    |
| |
|
|
Many of these quotes come
from 2009 public-hearing testimony before the state
legislature's Appropriations Committee. You may read all of
the February 18 testimony
here. |
|
| |
| |
 The
State of Connecticut was prescient in establishing the
Connecticut Commission on Children. This organization has
done excellent work in providing the legislature with the
objective analysis of the knowledge base on children’s
issues. The Commission has been an important factor in
placing Connecticut at the cutting edge of dealing with
child and family concerns.” |
| |
| |
--Dr. Edward Zigler,
Sterling Professor of Psychology at Yale University and
Director Emeritus of the Edward Zigler Center in Child
Development and Social Policy at Yale |
| |
| |
|
The
Commission on Children is truly the voice for children, and
especially for those in our state who are most vulnerable.
It has a proven track record of ensuring that the health,
safety, and learning of the children in Connecticut are
central. When they see a problem, they seek expert opinion
on the most up to date research, communicate this to the
legislature and governmental officials, and drive the policy
that will result in effective solutions. The list of
proactive, preventive programs that they have brought to
this state through legislation is enormous, including school
readiness, early reading, lead abatement, obesity
prevention, and child poverty reduction. In each case, they
have saved this state millions of dollars by enhancing the
health and development of our children and preventing
serious and costly problems from arising. |
| |
| |
-- Dr. Darcy Lowell,
Executive Director of Child FIRST (Child and Family
Interagency Resource, Support, and Training Program),
Bridgeport Hospital |
| |
| |
|
Since
2000, we at Haskins, along with the Connecticut teachers
whom we’ve trained and the children whom these teachers have
taught, have been the beneficiaries of the Commission’s
vision, policy acumen, and dedication to raising the
achievement of every child in our state." |
| |
| |
-- Margie Gillis,
Senior Scientist and Project Director, Haskins Literacy
Initiative at Haskins Laboratories, Yale University |
| |
| |
|
The
Commission has worked on the lead poisoning issue from the
beginning. They were part of the 'Get the Lead Out
Coalition' that spawned the LAMPP project back in the early
1990’s. LAMPP has since received two rounds of federal
funding to the tune of over $12.6 million and has remediated
lead paint in more than 1,135 housing units to date." |
| |
| |
-- Amy McLean Salls,
Project Coordinator of LAMPP (Lead Action for Medicaid
Primary Prevention) |
| |
| |
|
[The
Commission] supports the planning, programs, and activities
that prepare parents, grandparents, and other adult
caregivers to work with school, community, and state leaders
to improve health, safety and learning outcomes for all
children. [It has made] an important difference here in
Meriden. These resources are vital investments in our
state’s children and families--especially in these
challenging economic times. |
| |
| |
--David Radcliffe,
Director, Meriden Children First Initiative |
| |
| |
|
The
Commission on Children plays a unique role in Connecticut as
a communications link between citizens and the often complex
processes of government. Working in partnership with local
and statewide, public and private organizations, the
Commission has helped many who are working on behalf of
children to be heard more clearly in the public arena.” |
| |
| |
--David M. Nee, Executive
Director, William Caspar Graustein Memorial Fund |
| |
| |
|
As
we continue our research and discover ways to have a
positive impact on childhood overweight and obesity, we
continue to rely on and highly value our relationship with
the Commission and its Obesity Council on a variety of
issues, to help us educate policy makers, communities,
families, and other citizens about making real change in the
lives of Connecticut children. |
| |
| |
--Roberta Friedman,
Director of Policy, Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity,
Yale University |
| |
|
The
Commission on Children pays as much attention to what is
happening in Connecticut’s towns and cities as to what it
happening at the Capitol. No other agency makes such a point
of getting to know--and mentor--local leaders on children’s
issues. It has an eagle eye for promising local
initiatives--Bridgeport’s Child FIRST, for instance--which
it brings to the attention of legislators and policy makers.
It is the Commission to which local leaders turn to smooth
the rough edges of their advocacy, and test their ideas
against sophisticated policy analysis." |
| |
| |
--Betsy
Morgan, Director, Middlesex Coalition for Children |
| |
| |
|
The
Commission on Children is an agency that has an impressive
track record of identifying the key issues for children and
families, and I believe that is because they ask us--the
families--and then work directly with us, gathering the
research and pulling together the critical players to work
through the issues and make a difference for Connecticut's
children. |
| |
| |
--Karen Zrenda,
Old Lyme parent and longtime volunteer on behalf of children
with disabilities |
| |
| |
|
In
2008 my wife and I completed Parent Leadership Training
Institute (PLTI) training in Bridgeport, and our children
completed the Children’s Leadership Training Institute
program. We use the training we received weekly, if not
daily. There are hundreds like us being trained each year in
this state. Once the training is done, we are out there
working in the communities and making a difference. |
| |
| |
--John Wilkins,
Bridgeport |
| |
| |
|
The
Commission on Children is a cost-effective investment in our
state’s future." |
| |
--Diane Willcutts,
Board of Directors, Learning Disabilities Association of
Connecticut |
| |
| |
|
The
Connecticut Commission is unique among the active governance
bodies surveyed by the Family Impact seminar. The Commission
and its staff, by nearly all accounts, perform a valuable
catalyzing and coordinating role on behalf of better and
better-coordinated services to young children and their
families. Known for its facility at mobilizing both public
and private stakeholders and creating effective public
education campaigns, the Commission is perhaps most valuable
as an influential advisor to all branches of government and
as a site for the negotiations of state and family and child
policy.” |
| |
| |
-- From "Coming Together for
Children and Families: How Cabinet-level Collaboration is
Changing State Policymaking," published by the Family Impact
Seminar |
Site Map
