Today's the Day! Don't Forget to Vote Tuesday, November 6!

Today is Election Day 2018! Please remember to vote! Make your voice, make your vote, count. Polls are open until 8 p.m. across the state. If you didn't get the chance to register, you can still do same-day registration at a designated location in your city or town. To find your same-day registration location, click HERE. If you are registered, but unsure where to vote, you can check your polling station HERE.

Please keep children and families in mind when you vote today. The Alliance cannot endorse candidates or political parties, but you can consider candidates who will support essential services for families who need them, candidates who support expanding access to preschool, and candidates who will work to make childcare more affordable. Kids can't vote, so we have to!

Comments Needed to Keep Flores Ruling in Place

We were all horrified to see the images of children locked in cages at the country's borders. The current rules of short detentions are the result of a court settlement in the Flores case about 20 years ago. Advocates are trying to get 100,000 unique comments against the changes that would allow the Feds to hold immigrant children in detention indefinitely. This cannot happen. We know what kind of trauma this would cause. WE NEED YOU to file a comment against this change! Please click HERE to submit a comment and feel free to customize your response. Comments need to be submitted by the close of business on Wednesday. Please take a few minutes to stand up for immigrant children!

ACA Open Enrollment Now Open

You may have started seeing the TV commercials - the Affordable Care Act (ACA) open enrollment period through Access Health CT begins on November 1. This is the shortest window of time to sign up for insurance since the ACA became law (until December 15). Remember, CT does not use the national exchange - insurance is obtained here through Access Health CT. More plan information, assistance and renewal can be done atwww.AccessHealthCT.com

FBI Background Check Fees Go Up in 2019

Now is the time to get your background checks done - FBI fee for processing fingerprint-based background checks will increase on January 1, 2019. The OEC has released a document to answer any questions you may have and the old vs. new fees. Background check documents received by the OEC after December 15 should include the new fee rates.

Beyond Screening: Education Every Time

Domestic violence impacts far too many of the individuals and families we serve. Emotional, technological, sexual, and physical abuse have an impact on how our clients experience the world around them, on their health, and on their ability to parent. Healthcare and early childhood professionals are in a unique position to conduct a brief domestic violence screen with the individuals they serve. But rather than wait for a positive disclosure, screening individuals for domestic violence can be an opportunity for prevention and awareness every time. You have an opportunity to learn more about this screening - the registration link is live for CT Coalition Against Domestic Violence (CCADV) November 14 Conference, Beyond Screening: Education Every Time from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Courtyard Marriot, Cromwell. The agenda can be found HERE and a flyer with more information is available HERE. The cost is $75 per person.

Support for the Alliance comes from of our members and our funders: The William Caspar Graustein Memorial Fund, Connecticut Health Foundation, Connecticut Community Foundation, Children's Fund of Connecticut, CT Early Childhood Funder Collaborative, a project of CT Council of Philanthropy; The Community Foundation of Eastern Connecticut; Community Foundation of Greater New Britain; and Community Foundation of Greater New Haven.