need exactly the kinds of services that EdAdvance has been providing. It’s time for the federal administration to restore this funding for Litchfield County kids.”

Senator Honig’s district includes five towns served by EdAdvance professionals: Barkhamsted, Colebrook, Hartland, New Hartford, and Norfolk. Additionally, the nonprofit provides services to students in the following towns: Bethlehem, Bridgewater, Canaan, Cornwall, Falls Village, Goshen, Kent, Litchfield, Morris, North Canaan, Roxbury, Salisbury, Sharon, Warren, Washington, Winsted, and Woodbury.

The cut will impact municipalities on both sides of the political aisle. During the 2024 election, President Donald Trump, whose Department of Education cancelled the mental health grant, won roughly half of the towns served by the grant, while former Vice President Kamala Harris won the other half.

“This is not about politics. It’s about policy,” Executive Director of EdAdvance Jonathan Costa said. “We believe that helping young students be better self-regulated and improve their mental health outcomes is good policy. We are here to advocate for those outcomes and to reverse this cancellation decision.”

The services provided to students by EdAdvance include classroom sessions on topics like decision-making, character development, and social media awareness. The nonprofit’s counselors also provided immediate intervention to 100 students in crisis, helping them overcome their difficulties and return to classrooms.

“Our counselors provide valuable one-on-one support and crisis intervention, collaborating with parents and district staff to ensure that each student receives the assistance they need,” Judy Palmer, director of school climate and mental health services for EdAdvance, said. “The relationships our providers build with families extend beyond the school, often connecting them to additional outside mental health resources when needed.”

The grant has enabled EdAdvance to provide youth mental health services throughout a region, where young people seeking help often face provider waiting lists. Meanwhile, the timing of the grant’s cancellation left many school districts unable to arrange for replacement funding. Budgets for most school districts were due in the spring.

“Due to the late notice of this situation, we were not allowed the opportunity to be able to advocate for grants or budgetary funds at our local levels to support the continued services that this grant provides,” Melony Brady-Shanley, Superintendent of Schools for Region 1, said. “So what I’m asking today is that you please reinstate this grant in its full capacity so that the children and staff and families of our Litchfield County Schools can continue to benefit from this great opportunity.”

SENATOR MAHER LEADS SENATE APPROVAL TO IMPROVE EARLY CHILDHOOD NUTRITION, ENHANCE CAMP OVERSIGHT, BETTER SUPPORT DISCONNECTED YOUTH

Posted on by Devin James

SENATOR MAHER LEADS SENATE APPROVAL TO IMPROVE EARLY CHILDHOOD NUTRITION, ENHANCE CAMP OVERSIGHT, BETTER SUPPORT DISCONNECTED YOUTH

Senator Maher speaks Tuesday on the Senate floor.

Today, State Senator Ceci Maher (D-Wilton), Senate Chair of the Committee on Children, led the Senate in its passage of flagship legislation seeking to improve early childhood nutrition through increased access to food, provide better oversight over summer camps and improve the state’s support for disconnected youth – those ages 16-24 who are not employed or pursuing education – through increasing oversight and improving data sharing.

Senate Bill 6, “An Act Concerning Resources and Supports for Infants, Toddlers and Disconnected Youths,” Senate Democrats’ leading legislation supporting youth in Connecticut in 2025, seeks to ensure early childhood education programs are able to offer nutritious food to participants and disconnected youth are reconnected to schools and workplaces. It will further take steps to support kindergarten preparatory academies in the state and better protect youth attending summer camps by closing a key loophole impacting them.

“The last half-decade exposed and worsened disparities throughout our state, and addressing those disparities now is crucial if we are going to start turning the tide,” said Sen. Maher. “This bill will help reduce youth hunger by utilizing new connections between early childhood care programs and state offerings. It will help bring disconnected youth back into education and employment by increasing frequency and depth of communications. We’re looking to provide the early-life resources that lead to better overall outcomes for children and I’m excited to see the results once this bill becomes law.”

Senate Bill 6 has a variety of provisions in its language, most prominently encouraging more use of the federal Child and Adult Care Food Program in early child care centers, group homes and family care homes. Figures from 2019 show that these organizations being unaware of ability to participate in these programs can cost Connecticut up to $30 million in aid each year, with more than 20,000 children in low-income areas potentially benefitting.

It further seeks to expand state oversight of state reports on disconnected youth by increasing the groups reviewing them and incorporating additional data from a variety of state departments and programs, including the impact of child care subsidies and early childhood family support programs.

Additionally, the legislation requires municipal youth camps to obtain or maintain licensing through the Office of Early Childhood. This measure comes after serious abuse happened at a municipal camp in Bethany and seeks to ensure camp staff and leadership undergo background checks.

It further expands the Early Childhood Cabinet and better updates public information about children’s development including the Help Me Grow program, which connects families with information and education to maximize their children’s early success. It will also analyze the use of a mobile application, Sparkler, which provides young families development screenings and access to support programs to improve its efficiency and usage.

The bill, co-sponsored by more than two dozen legislators, received support in public testimony from prominent Connecticut health institutions. Paul Dworkin, Executive Vice President for Community Child Health at Connecticut Children’s, said the bill raises issues of critical importance to the optimal health and wellbeing of children and youth. The founder of Help Me Grow, Dworkin said the bill’s connection points to the critical resource will directly benefit families statewide.

The American Heart Association lauded SB6’s intentions, applauding all efforts to support early childhood education, noting a child’s development relies directly upon access to resources and that birth-to-five programs for disadvantaged children can deliver 13% return on investment.

The Hartford Foundation for Public Giving praised the legislation’s approach toward support for young children and families, noting expansion of youth nutrition access and supports for teenage parents will directly benefit communities in years to come.

The bill previously passed the Committee on Children by a 12-5 vote on March 6 and the Appropriations Committee by a 38-12 tally on May 5. It next heads to the House for further consideration.

SENATOR ANWAR ISSUES STATEMENT ABOUT FEDERAL MEDICAID CUT PROPOSAL

Posted on by Devin James

SENATOR ANWAR ISSUES STATEMENT ABOUT FEDERAL MEDICAID CUT PROPOSAL

Today, State Senator Saud Anwar (D-South Windsor), Senate Chair of the Public Health Committee, released the following statement in response to federal House Republicans proposing at least $880 billion in cuts to Medicaid to support tax breaks, a proposal that the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office said could reduce health insurance rolls by as many as 8.6 million people in the next decade:

“This proposal is not just misguided – it is dangerous, deadly and immoral. It would rip health care away from millions of our most vulnerable neighbors to fund tax breaks for the wealthy. The human cost is staggering: more families forced into crisis, more emergency rooms overwhelmed, more preventable deaths.

We cannot let this happen. As a physician, I know what happens when people lose access to care – diseases go untreated, suffering multiplies, lives are lost. This is not a policy debate. This is a matter of life and death.

The time to act is now. We must speak out and stand up to protect the health and dignity of every person in our country.”

New Report Details CT’s GDP, Revenue, and Job Losses from Republican Budget Plan

Posted on by Devin James

New Report Details CT’s GDP, Revenue, and Job Losses from Republican Budget Plan

Sens. Looney, Duff and Lesser react to a new report that details millions of Connecticut residents will lose healthcare and food assistance, while the state economy loses billions in economic activity and thousands of jobs.

HARTFORD – A new report from The Commonwealth Fund paints a devastating picture of the effects of the proposed budget plan led by the Trump Administration and Congressional Republicans. The budget plan would take away millions of Connecticut residents’ healthcare and food assistance, and this latest report also predicts over a billion dollars in reduced economic activity, over a hundred million less in state revenue and nearly ten thousand jobs lost – just in fiscal year 2026.

The Congressional budget plan requires cuts of $880 billion over the next 10 years, which would necessitate sweeping cuts to Medicaid and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Medicaid is a joint federal and state program that provides healthcare to people with disabilities, those below a certain income line, children and seniors. SNAP is a food assistance program that helps supplement grocery budgets for lower income families, seniors and those with disabilities.

The budget plan Republicans are moving through Congress requires broad cuts to direct healthcare and food assistance programs, but these programs also have significant impacts to the national and state economies. In fiscal year 2026 alone, Medicaid and SNAP cuts are predicted to bring on $1.16 billion in GDP loss for Connecticut’s economy, 9,400 Connecticut residents are expected to lose their jobs and local and state tax loss will exceed $120 million.

The nationwide impacts are severe: over $112 billion in GDP loss, over one million American jobs lost, and nearly $9 billion in local and state tax loss.

“At a time when Americans are struggling to pay for groceries, rent, healthcare and are bracing themselves for the effects of Trump’s tariffs, it is unconscionable that this administration is pursuing cuts to programs that offer food and healthcare to our most vulnerable,” said Senate President Martin Looney. “The numbers in this report are staggering and each one represents a Connecticut resident who will forgo necessary treatments, ration their meals or lose their job These policies will also undermine and destabilize Connecticut’s economy after years of careful management.”

“While Donald Trump and Congressional Republicans take a chainsaw to the federal budget, they are cutting programs that meet Americans’ basic needs,” said Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff. “These are not just numbers on a spreadsheet, there is real and significant human cost to these cuts. Connecticut residents and Americans across the country will lose their healthcare, children, seniors and those with disabilities will lose food assistance and go hungry, thousands will lose jobs and local and state economies will be devastated. Republicans in Congress need to find their backbone and stand up for the very people who sent them to Washington D.C.”

“This report confirmed what we feared, we are staring down the barrel of a devastating federal budget,” said State Senator Matt Lesser, Chair of the Human Services Committee. “SNAP and Medicaid help millions of Connecticut residents stay healthy and fed, and without these programs Connecticut residents will skip meals, lose healthcare coverage and forgo care, rural hospitals will close and to put it bluntly – people will die.”

New Report Details CT’s GDP, Revenue, and Job Losses from Republican Budget Plan

Posted on by Devin James

New Report Details CT’s GDP, Revenue, and Job Losses from Republican Budget Plan

Sens. Looney, Duff and Lesser react to a new report that details millions of Connecticut residents will lose healthcare and food assistance, while the state economy loses billions in economic activity and thousands of jobs.

HARTFORD – A new report from The Commonwealth Fund paints a devastating picture of the effects of the proposed budget plan led by the Trump Administration and Congressional Republicans. The budget plan would take away millions of Connecticut residents’ healthcare and food assistance, and this latest report also predicts over a billion dollars in reduced economic activity, over a hundred million less in state revenue and nearly ten thousand jobs lost – just in fiscal year 2026.

The Congressional budget plan requires cuts of $880 billion over the next 10 years, which would necessitate sweeping cuts to Medicaid and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Medicaid is a joint federal and state program that provides healthcare to people with disabilities, those below a certain income line, children and seniors. SNAP is a food assistance program that helps supplement grocery budgets for lower income families, seniors and those with disabilities.

The budget plan Republicans are moving through Congress requires broad cuts to direct healthcare and food assistance programs, but these programs also have significant impacts to the national and state economies. In fiscal year 2026 alone, Medicaid and SNAP cuts are predicted to bring on $1.16 billion in GDP loss for Connecticut’s economy, 9,400 Connecticut residents are expected to lose their jobs and local and state tax loss will exceed $120 million.

The nationwide impacts are severe: over $112 billion in GDP loss, over one million American jobs lost, and nearly $9 billion in local and state tax loss.

“At a time when Americans are struggling to pay for groceries, rent, healthcare and are bracing themselves for the effects of Trump’s tariffs, it is unconscionable that this administration is pursuing cuts to programs that offer food and healthcare to our most vulnerable,” said Senate President Martin Looney. “The numbers in this report are staggering and each one represents a Connecticut resident who will forgo necessary treatments, ration their meals or lose their job These policies will also undermine and destabilize Connecticut’s economy after years of careful management.”

“While Donald Trump and Congressional Republicans take a chainsaw to the federal budget, they are cutting programs that meet Americans’ basic needs,” said Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff. “These are not just numbers on a spreadsheet, there is real and significant human cost to these cuts. Connecticut residents and Americans across the country will lose their healthcare, children, seniors and those with disabilities will lose food assistance and go hungry, thousands will lose jobs and local and state economies will be devastated. Republicans in Congress need to find their backbone and stand up for the very people who sent them to Washington D.C.”

“This report confirmed what we feared, we are staring down the barrel of a devastating federal budget,” said State Senator Matt Lesser, Chair of the Human Services Committee. “SNAP and Medicaid help millions of Connecticut residents stay healthy and fed, and without these programs Connecticut residents will skip meals, lose healthcare coverage and forgo care, rural hospitals will close and to put it bluntly – people will die.”

New Report Details CT’s GDP, Revenue, and Job Losses from Republican Budget Plan

Posted on by Devin James

New Report Details CT’s GDP, Revenue, and Job Losses from Republican Budget Plan

Sens. Looney, Duff and Lesser react to a new report that details millions of Connecticut residents will lose healthcare and food assistance, while the state economy loses billions in economic activity and thousands of jobs.

HARTFORD – A new report from The Commonwealth Fund paints a devastating picture of the effects of the proposed budget plan led by the Trump Administration and Congressional Republicans. The budget plan would take away millions of Connecticut residents’ healthcare and food assistance, and this latest report also predicts over a billion dollars in reduced economic activity, over a hundred million less in state revenue and nearly ten thousand jobs lost – just in fiscal year 2026.

The Congressional budget plan requires cuts of $880 billion over the next 10 years, which would necessitate sweeping cuts to Medicaid and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Medicaid is a joint federal and state program that provides healthcare to people with disabilities, those below a certain income line, children and seniors. SNAP is a food assistance program that helps supplement grocery budgets for lower income families, seniors and those with disabilities.

The budget plan Republicans are moving through Congress requires broad cuts to direct healthcare and food assistance programs, but these programs also have significant impacts to the national and state economies. In fiscal year 2026 alone, Medicaid and SNAP cuts are predicted to bring on $1.16 billion in GDP loss for Connecticut’s economy, 9,400 Connecticut residents are expected to lose their jobs and local and state tax loss will exceed $120 million.

The nationwide impacts are severe: over $112 billion in GDP loss, over one million American jobs lost, and nearly $9 billion in local and state tax loss.

“At a time when Americans are struggling to pay for groceries, rent, healthcare and are bracing themselves for the effects of Trump’s tariffs, it is unconscionable that this administration is pursuing cuts to programs that offer food and healthcare to our most vulnerable,” said Senate President Martin Looney. “The numbers in this report are staggering and each one represents a Connecticut resident who will forgo necessary treatments, ration their meals or lose their job These policies will also undermine and destabilize Connecticut’s economy after years of careful management.”

“While Donald Trump and Congressional Republicans take a chainsaw to the federal budget, they are cutting programs that meet Americans’ basic needs,” said Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff. “These are not just numbers on a spreadsheet, there is real and significant human cost to these cuts. Connecticut residents and Americans across the country will lose their healthcare, children, seniors and those with disabilities will lose food assistance and go hungry, thousands will lose jobs and local and state economies will be devastated. Republicans in Congress need to find their backbone and stand up for the very people who sent them to Washington D.C.”

“This report confirmed what we feared, we are staring down the barrel of a devastating federal budget,” said State Senator Matt Lesser, Chair of the Human Services Committee. “SNAP and Medicaid help millions of Connecticut residents stay healthy and fed, and without these programs Connecticut residents will skip meals, lose healthcare coverage and forgo care, rural hospitals will close and to put it bluntly – people will die.”

SEN. KUSHNER LEADS SENATE PASSAGE OF BILL TO EXPAND PAID FAMILY AND MEDICAL LEAVE BENEFITS TO NEARLY 50,000 SCHOOL EMPLOYEES

Posted on by Devin James

SEN. KUSHNER LEADS SENATE PASSAGE OF BILL TO EXPAND PAID FAMILY AND MEDICAL LEAVE BENEFITS TO NEARLY 50,000 SCHOOL EMPLOYEES

HARTFORD – State Senator Julie Kusher (D-Danbury) today led Senate passage of a bill that will extend Connecticut’s popular and successful Paid Family and Medical Leave program to as many as 50,000 public and private school employees, such as special and general education paraeducators, library support staff, and custodial and food service workers.

Senate Bill 1427, “AN ACT EXPANDING PAID FAMILY AND MEDICAL LEAVE INSURANCE PROGRAM BENEFITS TO CERTAIN SCHOOL EMPLOYEES,” passed the Senate today on a partisan 24-11 vote and now heads to the House of Representatives for consideration.

“I am so thrilled that we are moving this bill forward to extend these benefits, especially to those school employees who have asked for years why they don’t have access to this program,” said Sen. Kushner, who as Senate Chair of the Labor and Public Employees Committee ushered this bill through the committee process. “Now they will have access to paid family leave to deal with a sick family member or to bond with a newborn and to enjoy all the other benefits of our Paid Family and Medical Leave program.”

“Connecticut workers continually report to us how helpful this program has been to them in some of their most stressful moments, allowing them to continue paying bills and take care of their families,” said Erin Choquette, CEO of the CT Paid Leave Authority. ” Individuals who work at schools are caring and dedicated workers, and this program will benefit them as well.”

Under the current Connecticut Paid Leave Act, Boards of Education are not covered employers unless their unionized employees collectively bargain to participate in the program. If that happens, all non-union employees of the Board of Education would also join. But many school workers (both public and private) have expressed an interest in joining the PFML program since its inception in 2019.

SB 1427 covers up to 37,000 workers in public schools, including:

-12,676 special education paraeducators;

-5,347 general education paraeducators;

-365 library/media support staff;

-and 17,455 other staff, including custodial, food services, technical staff, security, maintenance, and transportation employees.

The bill also covers an estimated 12,700 workers in private schools.

The potential impact on Connecticut’s  PFML fund is expected to be minimal: actuaries have determined that school employees in other states utilize the program at the same rate as the general public.

Today’s bill also provides equity in coverage: many school employees — especially those who are in food service or janitorial work — are employed by contractors who are covered employers under CT Paid Leave. SB 1427 allows workers in the same positions who are employed by a local board of education to now have the same coverage.

To date, Connecticut’s popular PFML program has paid out $1.15 billion in claims to 158,000 workers. 85% of the claims being for an illness, bonding with a newborn (evenly split between men and women!) or providing care to a sick family member. CT Paid Leave claims come from every city and town in the state.

Senator Gaston Releases Statement on Pope Leo XIV Being Elected

Posted on by Devin James

Senator Gaston Releases Statement on Pope Leo XIV Being Elected

Today, state Senator Herron Keyon Gaston (D-Bridgeport), Senior Pastor of Summerfield United Methodist Church in Bridgeport, is releasing a statement following the election of Pope Leo XIV.

“In a world longing for peace and healing, the Roman Catholic Church has chosen not just a leader, but a bridge – a symbol of unity and a beacon of hope, to guide all hearts toward faith, compassion, and a future reborn. As a fellow faith leader, I recognize the immense spiritual and moral responsibility this role carries. I pray that his papacy will be marked by compassion, unity, and a renewed commitment to justice and peace for all people of faith around the world.”

SENATOR MAHER WELCOMES CHFA, HOUSING INVESTMENTS INAFFORDABLE WESTPORT UNITS

Posted on by Devin James

SENATOR MAHER WELCOMES CHFA, HOUSING INVESTMENTS IN AFFORDABLE WESTPORT UNITS

Today, State Senator Ceci Maher (D-Wilton) welcomed the announcement that the Department of Housing and Connecticut Housing Finance Authority will invest $6.75 million into a housing project in Westport that will deliver 157 residential units, of which 78 will be designated as affordable housing. This comes as part of a larger effort supporting more than 1,200 total housing units and 550 affordable units in Connecticut.

“We need affordable housing in our communities and throughout Connecticut to support working people and counter our lasting housing shortages,” said Sen. Maher. “I’m delighted that the Department of Housing and CHFA will make direct investments in Westport to ensure 78 more families and households will have affordable and accessible housing.”

The Westport investment will support The Village at Saugatuck, which will add three new four-story multifamily buildings. The 157 total units will see 78 designated as affordable, meant for households earning between 60 and 100% of area median income via the Build for CT program.

Each apartment will be equipped with modern appliances; CHFA is providing a $6.75 million loan through Build For CT to support the construction.

This comes as part of a larger investment of more than $34.3 million across the state, as well as $56 million in private investment and $15 million in first mortgage financing, to add more housing units to state resources. The Build For CT program, a collaboration between DOH and CHFA to support construction of affordable apartments for middle-income renters, also supported $18.75 million in financing agreements through the overall project.

Projects will undergo construction with financing agreementsin place.

SENATOR MAHER JOINS SENATE VOTE FOR UNIFORM COLLABORATIVE LAW ACT, INSPIRED BY CONSTITUENT

Posted on by Devin James

SENATOR MAHER JOINS SENATE VOTE FOR UNIFORM COLLABORATIVE LAW ACT, INSPIRED BY CONSTITUENT

State Senator Ceci Maher (D-Wilton) this week voted with the Connecticut State Senate to advance legislation that would add Connecticut to a collaborative of more than half of the United States, adopting the Uniform Collaborative Law Act.

In addition to supporting the bill on the Senate floor and as a member of the Judiciary Committee, Senator Maher helped bring the bill to Connecticut legislature after her constituent Jill Bicks of Westport raised the issue with her.

The Uniform Collaborative Law Act adopts a framework to create a collaborative law process for certain legal matters under state family and domestic relations laws to find a non-adversarial solution. A collaborative law process is designed to resolve collaborative matters in law, like divorce or parentage, without intervention by a tribune.

In other words, the bill allows for an alternative form of dispute resolution in court to be utilized voluntarily by those involved in a legal case.

“When legal matters reach a courtroom or a law office, this bill is designed to prevent unneeded conflict or case complication by creating a collaborative process for individuals to undergo,” said Sen. Maher. “With Connecticut slated to become the 27th state to adopt it, this bill aligns us with more than half of the country in the legal process to allow cooperation and collaboration for better and more amicable outcomes in cases heard around the state. Good legislation takes many forms, and I’m grateful to Jill for raising the issue to me providing clarification as we moved through the legislative process; I look forward to seeing the bill pass the House and become law.”

Senate Bill 1283, “An Act Concerning The Adoption Of The Connecticut Uniform Collaborative Law Act,” prevents parties from being ordered to participate in such a process by an authoritative capacity, specifies how the collaborative law process begins and ends and addresses issues ranging from stays to emergency orders and mandatory assessments.

The bill received unanimous support in public testimony, including from Bicks, who testified as a board member of the Connecticut Council for Non-Adversarial Divorce that the bill would free up resources in the family court system and expand access for Connecticut families.

Justine Rakich-Kelly, executive director of the Children’s Law Center, testified that this bill would enhance the accessibility and effectiveness of collaborative divorce.

The bill received unanimous support and now heads to the House for further consideration.