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Newsletter
May 27, 2010

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In this issue:
  • Join us for a traumatic brain injury (TBI) roundtable on Thursday, June 10
     
  • Lawmakers vote overwhelmingly for HB 5360, An Act Concerning Children in the Recession
     
  • The impact of the 2010 legislative session on children and families
     
  • Bullying comes to the fore
     
  • Commission welcomes three new board members
     

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Join us for a traumatic brain injury (TBI) roundtable on Thursday, June 10
Very young children and older adolescents have the highest rate of TBI-related emergency department visits of any age group. Join us, then, for an exploration of ways families, educators, health-care providers, and community leaders can identify and prevent TBI. The event will begin at 10 a.m. in Room 1-C of the Legislative Office Building in Hartford. More details (PDF) | Register to attend
Lawmakers vote overwhelmingly for HB 5360, An Act Concerning Children in the Recession
The legislation, based on the findings of the Speaker's Task Force on Children in the Recession, passed by a 137-7 vote in the House of Representatives on April 27 and cleared the Senate unanimously on May 5. If Gov. M. Jodi Rell signs it, Connecticut will become the first state to take a comprehensive approach to this issue. Bill summary | Text of the bill | Task Force home page
The impact of the 2010 legislative session on children and families
The just-concluded session of the Connecticut General Assembly produced a variety of legislation affecting children and families. Click here to read summaries of the bills and watch CT-N coverage of the Commission's May 11 meeting, where lawmakers and experts discussed the importance of the bills.
Bullying comes to the fore
The suicide of a Massachusetts teenager who'd been the target of severe bullying at school has prompted a lot of discussion about what Connecticut is doing about the problem:
  • Stan Simpson interviewed Commission on Children Executive Director Elaine Zimmerman on the topic for the May 2 edition of his public affairs show on Fox Connecticut TV (WTIC) in Hartford. Watch the segments
     
  • A news story on NBC Connecticut TV (WVIT) in West Hartford included another interview with Ms. Zimmerman. Watch the segment
     
  • The Governor's Prevention Partnership made bullying the theme of its 2010 best practices conference, held April 6 in collaboration with the Commission on Children and the state Department of Education. Learn more from the Partnership
     
  • More about bullying on the Commission website
Commission welcomes three new board members
The Commission on Children welcomes three new members to its board: Andrew Gibson, Ph.D., of Windham; attorney Justine Rakich-Kelly of Bristol; and attorney Ron Ward of Norwich.
Here's the rest of the board
 
The Commission on Children: 18-20 Trinity Street, Hartford, CT  06106-1591.
Phone: 860.240.0290  Fax: (860) 240-0248  Website: www.cga.ct.gov/coc

About the Commission: Created in 1985 by the Connecticut General Assembly, the Commission on Children brings together the three branches of government--legislative, executive, and judicial--as well as the private sector to promote public policies in the best interests of children. More

Commission members (all unpaid): M. Alex Geertsma, M.D., F.A.A.P., Chair; George A. Coleman, Vice Chair; Mary Grace Reed, Secretary; James P. Cordier, Treasurer; Laura Lee Simon, Chair Emerita; Representative Andrew M. Fleischmann; Mary K. Fox; Andrew Gibson, Ph.D.; Senator Jonathan Harris; Alison Hilding; Senator Andrew J. McDonald; Josh Piteo; Justine Rakich-Kelly; Barbara J. Ruhe; Representative Toni Walker; Ron Ward; and John Yrchik. Ex-officio members: commissioners of children and families, developmental services, public health, education, social services, and correction; the secretary of policy and management; the attorney general; and the chief court administrator. More information

Commission staff: Elaine Zimmerman, executive director; Thomas R. Brooks, director of policy and research analysis; Dawn Homer-Bouthiette, Parent Leadership Training Institute (PLTI) director; Kevin Flood, public information officer and webmaster; Mary Kate Lowndes, director of development; Rachel Levy, executive secretary; Edie Luciano, legislative secretary.
Contact information

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Newsletter editor: Kevin Flood

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