Connecticut Voices for Children Announcements

Review of HUSKY Program Changes

Connecticut Voices for Children has created this resource page for individuals and organizations to obtain information about health plan changes in the HUSKY program. These are some of the most recent and major changes to the participation of the health plans in HUSKY:

While the role of the health plans are changing, eligibility rules and benefits for members are not changing.
Wellcare (Preferred One) and Health Net no longer participate in the HUSKY program as of March 31, 2008.
HUSKY A Families now receive health care through Community Health Network of CT (CHNCT), Anthem (Blue Care Family Plan), or Traditional Medicaid (fee-for-service).
HUSKY B children now receive health care through CHNCT or Anthem (Blue Care Family Plan).
HUSKY families and children can still change health plans or move from traditional Medicaid to a health plan at any time.
Pharmacy benefits are now administered by DSS, effective February 1, 2008.
Dental benefits will be administered by DSS through one administrative services organization, on or after July 1, 2008.
Some or all HUSKY A families and HUSKY B children may be required to transition to new health plans between July 2008 and January 2009 under DSS"s plan to return the administration of HUSKY to a risk-based managed care program for all medical services except behavioral health, pharmacy, and dental services. Behavioral health continues to be provided through the CT Behavioral Health Partnership (www.ctbhp.com).

Summaries of program changes from Covering Kids and Families meetings

January 2008 summary of changes (PDF)
April 2008 summary of changes (PDF)

Presentations and materials from April 2008 Covering Kids meeting

DSS presentation by Rose Ciarcia on HUSKY transition (PDF)
DSS presentation on HUSKY dental improvements initiative (PDF)
Commissioner Starkowski letter to Gov. Rell on HUSKY program changes (PDF)
Carr v. Wilson-Coker dental lawsuit settlement highlights (PDF)

HUSKY members

Providers

Information for human service providers (updated April 10)
Notice on plan changes (PDF)
Frequently asked questions on plan changes (PDF)

Excluding Children from School: The Unintended Costs of Suspension Policy

The use of out-of-school punishments in Connecticut schools is surprisingly common -- 152,849 school days were lost to suspensions or expulsions, the equivalent of 850 school years. Students are frequently excluded from school for behavior that poses neither a danger to people or property nor a serious disruption to the learning process. This fact sheet concludes that excluding students from school is an ineffective method of promoting good behavior, there is a significant educational cost to missing school, out-of-school suspensions may increase risk of involvement in the juvenile justice system, and measures designed to get to the root of the disciplinary problem are more effective tools to prevent misconduct.

Income Gaps are Harming Connecticut's Children

The impact of Connecticut's income gaps, which are growing faster than in any other state in the country, are being felt by the state's children in their physical and mental health and educational development. A new study released by Connecticut Voices for Children indicates that low-income children are at least twice as likely as higher-income children to have physical health problems, experience emotional and behavioral health difficulties, have learning disabilities, and be at risk of developmental delays.

The gap between Connecticut's low-income and higher-income children in overall measures of child well-being is the fourth worst among all states. Among higher-income children, Connecticut ranks 15th highest among all states in child well-being compared to higher-income children in other states. However, Connecticut's low-income children fare poorly compared to low-income children in other states, ranking only 39th.

Education Policy Fellowship Available

Connecticut Voices for Children is seeking a well-qualified and enthusiastic person to fill a new full-time two-year Education Policy Fellowship position. This Fellowship is specifically designed for a person with a broad knowledge of education issues, including education financing, the achievement gap, and No Child Left Behind, as well as an interest in state-level education policy development and research. This position would be ideal for someone who has recently graduated from a Masters program in education or public policy who would like experience working in a non-profit organization that is increasing its work on state education policy and finance.

This is a salaried position with excellent benefits. Position begins summer 2008.

Please see the job description below for details.

Position Posted: April 28, 2008
Last Day to Apply: May 30, 2008

School Readiness: A Budget Update

This report evaluates funding proposals by the Governor and the Appropriations Committee for the School Readiness initiative, which helps families in Connecticuts poorest towns afford quality preschool. Both the Governor's proposed Fiscal Year 2009 budget and the Appropriations budget proposal would reduce total funding for School Readiness, though the Appropriations Committee budget would reduce funds by a lesser amount. Without clarification in the language of the Appropriations Committee budget proposal, it is not clear if School Readiness providers will get an increase in their low provider rates. In addition, the current Appropriations Committee budget includes an addition error that would mean that the Department of Social Services' School Readiness budget would fall $55,000 short.

Connecticut Economy: Current Trends in Employment, Unemployment, and Income

Recent economic indicators suggest that Connecticut like the nation as a whole is either headed towards, or is currently experiencing, an economic recession. Employment levels have dipped sharply downward, unemployment has risen faster than the national rate, and incomes for many Connecticut residents have flat-lined or declined. Economic growth in Connecticut as measured by gross state product also has been slow in recent years compared to overall economic growth in the United States.

This short report examines these recent trends in Connecticut employment, unemployment, and income to assess the health of our state economy and to what extent recessionary symptoms are appearing at the state level.

"Who Pays?" How Our State and Local Tax System Burdens Connecticut's Poor and Middle Class

Connecticut's middle class and poor families pay much more of their income in state and local taxes than do the wealthiest families. After federal income tax deductions for state income and property taxes, the wealthiest 1% of Connecticut's families (with average income in 2006 of $3.3 million) paid 4.7% of their income in state and local taxes. This was less than half the share of income paid in these taxes by the state's middle-income families (9.6% of their average income of $55,100) or the poorest 20% of families (10.9% of their average income of $15,100).

Low- and middle-income families pay a relatively larger share of their incomes in sales and property taxes, while higher income families pay a larger share of their incomes in income tax. In total, however, the state's wealthiest families pay a much smaller share of their income in state and local taxes than do its middle and lower income families. Why? Connecticut's income tax rates are not progressive enough to offset the regressivity of the sales and property taxes.

Pulling Apart in Connecticut: Trends in Family Income, Late 1980s to Mid 2000s

Over the last two decades, the gaps in average, inflation-adjusted ("real") income between wealthy and poor Connecticut families and between wealthy and middle-income families have grown more in Connecticut than in any other state in the country. While real income for the poorest families in the state has declined since the late 1980s by 17%, the largest drop of any state, the wealthiest families have enjoyed an increase in their real income of 45%. Middle-income families have seen little change in their real incomes, which increased by only 5.1%. This modest increase for middle-income residents was the lowest among all states.

Connecticut is the only state in which real income for the poorest fifth of families declined significantly since the late 1980s. On average, real income for low-income families in the U.S. increased by $1,814 (11%), but in Connecticut, real income for these families actually declined by $4,437 (-17%). The average income of the wealthiest fifth of Connecticut families now is 8 times greater than the income of the poorest fifth, compared to 4.6 times in the late 1980s. The wealthiest families now have income 2.7 times that of middle-income families, compared to 1.9 times in the late 1980s. Both of these increases in income inequality are the greatest among all states.