Kara Rochelle

A number of laws were passed in the last two legislative sessions meant to help disconnected and at-risk youth.



2022 Legislation - School-Based Health Centers (HB 5001, SB 1, HB 5506)

• Provided grants to local schools to hire more support staff, including in the areas of mental health like social workers, psychologists, and counselors
• Funded the expansions of school-based health centers and the services they provide
• Created new walk-ins for mental health emergencies
• Initiated a new position at the Office of the Healthcare Advocate to help families navigate care for children and adolescents
• Expanded 24/7 emergency mental health response
• Established state oversight and coordination of state response to kids' mental health needs
• Expanded mentorship opportunities
• Helped school-based health centers develop new mental health programming
• Assisted local schools in expanding mental health staff and access to care
• Provided mental health training to parents, students, and pediatricians
• Established the Transforming Children's Behavioral Health Policy and Planning Committee (legislation passed in 2022; updated in 2023 with PA 23-90)

2023 Legislation - State Budget (HB 6941)

• Prevented any town from receiving a funding cut to their local schools
• Ensured more districts will meet eligibility requirements for the federal School Breakfast Program 
• Maintained funding to support our bilingual students

In addition, in the two-year state budget we passed this session, I secured $104,700 each year for the next two years for the Boys & Girls Club of the Lower Naugatuck Valley to establish full-time teen programming with special teen hours to service Ansonia and Derby youth.

This report shines a light on critically important data that shows elected officials, state agencies, and branches of government must collectively work better together to bring more stakeholders into this conversation, so that "at-risk and "disconnected" youth do not become "lost" adults.