Dear Neighbor,
As we reached the end of the 2018 legislative session, my priority to help families has remained constant. I have tirelessly fought for support that reflects the concerns you and your neighbors have shared with me.
As House Chair of the Appropriations Committee, I focused on crafting a budget that protects vital services which will benefit all people in Connecticut. I am proud to say that we were able to pass a budget that restores funding for state services. We worked to stabilize the education funding in municipal areas and protect the funding of senior services. In addition to supporting healthcare services for seniors and low-income adults, I fought to pass the 10 Essential Health Benefits, which will protect access to care for women and children. I also spent a great deal of time with the Juvenile Justice Policy oversight Committee discussing ways to keep our youth safe and keeping our recidivism rates down.
As a mother and grandmother, I understand how important our families are and ensuring their well-being and success. These are a few reasons why the legislation I have worked on is a continuation of previous sessions - to support families, their healthcare, their education, and their futures.
Sincerely,
City Of New Haven Municipal Aid 2019
| Municipal Stabilization Grant | $1,675,450 |
| Grants for Municipal Projects | $1,369,123 |
| Municipal Revenue Sharing | $15,246,372 |
| Education Cost Sharing | $155,415,158 |
| Priority School Districts and Education Grants | $2,500,000 |
| PILOT: State Property | $5,146,251 |
| PILOT: Colleges & Hospitals | $36,545,385 |
| Pequot/Mohegan Revenue Sharing | $5,503,352 |
| Local Capital Improvement Program | $1,857,276 |
| Town Aid Roads | $1,247,601 |
| Adult Education | $2,727,038 |
| Total State Funds to New Haven | $228,408,455 |
Help For Non-Profit Providers
This session we voted in favor of giving Personal Care Assistants, who are members of the New England Healthcare Employees Union, SEIU 1199, a pay increase to $15 an hour beginning July 1st 2018. This pay increase will give workers the opportunity to provide for themselves as they do for the many families within our state.
Personal Care Assistants throughout the State of Connecticut are hardworking healthcare professionals whose wages do not match the quality of care they provide for our elderly and intellectually disabled residents. These workers give much needed assistance to a population that, without the extra help, cannot shop, cook, or even care for themselves.
Fairness And Dignity For Incarcerated Women
Having an incarcerated loved one can be difficult to deal with and even more challenging when that individual is pregnant. Starting October 1, 2018, York Correctional Institution will offer counseling and information regarding pregnancy from a healthcare provider to pregnant inmates. This counseling will inform these women of appropriate medical care, treatment for postpartum depression, as well as other concerns they may have.
Inmates experiencing high risk pregnancies will now be transferred to the infirmary or hospital in order to receive care.
Women in this facility will no longer be restrained while being transported to the hospital, during labor, and throughout delivery. Additionally these women will be able to establish a visitation schedule with their children under the age of 18. Something that is often overlooked in our prison system is compassion and treating pregnant inmates with dignity and respect. This law will ensure that incarcerated or not, women will be treated fairly.
Restoring Cuts To Healthcare
This legislative session, we structured a bipartisan agreement to restore many of the funding cuts that were negatively affecting Connecticut families and their ability to thrive in their own communities. The Medicare Savings Program, which allows many of our elderly and disabled to afford medical care and prescriptions, was funded at its current levels which means no one will lose coverage.
Additionally, we were able to expand Husky A coverage by raising the income eligibility limits from 133% of the Federal Poverty Level to 150% - this program is a comprehensive health care package for parents and care givers, which allows families to focus on their health and well-being as a whole.
Protecting Connecticut’s Youth And Seniors
Youth Employment
This session, I am pleased to report that we restored 4 million dollars in funding for the Youth Employment Program. In 2017, we were forced to make many difficult decisions that prompted us to cut programs we know have an immeasurable impact on our communities. These decisions were made due to the fiscal challenges the State of Connecticut faced. Encouraging our youth by providing them with employment opportunities is a vital step in their future and the future of Connecticut.
Renters’ Rebate Program
Finding housing that is affordable and accessible can be a daunting task, especially for disabled and older adult renters. The Connecticut Rental Rebate Program provides relief to these renters whose incomes do not exceed certain threshold limits. Qualified individuals can submit an application with the New Haven Department of Elderly Services for a state reimbursement for rental payments before October 1, 2018. Any state resident 65 years or older or who is permanently disabled, and is renting an apartment or room, or living in cooperative housing is eligible for this program. To receive more information on how you can apply, please call (203) 946-8550.
If You, a Family Member, or a Friend is in Crisis:
Call the toll-free, 24-hour hotline of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255) to be connected to a trained counselor at the nearest suicide crisis center.