FAVOR Policy Network
Where Your Voice Counts

Because you, as concerned family members, have in depth knowledge, we need your voice to educate legislators and state agencies on the children’s mental health system.  FAVOR is continually asked to represent the family voice on legislative policy matters.  Prior to the session, we develop the FAVOR Legislative Priorities.  During each legislative session, we ask for your help in testifying at public hearings or making phone calls to support the FAVOR Legislative Priorities.  To keep you informed about legislative policy, we send to the FAVOR Network  a legislative update during the session.

FAVOR Advisory Committee

Goal of the Committee: The FAVOR Advisory Committee is a collaborative effort to create a body that would advise FAVOR on all of its activities in the community. The FAVOR Advisory Committee will meet to develop a legislative agenda, policies and positions, while being proactive in responding to emerging issues that affect families and youth with a broad spectrum of mental health and behavioral needs.

Members of the FAVOR Advisory Committee continue to meet on a regular basis. The last meeting of the policy committee was held on Thursday, December 16th, 2010.

Our hope is that the current and soon to be expanded and more representative advisory committee will serve to improve the partnership between families and professionals in order to provide both direct and policy supports. The process and outcomes will contribute to the committee’s and FAVOR’s accountability to families. Our focus will extend to all projects and tasks, incorporate the wraparound service model and support the community collaborative service infrastructure across the state. We plan to have family representation in each area and region of Connecticut on the committee and to hold meetings in the local communities.

The committee’s legislative approach for the 2011 session is to strengthen resource sharing, enhance stronger collaboration and build effective networking with partner organizations. All this is done to present a united front on legislative issues that concern families with children who have mental health and behavioral needs. Some areas of interest identified for policy work this year are (a) Prevention & Early Intervention (b) Transitional Youth Services (c) Foster Care Issues and (d) Juvenile Justice Issues. Please stay tuned to this page for updates on Bills of Interest and other recommended actions that will be requested periodically to ensure a successful 2011 legislative season.

The next meeting - originally scheduled for Thursday February 24th at 10:00 am in the FAVOR conference room, is to be rescheduled and the new date will be posted / announced shortly.

If you would like to join the FAVOR Public Policy Committee, please email Sarah Tatlock at statlock@favor-ct.org or Sam Agyei at sagyei@favor-ct.org.