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CT legislators push for more mental health support for kids

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By Jessika Harkay, Ginny Monk, CTMirror.org, CT Insider

State lawmakers are confident that Senate Bill 2, which has passed out of the Committee on Children, will continue to build upon previous legislation that ensures the general well-being of Connecticut youth.

The bill contains several measures that cover protections for public libraries and expand requirements that certain information about kids’ education and child care be provided in Spanish. It also aims to help more children get enrolled in HUSKY and continue work that began last session to provide mental health support for kids.

“It’s all about access to services and a continuum of care,” said Sen. Ceci Maher, D-Darien, who serves as co-chair on the Committee on Children.

The bill covers a few of the major issues that children’s committee leadership said they wanted to tackle this session. Members also pushed measures that would encourage safe storage of cannabis products and create a police sting operations unit to address online sexual abuse of minors. The committee has no more scheduled meetings this session.

Maher identified the key components of the 22-page bill as:

  • Reducing the cost of licensing and renewal fees for social workers;
  • Providing a Spanish speaking service coordinator for English language learner students who have special needs;
  • Providing behavior health advocates to help serve uninsured populations, or when there’s problems with insurance;
  • Adding Medicaid reimbursement for suicide risk assessments;
  • Giving free mental health evaluations at school-based health centers;
  • Creating sanctuary libraries.

A public hearing on Feb. 24, which lasted for more than five hours, showed vast support for the bill. But there’s still room for changes, Maher said.

“I heard from the libraries that they want to sit down with us and talk a little bit about the wording so we make sure that we get this right,” Maher said. “We did hear from people about wanting the [Department of Social Services] to hire temporary and part-time employees to collaborate with nonprofit organizations to identify children who aren’t enrolled in the HUSKY health program.”

Beyond taking public comment into consideration, the Committee on Children’s ranking member, Sen. Lisa Seminara, R-Avon, said the discussion will remain “ongoing” among lawmakers.

4th of July - Long Weekend - Operations Hours
Thursday, July 3rd: We’ll be open from 9:00 AM to 8:30 PM, and all our regular classes will be in session.
Friday, July 4th: We will be closed for the holiday—enjoy your celebrations!
Saturday, July 5th: No classes; we'll operate only as a Cooling Center! The Recreation area will be open to the public from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
Sunday, July 6th: Join us again for some fun! The Recreation area will be available from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
Wishing you a wonderful 4th of July! Stay safe and have a great time!

4 de Julio - Fin de semana largo - Horario de atención
Jueves 3 de Julio: Abriremos de 9:00 a. m. a 8:30 p. m. y todas nuestras clases regulares estarán en sesión.
Viernes 4 de Julio: Cerrado por el feriado. ¡Disfruten de sus celebraciones!
Sábado 5 de Julio: No habrá clases; ¡funcionaremos únicamente como Centro de Recreación! El área de recreación estará abierta al público de 9:00 a. m. a 5:00 p. m.
Domingo 6 de Julio: ¡Únanse a nosotros de nuevo para divertirse! El área de recreación estará disponible de 9:00 a. m. a 5:00 p. m.
¡Les deseamos un maravilloso 4 de julio! ¡Cuídense y pásenla bien!

4 Jiyè - Long wikenn - Orè ouvèti
Jedi 3 Jiyè: Nou pral ouvè soti 9:00 a.m. pou rive 5:00 p.m. m. a 8:30 p.m. m. epi tout klas regilye nou yo ap an sesyon.
Vandredi 4 Jiyè: Fèmen pou jou ferye a. Pran plezi nan selebrasyon ou yo!
Samdi 5 Jiyè: Pa gen klas; Nou pral opere sèlman kòm yon Sant Lwazi! Zòn rekreyasyon an ap ouvè pou piblik la soti 9:00 a.m. pou rive 1:00 p.m. m. a 5:00 p.m. m.
Dimanch 6 Jiyè: Vin pran plezi nou ankò! Zòn rekreyasyon an ap disponib soti 9:00 a.m. rive 1:00 p.m. m. a 5:00 p.m. m.
Nou swete w yon bèl 4 Jiyè! Pran swen tèt ou epi pase yon bon moman!

4 de Julio - Fin de semana largo - Horario de atención

Jueves 3 de Julio: Abriremos de 9:00 a. m. a 8:30 p. m.
y todas nuestras clases regulares estarán en sesión.

Viernes 4 de Julio: Cerrado por el feriado. ¡Disfruten de sus celebraciones!

Sábado 5 de Julio: No habrá clases;
¡funcionaremos únicamente como Centro de Recreación!
El área de recreación estará abierta al público de 9:00 a. m. a 5:00 p. m.

Domingo 6 de Julio: ¡Únanse a nosotros de nuevo para divertirse!
El área de recreación estará disponible de 9:00 a. m. a 5:00 p. m.

¡Les deseamos un maravilloso 4 de julio! ¡Cuídense y pásenla bien!
¡El equipo de B1C!

4 Jiyè - Long wikenn - Orè ouvèti

Jedi 3 Jiyè: Nou pral ouvè soti 9:00 a.m. pou rive 5:00 p.m. m.
a 8:30 p.m. m. epi tout klas regilye nou yo ap an sesyon.

Vandredi 4 Jiyè: Fèmen pou jou ferye a. Pran plezi nan selebrasyon ou yo!

Samdi 5 Jiyè: Pa gen klas; Nou pral opere sèlman kòm yon Sant Lwazi!
Zòn rekreyasyon an ap ouvè pou piblik la soti 9:00 a.m. pou
rive 1:00 p.m. m. a 5:00 p.m. m.

Dimanch 6 Jiyè: Vin pran plezi nou ankò!
Zòn rekreyasyon an ap disponib soti 9:00 a.m. rive 1:00 p.m. m. a 5:00 p.m. m.

Nou swete w yon bèl 4 Jiyè! Pran swen tèt ou epi pase yon bon moman!
Ekip B1C a!

4th of July - Long Weekend - Operations Hours

Thursday, July 3rd: We’ll be open from 9:00 AM to 8:30 PM,
and all our regular classes will be in session.

Friday, July 4th: We will be closed for the holiday—enjoy your celebrations!

Saturday, July 5th: No classes; we'll operate only as a Cooling Center!
The Recreation area will be open to the public from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM.

Sunday, July 6th: Join us again for some fun!
The Recreation area will be available from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM.

Wishing you a wonderful 4th of July! Stay safe and have a great time!
The B1C team!

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