Advisory Committees

The Medical Home Advisory Council (MHAC) was established to provide guidance and advice to the CT Department of Public Health in its efforts to improve the community-based system of care for children and youth with special health care needs (CYSHCN) by ensuring their connection to a medical home that is accessible, compassionate, comprehensive, coordinated, continuous, culturally effective, and family-centered. Parents representing different organizations are at the table including staff from the CT Family Support Network (CTSFN). The CTFSN provides direct support to individuals and families in their homes and communities by sharing information and resources that empower people to make their voices heard and to become their own best advocate.

The DPH MHAC Family Experience Workgroup who provides consistent support for quarterly meetings and offers a gateway to additional family voices through the facilitation of focus groups on behalf of the consumer input section of the MCHBG. The Family Experience Workgroup serves as a conduit to ensure a broad representation of family experiences are shared with Council members and to distribute materials and information gathered at MHAC and Family Experience meetings to families statewide.

The DPH Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) program and Congenital Cytomegalovirus (CMV) program, collectively referred to as “EHDI,” work extremely closely with the Connecticut EHDI Task Force (TF). The TF is non-governmental advisory board comprised of pediatric audiologists, pediatricians, teachers of the deaf of hard of hearing (DHH), representatives from the Connecticut Office of Early Childhood, parents of the DHH, and other members or providers of the DHH or EHDI community. Specifically, the TF has representatives from all the major pediatric audiology centers; the University of Connecticut’s audiology doctorate program; the Connecticut Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities program (CT LEND); the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) chapter champion, a pediatric infectious disease doctor who specializes in CMV; birthing facilities from distressed communities or Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSA); the two largest pediatric hospital in the state; the American School for the Deaf (ASD), America’s oldest school for DHH; several parent organizations, including ASD, which is a Family Based Organization contractor for EHDI; and all three primary Birth to Three (B23) hearing specialty providers. The TF officially meets monthly, except July and August, barring any ad hoc subcommittee activities, and EHDI program staff attend them all, as there is a standing agenda item monthly just for EHDI. The EHDI coordinator is one of the main drivers of activities on the TF and works extremely closely with the two co-chairs, in and outside of meetings. 

The TF has been and continues to be an invaluable resource for the EHDI programs and its constituents, as it can provide specific and highly technical recommendations and advice that facilitates EHDI meeting its goals or improving health outcomes for children ages 0-3 years. Additionally, at the request of EHDI staff, the TF is perpetually willing to take on projects requiring enormous effort, such as assisting EHDI in rewriting state guidelines for hearing screening, audiology testing, and early intervention (an ongoing multi-year project). The TF is also a forum for the EHDI program to share the latest in state laws, regulations, rules, best practices, or goals set by our various federal grantors, which results in TF members disseminating this information at their home organizations. The EHDI coordinator has taken full advantage of the hundreds of years of experience TF has to offer and does not hesitate to contact members for advice. Likewise, the TF often contacts EHDI for advice, assistance, clarifications, or to act as good offices. The EHDI Program and TF relationship is very much a partnership and continues to be highly effective and ultimately improves the lives of constituents.

Strategic and Program Planning

DPH kicked off the State Health Improvement Planning for 2020-2025 in September of 2019 with a coalition of stakeholders including but not limited to families, consumers and family advocates who were brought together to consider a selection of findings from the draft State Health Assessment 2.0 and to take the first steps for planning for future health improvement priorities to be included in the State Health Improvement Plan 2.0. “Healthy Connecticut 2025 Healthy People in Healthy, Equitable Connecticut Communities” builds upon the Healthy Connecticut 2020 initiative launched in 2014, to advance health promotion and disease prevention through cross-sector partner collaboration and by specifically addressing the social, economic, and environmental determinants of health that create and perpetuate poor health outcomes for CT residents.

The Healthy Connecticut 2025 vision states through effective assessment, prevention, and policy development, DPH and its stakeholders and partners provide every Connecticut resident equitable opportunity to be healthy throughout their lifetimes and are accountable to making measurable improvements toward health equity. Guided by vision for health equity, CT DPH staff, Coalition partners including families and consumers, and external stakeholders have been collaborating throughout the year on four (4) action teams to prioritize objectives and coordinate efforts to implement, track and report on the State Health Improvement Plan for 2020-2025. Here is the link and more information: https://portal.ct.gov/DPH/State-Health-Planning/Healthy-Connecticut/Healthy-Connecticut-2025

Workforce Development

CT DPH works closely with CT Family Support Network on several training programs including “Positive Communication: Understanding the Family Perspective.” The training helps to enhance the skills that professionals have in communicating effectively and empathizing with the families they serve. “Now What? You are Not Alone” is a training offered by CT FSN for parents and family members to find out what resources, options, supports are available to help navigate a family’s journey.

CT DPH also works closely with the Educating Practices Program which was transferred from Child Health and Development Institute to Connecticut Children’s. The Educating Practices program provides pediatricians with timely, evidence-based clinical information and office tools, and helps them connect to community and state resources so they can implement practice changes.

Block Grant Development and Review

The DPH has invited and supports consumers of MCH services to read and review the Application and Annual Report and to provide input to strengthen the role of consumer involvement through family leadership for more than 18 years. The reviewer attends two meetings. The first outlines the MCH Programs, the MCH Application, and the importance of the public review process. The reviewer is asked to read the MCH application, complete forms including feedback about performance measures, and to relate comments about his or her experience with access to health care. The reviewer can contact DPH staff as needed. During the second meeting questions from the reviewer are answered. The reviewer is provided with a stipend.

The DPH CYSHCN Program partnered with the Family Experience Workgroup of the MHAC, CTFSN, and Carelon Behavioral Health (formerly Beacon Health Options) and conducted online consumer focus groups for inclusion in the Public Comment section of the MCHBG. Four online groups were held in English and two online groups were held in Spanish. Some key points from the English focus group are that different types of therapies are needed; lack of medical interpretation services is another barrier highlighted in the Spanish focus group. The full report and key findings can be found in the consumer section of this application.

Materials Development

All materials related to the CT Medical Home initiative continue to be updated and are available on the DPH CYSHCN webpage. These materials include the following: CMHI Program application form, CMHI CYHCN Screener complexity referral; Respite family needs checklist, CMHI Universal release of information form and CMHI RSF Request application form. The forms can be found here: www.ct.gov/dph/medicalhome.

Advocacy

Several organizations working closely with the CT DPH provide advocacy through sharing information about legislative actions with families and consumers and providing education about the legislative process. The CT General Assembly web site has a legislative link that provides information about specific legislative issues or policy concerns a family may like to address. Their web site shows how to find a legislator and the e-mail addresses of individual lawmakers and where a family can find a good source of information about proposed legislation. The legislative website home page and the CTFSN web site have a link titled "Citizen Guide" and it contains helpful information about how a bill becomes a law, how to testify at a public hearing, "frequently asked questions" and short videos on how to become involved in the legislative process.

Several family support organizations including the CTFSN, African Caribbean American Parents of Children with Disabilities (AFCAMP), CT Parent Advocacy Center, and Parents Available to Help/Family to Family Health Information Center (PATH/F2F) provide training, support, and access to resources including; Understanding Special Education Training, Parent Leadership Training, and information on disability laws. These organizations have a history of successful collaboration with schools, government agencies, private providers, and community stakeholders to ensure that families get the services they need. As a parent voice for systems change, these organizations encourage, train and support parents to become leaders and active participants in service system reforms.

The DPH works closely with the CT Autism Action Coalition (CAAC) a group of family organizations, families and community and state agency providers who provide one unified voice to support CT in the development and improvement of service access and quality for all individuals who are affected by autism. CAAC hosts Autism Awareness Day at the capital where in April 2022 more than 75 autism awareness advocates converged on the Connecticut Capitol to raise awareness for autism programs.

Fatherhood Initiative Update

Throughout the 2021-2022 contract year, the Connecticut Fatherhood Initiative (CFI) continued to operate under the “new normal” for most state operations.  Return to live, in-person meetings was scheduled to begin on December 5, 2022. During the new normal, the CFI continued the virtual process to conduct quarterly, statewide meetings, hold committee meetings, provide trainings to members, and began the long process of creating a newsletter, which was distributed to associated State Agencies, State Legislative representatives, Fatherhood Programs, and interested individuals.

DPH received a grant to train six men, who were involved in fatherhood work, to be lactation counselors. The men will attend a 52-hour training program culminating in an exam, which they must pass before earning the title of lactation counselor. CFI has received a grant in support of the work of fatherhood providers. The grant will support Training and Technical Assistance Services Center, for the implementation of the 5-step Strategic Prevention Framework planning model to address alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use and mental health promotion for fathers.  Another grant has been received that will train those involved in the six, State-funded Fatherhood Programs to address and work with fathers who were affected by the multiple stressors experienced during COVID-19, increase referrals for accessing behavioral health, and increase the number of local providers to develop and implement prevention (substance abuse) preventions.

CFI provided a ‘one-pager’ report to member of the State Legislature and Legislative Aids outlining the importance of securing the existence, the importance to State Agencies and residents, and the continual funding of the Connecticut Fatherhood Initiative.  The Department of Public Health Fatherhood representative contributed to the composition and provided a generous amount of editing in this document.  With the assistance provided by this document, the State Legislature passed this piece of legislation and is listed in CT General Statutes as, “Senate Bill 289, An Act Concerning the Oversight and Funding of the Connecticut Fatherhood Initiative”.

The New England Fathering Conference, an annual conference for all New England Fatherhood Initiatives, was cancelled due to a surge in the omicron variant COVID strain. This event was scheduled to be held in Newport, Rhode Island on March 16-18, 2022. The next New England Fathering Conference was scheduled for March 17-19, 2023.

The State Office of Early Childhood Education has offered CT residents a new website which describes all the services that are offered to parents and children of early childhood ages.  The site lists services such as Birth to Three, Parent and Child Literacy Activities, Care for Kids (pre-school and day care referrals), Parenting Education Courses, and the Home Visiting Program for parents and children.  All listed services are free to CT residents. 

CFI created an “Asset Map” listing all the members CFI State Agencies and the services they offer to dads.  The concept of the Asset Map is to allow sister-State Agencies to make client referrals to services offered by other State Agencies, as one agency may not be aware of the services, which could help a client.  The Asset Map will assist agencies and clients navigate the State system of various services and create a system or knowledge of data sharing of the services offered by various agencies.

The inaugural issue newsletter of CFI was released in March of 2022.  The newsletter will be released on a quarterly basis and sent to all State Agencies involved in the Initiative, affiliated organizations, daycare centers, social service organizations, and interested members of the general.  The quarterly newsletters will feature a State Agency and the services that are offered, especially to dads, by the agency.  Each newsletter will also highlight articles from individual Fatherhood Initiative sites, and personal experiences from the dads who attended a Fatherhood Initiative Program.  The Department of Public Health Fatherhood Initiative representative is a member of the CFI Domain 5 (committee), which is responsible for creating and sending the newsletter.