| Juvenile Justice:
CCA’s attorneys are leading efforts to ensure youth involved with the juvenile justice system have their rights protected and opportunities to get back on the right track. This year we will advocate for the removal of minors from the Department of Corrections custody and and fight for legislation that will help youth get juvenile records erased and the chance for a fresh start. CCA will continue to Co-Chair the Reentry Subcommittee of the Connecticut Legislature’s Juvenile Justice and Policy Oversight Committee, advocating for legislation increasing funding for credible messengers and other mentors and ensuring youth who are released have access to a job or a job training program. For more information contact the Director of CCA’s Youth Justice Project, Marisa Halm.
Child Welfare:
Building off our success from last year’s work to ensure older youth in foster care will retain access to their attorneys if they remain with DCF after turning 18, we will advocate for legislation codifying the compensation of attorneys for youth in DCF care over 18. For more information, contact the Director of CCA’s Child Welfare Advocacy Project, Stacy Schleif.
Racial Justice:
Two years after the groundbreaking Settlement Agreement in the historic Connecticut civil rights case, Sheff v. O’Neill, CCA will continue ensuring Hartford students will have access to an equitable education by securing legislative changes related to the state funding for the Sheff v. O’Neill Agreement. For more information, contact CCA Executive Director Martha Stone.
Education:
In collaboration with its partners, CCA will advocate for legislation designed to increase educational success and equity. These legislative initiatives include:
- School Climate Assessment legislation that holds school systems accountable for the results of climate surveys and ensures data is captured regarding LGBTQ+ youth and bullying.
- Legislation that addresses the needs of the increased number of children who will be in the preschool system following the change in the law moving the Kindergarten age cutoff date to September 1.
- Advocacy in partnership with the Social Emotional Learning Climate Committee for the development of a uniform bullying complaint form and the removal of questions around discipline from Connecticut college applications.
For more information, contact the Director of CCA’s Yale Child Study Center, Medical-Legal Partnership Project, Kathryn Scheinberg Meyer.
Youth Homelessness
CCA will partner with organizations and lead different initiatives concerning youth homelessness. These initiatives include securing access to primary health and dental care for unaccompanied homeless minors and resolving housing issues for LGBTQ+ youth. For more information contact Deputy Director and Director of CCA’s Right Direction: Homeless Youth Advocacy Project, Stacey Violante Cote.
Health Equity
Building on our multi-year campaign in partnership with the Husky 4 Immigrants coalition and our healthcare partners, CCA will follow up on our successful advocacy that expanded HUSKY for undocumented youth through age 15 and advocate to expand HUSKY for undocumented youth ages 16 through 18. For more information, contact the Director of CCA’s Disability Rights, Medical-Legal Partnership Project, Bonnie Roswig. |
