Home > Economic Security > Speaker's Task Force on Children in the Recession

The Federal Stimulus Package:
What's in It for Children and Families?

A discussion held by the Connecticut Commission on Children on March 10, 2009, at the Legislative Office Building in Hartford

Watch CT-N coverage | Documents and links | Event photos

Overview

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 has given Connecticut an opportunity to work in new and creative ways to help families address some of the challenges created by the recession. Along with several grants, there are exciting chances to work across agencies and issue areas for the family.

Realizing this, the Commission brought in experts from around the country discuss how the stimulus package might affect Connecticut families in the areas of poverty reduction, health care, early child care, education, and job creation. Among the panelists:

Judith Solomon

Senior Fellow, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP),Washington, D.C.

Topic: Health care and the State Children's Health Insurance Program, or SCHIP.

Anne Mitchell

President, Early Childhood Policy Research, New York state

Topic: Early care and education.

Elizabeth Lower-Basch

Senior Policy Analyst, Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP), Washington, D.C.

Topic: Unemployment insurance and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, or TANF. PowerPoint presentation (PDF)

Jack Tweedie

Group Director, Children and Families Program, National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), Denver, Colorado

Topic: State opportunities.

Watch CT-N coverage

The meeting was televised by the Connecticut Network (CT-N). You may watch a recording of it on the CT-N website, check the CT-N listings to see if it will be televised again, or purchase the program in DVD or VHS format.

Documents and links

Agenda (PDF)

Speaker biographies (PDF)

Federal Stimulus Funding for Connecticut's Children & Families (PDF)
A summary, prepared by the Commission, of stimulus opportunities affected by state budget decisions

Text of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (PDF)

Resource Guide to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (PDF)
Prepared by the Office of Senator Christopher J. Dodd.

Recovery.gov
The federal government's website on the stimulus package

Connecticut Recovery Initiative
Governor Rell's website on the stimulus package

Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP)

Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP)

Maximizing Resources from the Stimulus Package: Possible Strategies for Funding Quality Rating and Improvement Systems (PDF)
By Anne Mitchell and Louise Stoney, Alliance for Early Childhood Finance

American Recovery and Reinvestment Act Information
Connecticut Early Childhood Investment Initiative

Federal Stimulus Resources
Connecticut Voices for Children

Zero to Three
A national nonprofit organization that seeks to improve the lives of infants and toddlers

Grants.gov
The federal government's website for identifying and applying for federal grants

Event photos

Click to enlarge. All photos on this page are by Pat Estill.

The Commission had a full house for the event...

...forcing some to stand along the walls.

Representative Diana S. Urban of North Stonington gave opening remarks. Listening are, from left, Commission Executive Director Elaine Zimmerman and Representative Toni Walker of New Haven, who co-chairs the legislature's Human Services Committee.