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Advocacy in Action
The Connecticut 2022 legislative session started last Wednesday, February 9th. Our region has been hard at work preparing. Take a look at what we have been doing.
The Hub, Greenwich Together, The Norwalk Partnership, Westport Together and NAMI all hosted legislative forums to educate elected officials about a variety of topics and outline their priorities for this legislative session. The Hub identified the following and had these "asks":
Workforce Development: Would you consider advocating for the increase in funding for mental health personnel and infrastructure, and revision of the state licensure limited permit requirements for social workers?
Children's Mental Health: Would you consider advocating for the increase in funding for mental health personnel to meet the needs of the crisis of mental health in children?
Mental Health in Older Adults Would you consider advocating for the awareness of mental health in older adults, and open to participating in a future round table discussion to provide community-based solutions in addressing isolation and mental health issues?
Peer Support/Peer Providers Would you consider advocating for the movement and progression of the Peer Task Force? Would you consider recognizing and supporting the work of the Peer Respite Work Group and looking forward to receiving the one pager?
You can watch the full recorded presentation below.
You can download the Info Brief here and the PowerPoint slides here.
You don't have to testify in person. You can also submit written testimony to share how you feel about proposed legislation. This FREE workshop will help you learn how to give effective, powerful testimony. Register now or email Jordan at jfairchild_ktp@cahs.org for more information.
UPCOMING HEARINGS:
Budget hearings for the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS), Department of Public Health (DPH) and Department of Developmental Services (DDS) will take place starting at 2:00pm on Thursday, February 24th.
Looking for a certain bill? You can search the CT General Assembly website here or track the status of a certain bill here.
Other Advocacy Resources
Download a sample template to help you write your own testimony.
View the Advocacy Toolkit from Partnership to End Addiction for helpful information for your advocacy efforts.
You Can Still Tell Governor Lamont What You Think About Flavored
E-Cigarettes!
Governor Lamont will soon issue his budget plan. This annual plan sets out an agenda for the state Legislature, containing policies that the governor wants to see enacted.
If you would like him to consider eliminating flavored e-cigarettes, you can tell him by sending a quick email.
Teen goes on life support with lung damage from vaping...
A teenager ended up on life support after waking up with what she thought was a cold. But Juliet Roberts was actually battling lung damage and pneumonia caused by vaping since she was 14. The 18-year-old was hospitalized in January after...
Drug overdoses now kill more than 100,000 Americans a year - more than vehicle crash and gun deaths combined. Sean Blake was among those who died. He overdosed at age 27 in Vermont, from a mix of alcohol and fentanyl, a synthetic opioid.
