Advocacy Day is Coming - Are You Ready?

ONE WEEK TO GO! The Connecticut Early Childhood Alliance will host its annual Advocacy Day on Tuesday, March 6, from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., at the Old Judiciary Room of the State Capitol. Registration begins at 9:30 a.m., the program runs from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., followed by meetings with your local legislators. To register, visitwww.earlychildhoodalliance.com/calendar. We encourage you to wear red to the event to unite us as a group and make us more visible throughout the Capitol during the day.

Middlesex Coalition for Children to Host March Meeting

The Middlesex Coalition for Children will host CT Voices for Children's Ray Noonan to discuss the Children's Budget and Family Economic Security, on Thursday, March 8, at the deKoven House, 27 Washington Street, Middletown. This informational meeting will cover topics on the state budget and legislative issues that affect children and families. This legislative session promises to be a complicated one. With the impending bond lock, shrinking Children's Budget, and other complicated issues, there is a lot to keep track of. Monthly meetings will continue through the legislative session.

Working Families Party Launches Campaign to End On-Call Scheduling

The Connecticut Working Families Party is working to find a path forward to meet the challenges and realities of today's "workweek" for many Connecticut families. Unpredictable work schedules, where many low-wage employees must call or text their employers the night before or the morning of their shift to find out if they are needed at work. It creates a fluctuating income, which impacts a family's ability to meet even basic needs. Learn more about the campaign HERE.

Every Smile Counts Survey Results Discussed on WICC

On February 20, Mary Boudreau of the CT Oral Health Initiative (COHI) spoke to WICC's Mike Bellamy regarding the new "Every Smile Counts" Survey that was recently released by the Department of Public Health, Office of Oral Health. Mary spoke about the key findings, racial and ethnic disparities in dental health, what parents and families can do to improve oral health, and a discussion on Children's Dental Health Month in February. To listen to the interview, click HERE. To read the "Every Smile Counts" report, click HERE.

CT Mission of Mercy Dental Clinic Set for 2018

The 2018 CT Mission of Mercy (CTMOM) free dental clinic will take place April 20-21 at Torrington High School. The two-day clinic offers free dental services to the underserved and uninsured in Connecticut, who would otherwise go without dental care. The Connecticut Foundation for Dental Outreach, in collaboration with the Connecticut State Dental Association, held its first CTMOM in 2008. In New Haven in 2017, the event served 1,472 patients, with a total value on donated care at $1,005,103. For more information or to volunteer, click HERE. 

CLASP Report: Maternal Depression and Young Adult Mental Health

Three million Americans living in poverty are either a mother who has experienced depression or a young adult who has experienced serious psychological distress during the last year. Untreated mental health needs have significant consequences for mothers and young adults, along with their families, especially for low-income families. In its newest report, "Maternal Depression and Young Adult Mental Health: Policy Agenda for Systems that Support Mental Health Wellness," CLASP outlines new initiatives to strengthen Medicaid, mental health, and human services policy at the federal and state levels.

Childhood Conversations/Together We Will Conference Registration Opens 2/28

The annual Childhood Conversations Conference and the Together We Will Conference are working together to bring you one comprehensive conference on Friday, April 6 and Saturday, April 7, at the Hartford/Windsor Marriott! Registration opens at midnight on February 28! You can register online at www.childhoodconversations.com.

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; Community Foundation of Greater New Haven; and The Fund for Greater Hartford.