Thank you Legislators!

Substitute House Bill No. 5593
Public Act No. 14-234

Sec. 11. (NEW) (Effective October 1, 2014) Any person who maliciously publishes, disseminates or otherwise discloses the confidential location of an emergency shelter operated by a domestic violence agency, as defined in section 52-146k of the general statutes, without written authorization from the domestic violence agency that operates such emergency shelter to publish, disseminate or otherwise disclose the location of such emergency shelter shall be guilty of a class A misdemeanor.

Signed into law today. Special thanks to Representatives Mae Flexer, Matt Lesser, Matt Ritter, and others for championing this matter.

Kids Art. The best dreamers.

From the Branford Eagle "Students Paint their Dreams":

I can relate....

HUSKY Program at Risk

Mental Health - Informative OP ED

I am reprinting this in full because it is long and complex. It was sent to me by a friend who is active in Mental Health and Addiction Services work. Normally I try to give a link and only extract a paragraph or two, for copyright reasons and to redirect to the original source. In this case, Sue Me.

I actually got a cup of coffee and sat in quiet to read the whole piece, since it gives background and history that is helpful knowledge as we continue to discuss all solutions and variables to working forward. 

My take-away is the need or better services for children and youth. But then again, that is always my take-away. ...Or Leftovers, when it involves a good restaurant!

OP-ED from The Hartford Courant

Forced Mental Health Treatment Wrong

By JANET VAN TASSEL |  January 7, 2013
In the past month there have been numerous thoughtful recommendations for improving the state's mental health system, and Connecticut is, from a policy perspective, well-positioned to implement most of these proposals.

Since the Report of the Blue Ribbon Commission on Mental Health was issued in July 2000, the state has pursued evidence-based practices and become a national leader in promoting a community-based, family- and consumer-oriented system of care.

Unfortunately, many of these innovative measures have been funded through federal grants that are limited in scope and time, or hampered by state budget constraints that have prevented their full implementation. In addition, funding for private nonprofit agencies that provide many community supports and services has not kept pace with state-operated counterparts. In short, Connecticut has the programmatic building blocks to construct the comprehensive community-based system of care it promised when state hospitals were closed, but not the resources to support it.

For example, it is well-documented that supportive housing is a cost-effective way to provide a stable living arrangement for families and individuals with mental illness, which reduces hospital expenditures and promotes self-sufficiency. However, despite recent investments by the state, housing subsidies fall well below the demand, forcing vulnerable people into shelters, and leaving discharge-ready people in expensive state hospital beds. Similarly, a federally supported initiative to expedite Social Security disability applications for people with mental illness is understaffed, and people with mental illness are being released from the state Department of Correction facilities are homeless.

Funding to expand school-based clinics and programs for children an youth have been cut, as the number of homeless youth rises. And despite a mental health parity law, private insurers routinely deny claims for mental health treatment services, particularly for children.
Although Connecticut has been recognized as having one of the best mental health systems in the country, accessing services and supports is still a futile effort for many. In fact, persons with mental illness routinely seek legal services because their services have been denied, reduced or terminated by agencies with limited funds.

Given this context, it is troubling that legislative proposals to authorize involuntary outpatient treatment for persons with mental illness have again been raised. The appeal of such a measure, which on its face sounds eminently reasonable, is understandable. However, it is fraught with complexities, starting with the fact that determining whether a person who is not currently a danger to self or others or gravely disabled, but is "potentially dangerous" is not straightforward. There is no system for identifying persons who might be dangerous, and violent behavior is not linked to a psychiatric diagnosis.

Because a forced medication or treatment law would restrict the fundamental civil rights of people with mental illness, there are questions about whether it would violate Connecticut's constitutional protections for these individuals. Certainly, it would require an enforcement system and court proceedings comparable to those used in New York, which cost more than $32 million per year. Consequently, it would be very costly, and use money that would be better spent on community services.

A Task Force Report on Issues Related to Involuntary Outpatient Commitment and Alternatives, which was issued in January 1997, rejected outpatient commitment and recommended specific alternative measures which were subsequently pursued by the state. Last year, the Judiciary Committee had a full hearing on similar legislation, which was opposed by groups as diverse as state agencies, psychologists and police officers, and rejected by the committee. This is the time to invest the state's limited resources into constructing a comprehensive system of screening, services and housing supports for children, youth and adults with mental illness rather than pursue a course that would divert funds from the real problem. It is the wrong tool for Connecticut.

Janet Van Tassel, a lawyer, is executive director of the Connecticut Legal Rights Project and founder and co-chairwoman of the Keep the Promise Coalition.

Copyright  2013, The Hartford Courant

In conclusion: Thanks for reading this.

George Carlin on the "Pro-Life" Meme

Not a bit funny.

To Donate to Unite Women Connecticut , to help defray costs for the April 28 Rally in Hartford, please email ctfreeradicals@gmail.com and we will get you an address to send checks.

To donate to NARAL Pro-Choice Connecticut, working every day to keep abortion and reproductive rights legal and safe, Click Here .

Halloween Costume for Halo-Wee-Ones

Link to purchase

This costume, and many many, more useful items are available at Stupid.com

Good Idea that Some Fool will Object to....

 DELAURO INTRODUCES DIAPER AID LEGISLATION

Recent reports indicate more and more families struggling to afford diapers—without which children cannot attend day care

New Haven, CT — Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (CT-3), Ranking Member of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, introduced the Diaper Investment and Aid to Promote Economic Recovery Act (DIAPER) Act today to provide diapers and diapering supplies to needy families through child care providers.

Millions of American families are struggling in today’s tough economy. For many, even the cost of keeping a child in diapers, about $4 a day, or $100 a month, is too much. But without an adequate supply of diapers, a child cannot attend day care—meaning that working mothers have a harder time getting to work, and can fall even further behind. And for the child, infrequent diaper changes can lead to diaper rash, increased risk of urinary tract and skin infections, and can even cause outbreaks of viral meningitis, dysentery, and Hepatitis A.

This legislation will simply amend the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990, and will help to relieve some of the stress on families facing hardship in this economy by allowing diapers to be provided as a direct service, instead of as an administrative cost.

“No family should have to choose between buying diapers for their child or buying groceries—but that is exactly what is happening today. Diapers are expensive, but necessary, to keep children healthy and in daycare, giving their parents the freedom they need to work. The DIAPER Act is a simple, straight-forward proposal to change the current law to allow diapers and diapering supplies to be provided to families in need,” said Congresswoman DeLauro. “I applaud the work of Joanne Goldblum, who has been operating a Diaper Bank in Connecticut for years now, and whose good work has served as the inspiration for this legislation. I look forward to continuing to work with Joanne to make this bill a reality.” 

“It is so thrilling that Congresswoman DeLauro is taking the lead on recognizing this very important basic need, which has become more pressing as the economic downturn continues to put more families at risk,” said Joanne Goldblum, President and Executive Director of The Diaper Bank.

###

DeLauro.House.Gov

______________________________

Kaelan Richards

Communications Director

Office of Congresswoman Rosa L. DeLauro (CT-03)

(202) 225-3661 office

(202) 225-1599 cell

"ICYMI Thursday": Child Support in Connecticut

from ATTORNEY GENERAL GEORGE JEPSEN

ATTORNEY GENERAL: CHILD SUPPORT COLLECTION EFFORTS BENEFIT CONNECTICUT FAMILIES IN NEED

HARTFORD – While the economy is pushing more children into poverty, state child support collection efforts brought in more than $300 million last fiscal year to help thousands of children in families in need, Attorney General George Jepsen said today.

“Most of the money brought in goes to custodial parents. Our efforts on behalf of dependent children help to pay the rent, keep the lights on and put food on the table. The needs are real and we work very hard to help. The state is doing a great job with the limited resources available,” Attorney General Jepsen said.
[...]
2011 KIDS COUNT report by the Annie E. Casey Foundation showed that [...] in 2009 [...] more than 86,000 children in Connecticut were living in families with income below the federal poverty level of $21,756 for a family of four.

The Attorney General’s Child Support/ Collections Unit completed nearly 9,000 cases in the fiscal year and more than 15,000 cases are pending.

Jepsen recognized the work of all the attorneys and staff within the Child Support/ Collections Unit, led by Assistant Attorney General Sean Kehoe, the department head.

For full press release, Click here for pdf