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| Dear Neighbor,
May is Mental Health Awareness month, which works to end the stigma surrounding mental health conditions by raising awareness and sharing resources. |
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This session we focused on responding to the ongoing youth mental health crisis, which has been worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic. We passed historic legislation including HB 5001, SB 1, and SB 2 to address the immediate and long-term mental health needs of our children. In addition, we approved a state budget adjustment bill that makes historic investments in kids' mental health. The budget will:
- Assist local schools in expanded mental health staff and access to care
- Provide mental health training to parents, students, and pediatricians
- Help school-based health centers develop new mental health programming
- Create new walk-ins for mental health emergencies
- Establish a new position at the Healthcare Advocate to help families navigate care for children and adolescents
- Expand 24/7 emergency mental health response
- Establish state oversight and coordination of state response to kids' mental health needs
- Expand mentorship opportunities
As we work towards a healthier Connecticut for all, it is vital that we fill the gaps in our children's mental and behavioral health system.
If you haven't been feeling like yourself lately, you can take a free, anonymous mental health screening at mhascreening.org. This is one of the quickest and easiest ways to determine if what you've been experiencing may be the signs of a mental health condition. Mental health conditions like depression or anxiety are real, common, treatable, and recovery is possible. After the screening, you will be provided with information, resources, and tools to help you understand and improve your mental health.
You can find additional mental health resources here. |
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| To help slow the spread of COVID-19 during the most recent surge in new cases, U.S. households can order another round of FREE at-home COVID-19 test kits on USPS.com. Each order includes 8 rapid antigen COVID-19 tests. The order will arrive in 2 separate packages containing 4 tests in each pack. Orders will ship for free. To request your at-home tests, please click here. |
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| On Wednesday, I was pleased to join my legislative colleagues for a tour of Sikorsky in Stratford. Did you know that many West Hartford-based manufacturers are suppliers for Sikorsky?
Several weeks ago, I voted in the Finance Committee and then the House to approve an agreement to invest in Sikorsky and our state's economic future. Our state will provide Sikorsky up to $75 million in performance-based sales-and-use and other tax credits if it secures a pair of contracts it's bidding on to build helicopters for the U.S. Army. This would help maintain nearly 8,000 jobs in Connecticut, keep our state as Sikorsky's headquarters, and support jobs at the over 200 Connecticut suppliers. |
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| Prior to the start of the 2022 legislative session, House Democrats pledged to support policies that would help cut our carbon footprint, increase our reliance on clean energy sources, and protect the health of Connecticut residents.
I'm happy to report that two of these bills - S.B. 10 and S.B. 176 - have officially been signed into law!
S.B. 10, AN ACT CONCERNING CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION requires Connecticut to eliminate greenhouse gas emissions produced by the state's electric grid by January 1, 2040. After the transportation sector, our electric grid (essentially, how energy is supplied and consumed) is the second highest emitter of greenhouse gasses in the state. This law seeks to change that by setting giving utility companies and suppliers the necessary push to find cleaner, zero-carbon ways to provide consumers with energy.
S.B. 176, AN ACT CONCERNING CLEAN ENERGY TARIFF PROGRAMS looks to increase commercial reliance on rooftop solar energy by modifying existing energy caps involving shared clean energy facilities and expanding the Non-Residential Energy Solutions (NRES) and the Shared Cleaner Energy Facilities (SCEF) programs.
While more remains to be done, these new laws represent significant steps forward for Connecticut in increasing our reliance on clean energy sources and protecting our environment for ourselves and for future generations. |
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| Earlier this month, which is also recognized at Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month, the Connecticut General Assembly passed legislation that will make our state the first in the country to include AAPI studies in the public school social studies curriculum. With the rise in anti-Asian violence over the past few years, this bill's timing could not be more significant. This bill also provides $150,000 in state funding to support staff including a curriculum specialist with the state Department of Education. I was proud to be a co-sponsor of this bill. You can read more about this here. |
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| The Connecticut Department of Public Health (DPH) is working to assist families across the state that have struggle to access baby formula during the nationwide shortage. The shortage started last fall due to pandemic-related supply chain issues, but has worsened after Abbott Nutrition recalled powdered baby formula in February and temporarily closed one of its production facilities.
DPH has been working closely with local agency staff to help families find retailers that have in-stock formula, or even switch the participant's benefits package when needed. DPH also has been working directly with manufacturers to order emergency formula.
While WIC encourages breastfeeding for at least the first year of life, only about one-third of Connecticut infants are breastfed.
If you or someone you know has been impacted by the shortage, there are resources in our state and community that could help. Please note that the below is not a comprehensive solution and is only meant to share helpful information: |
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Information for Families to Looking for Formula During Nationwide Shortage
- It is unsafe to add more water to formula, make homemade infant formula, or use regular cow’s milk, or other milk substitutes to feed infants. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends feeding infants iron-fortified infant formula during the first year of life when breastmilk is unavailable
- Ask your pediatrician or doctor if they offer baby formula samples
- Check smaller stores or pharmacies for availability. It may help to visit stores more frequently and buy formula as it becomes available
- If you can afford it, buy formula online until store availability improves. Purchase from well-recognized distributors and pharmacies
- Use caution when purchasing formula from individual or private sellers. You can report price gouging and scams to the CT Office of the Attorney General, HERE, or to local police
- Check social media groups that are dedicated to infant feeding and formula. Members may have ideas on where to find formula. Always check with your pediatrician regarding any advice
- WIC families can contact their local WIC office with questions. If you are unable to reach your local WIC office by phone you can send an email. Find local WIC office phone numbers and emails by clicking HERE. You can also reach out to ctwic@ct.gov or 1-800-741-2142 for assistance
- Call 2-1-1 or visit 211ct.org to locate community organizations that may provide emergency formula
- Connecticut participates in Mother’s Milk Bank Northeast, which sends most of its donated breast milk to neonatal care units across the state. It’s also available for purchase. Please visit milkbankne.org/receive to learn more
- The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services has additional resources for families to use. Click HERE for more information
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| Those who interact directly with our education system often have critical insight into how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted teaching and learning. The State Department of Education is soliciting input from education stakeholders on how the department should use dollars from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief fund to transform the academic experience for our students. There will be two opportunities for CT residents to share their ideas:
Can't attend? You can complete the survey linked here to provide written feedback. The survey will stay open until June 15, 2022. |
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| Did you have more than one job in 2021? Make sure you check your end of year paystubs or Boxx 14 of your W-2s to ensure you did not overpay your contributions for 2021. If your combined wages from your employers exceeded the Social Security Contribution base, you may have overpaid. the maximum contribution amount for 2021 was $714. If you find that you over contributed to CT Paid Leave, you can request and employee reimbursement here. |
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| As always, if I can be of assistance to you and your family, please reach out to me at 860-240-8585 or email me at Kate.Farrar@cga.ct.gov. Follow @KateforCT on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to stay up-to-date on everything I'm doing at the Capitol!
Sincerely,
Kate Farrar
State Representative
she/her/hers |
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