Federal Cuts, Healing Through Art, and more

April 4, 2025



 

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Dear Neighbor,

Happy Friday - this has certainly been a turbulent week.

In this week's eblast, I want to give a difficult but critically important update on how federal funding cuts are directly impacting Connecticut. It's easy to tune out the news, but these cuts will end up impacting all of us, particularly with the widespread, nonsensical tariffs announced yesterday, which essentially serve as an increased tax on virtually all products we buy.

Before I go into how our state will be impacted, I want to be clear: this information is not meant to discourage you; it is meant to motivate you. This administration is moving at a breakneck pace, trying to stifle any meaningful opposition. But we cannot let them win.

This weekend, there will be protests across the state and the entire country, including in our neighboring Westport, as part of the "Hands Off" movement against these federal cuts. If you can attend, please do so - we can't do this without you.

You can hear more of my thoughts here.

In the rest of this week's eblast, you can read about the federal cuts, healing through the arts, and more. You can click the links below to navigate between sections.
 

$150M in Cuts to Public Health in Connecticut 

The Trump Administration is cutting approximately $150 million in federal funding to Connecticut, jeopardizing critical public health, mental health, and addictions services. These drastic cuts threaten lives, eliminate jobs, and terminate essential contracts, severely weakening the Connecticut Department of Public Health’s (DPH) ability to track and prevent public health crises. Without these grants, DPH will face significant challenges in monitoring emerging health threats and sharing real-time information to effectively protect our communities. 

Most alarmingly, these cuts will cripple DPH’s ability to track and respond to disease outbreaks such as measles, avian flu, and mpox. The agency will lose access to real-time data from emergency departments, leaving public health officials less prepared to the warning signs of potential epidemics.
 
Additionally, healthcare providers will be forced to use outdated fax systems to report diseases instead of sending the information electronically, delaying response times and weakening our ability to contain outbreaks. This will have a trickle-down effect on our local health departments, already stretched thin, which will be less equipped to respond to infectious disease threats in our communities.

The consequences extend beyond disease tracking - these cuts will significantly disrupt:

  • newborn screenings
  • childhood immunization programs
  • testing for viruses and other pathogens
  • timely laboratory diagnostics
  • staffing to respond to outbreaks, including in nursing homes

The Connecticut Department of Public Health released a comprehensive report detailing the full impact of these devastating funding cuts.

You can read more about these funding cuts here.
 

Education Funds Frozen 

I mentioned a few weeks ago that the Federal Education Department is laying off about 1,300 employees, which would gut their staff and begin to dismantle the entire department.

Unfortunately, that was just the start.

Last week, Education Secretary Linda McMahon announced the Federal government would be clawing back around $14 million for academic and other programs in Connecticut's schools. Much of this money was already awarded to schools, while the rest was to be disbursed by our state's Department of Education for programs like the very successful high dosage turtoring.


And just yesterday, Secretary McMahon threatened to withhold federal funding from public schools that don't eliminate programs they say unfairly promote diversity, equity, and inclusion.

A large portion of the federal government's public school funding goes toward Title I, which provides assistance to school districts with high concentrations of low-income students.

So, not only is the Education Department issuing vague threats against "DEI programs" - they seem to be actively targeting our most vulnerable students.

Connecticut received over $156 million in Title I funding in 2024, and for Fairfield this would mean the elimination of $364,287 for this upcoming year.

As House Chair of our state's Education Committee, I'll continue to advocate for our students, especially when the future of their education is under attack. While we cannot fully fill these enormous federal holes in funding, I will keep you updated on the work we are doing to counter these measures.
 

Federal Closure of Regional Administration for Children and Families Office 

The Trump Administration also closed our regional office of Administration for Children and Families in Boston. This office oversees many essential programs including but not limited to: 

  • Child Support
  • Child Welfare
  • Head Start
  • Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)
  • Social Services Block Grant
  • Community Services Block Grant 

The elimination of these programs represent foundational changes in how we support our neediest children and families and will have dramatic impacts.

The Trump Administration also announced the nationwide elimination of all federal employees responsible for administering the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). The move could leave up to 200,000 people in Connecticut without essential heating assistance. LIHEAP benefits vulnerable seniors, people with disabilities, and low-income families.

While there is no word on funding cuts, the future of LIHEAP is in jeopardy due to the mass layoffs. With significantly less personnel to administer the program, its effectiveness and reach are at serious risk. Experts believe LIHEAP will stop functioning without federal support or expertise.

My colleagues and I are urging the federal government to reconsider these cuts, and we will continue to assess their potential impact on Connecticut. Our top priority is ensuring the well-being of our state’s most vulnerable residents.
 

Healing Through the Arts 

I know - that was all a lot to take in. Hopefully, this next section can bring you a bit of joy and healing.

It was so nice to join the Fairfield Arts Commission for the first Artistic Visual Challenge last night to see our student's beautiful work!

Did you know the arts can actually improve our physical health? It's true!

According to a report from CBS News, thousands of studies have "determined that involvement in the arts can improve public health and promote healing from illness, as well as protect against such problems as cognitive decline, heart disease, anxiety, and depression."

In Connecticut, an innovative new initiative called Art Pharmacy is being introduced, which "will allow healthcare providers and institutions to prescribe participation in arts and cultural activities" to improve health outcomes.

Along with the physical health benefits, there are a number of mental health benefits to engaging in the arts, such as reducing loneliness, social isolation, depression, and anxiety.

These past few months have not been easy, and I fear the worst is yet to come. But we cannot allow ourselves to get consumed with negativity. Please make the time to prioritize your mental health, and consider getting involved in local arts programs! 
 

Experience Fairfield's April Calendar of Events 

Experience Fairfield has released their April calendar of events, which includes the Artistic Visions Challenge art show I mentioned earlier, a "Meditation and Mindfullness" event at the Fairfield Museum, and more. There's something for everyone in this calendar, so I hope you'll take a look.
 

Events for the Family
Open Play & Storytime
370 Beach Road
Tuesdays, April 1-May 6, 10am-noon
Read more here and here
Fishing Derby
Gould Manor Pond (655 Holland Hill Road, Fairfield)
April 12, 9-11am
Read more here
Drop-In Craft: Cat & Dog Plushies
Fairfield Museum (370 Beach Road)
April 15, 10am-1pm
Read more here
Drop-In Craft: Paint-A-Car
Fairfield Museum (370 Beach Road)
April 16, 10am-1pm
Read more here
 

Community Fun! 

2nd Annual Egg Hunt
75 Hillside Road
April 5, 10-11am
Read more here
Beach Bunny 5K
Jennings Beach
April 12, 8-11am
Read more here

Fairfield Farmer Market
Sherman Green (1451 Post Road, Fairfield)
June 8 - Oct. 12, 10am-2pm
Read more here
 

I'm committed to ensuring your voice is heard. Please don't hesitate to call my office at (860) 240-8585 or email me if there's anything I can do for you. Be sure to follow @LeeperForFairfield on Facebook and Instagram to stay up-to-date on everything I'm doing at the Capitol.


Sincerely,

Jennifer Leeper
State Representative

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