Cristin McCarthy Vahey

As we head into April, I wanted to share some news about $150 million in cuts made early last week by the US Department of Health and Human Services. I wish it was an April Fool’s joke, but unfortunately these cuts, primarily to our Department of Public Health, will have significant impact on both state and local public health efforts. I’ll also share more about events and activities over the last two weeks, including a gathering with over 20 statewide Pediatricians to discuss the safety and effectiveness of routine vaccinations.

As I shared last week, I will continue to share public health news and information that can help you, your families, and our community stay healthy and safe. This week, my focus is tobacco and nicotine. My Grandfather, Fred McCarthy, died of emphysema when I was 15. Watching my grandfather struggle to breathe and eventually die has fueled my work on tobacco prevention for decades.

In keeping with the theme of healthcare funding, this week, I’d like to share a little bit about the role of private equity. I’ll also share a bit about events and activities with all of you.

Starting this week, I plan to share a regular public health announcement or update along with other community events and information. This week, the focus is heart disease, which is the leading cause of death for both women and men. Please let me know if you have community events you would like shared either through an e-blast or social media - we will do our best to help get the word out on many of the opportunities here in Bridgeport and Fairfield!

Since I last wrote, actions taken in Washington have dominated many conversations in the news media, around kitchen tables, and here in Hartford.

State agencies, nonprofit providers and individual residents have shared uncertainty and, in some cases, significant concern.

As your representative, I remain focused on advancing many of the policy priorities I hear from all of you. In this e-mail, I will share a few of those items in the news, some of the many events and meetings I have had, and focus on just a couple of the issues we are addressing here in the legislature.

This Sunday, February 2, please join us at Wake Cup Coffee for coffee and conversation. Below you will find some updates and information from the meetings and events I have attended as your Representative and Co-Chair of Public Health.

With the legislative session underway, there is a tremendous amount of activity happening in and around the Legislative Office Building and in Hartford. Below is a window into some of the work we are doing here on your behalf. You will also find information about the new CT AI Academy available free to Connecticut residents, Fairfield’s One Book One Town Announcement, free dental care for Seniors, and celebrating Muslim Heritage Month.

This past Wednesday, I was honored to be sworn in to serve as your State Representative for the 133rd District, serving Fairfield and Bridgeport. As I took the oath of office, I thought about my Dad, a Vietnam Veteran, who came home from the war and became an attorney thanks to the GI Bill. We were raised with the values of service and justice and I am honored to carry forward this legacy.