FAVOR Policy Network
Where Your Voice Counts

Because you 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 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 Public Policy Committee

Goal of the Committee: A collaborative effort to create a public policy platform that is reflective of and includes the voice of families and youth. The FAVOR Public Policy committee will meet to develop a legislative agenda, policies and positions, while being proactive and in response to emerging issues that affect families and youth with a broad spectrum of behavioral health needs.

Members of the FAVOR Public Policy Committee continue to meet on a regular basis. The last meeting of the policy committee was held on Friday, November 20th, 2009. It was a collaborative meeting with partner organizations. At that meeting, members unanimously agreed to call their legislators and express their dissatisfaction with the Governor’s recession mitigation plan. In order to take action, a template outlining what to tell legislators was developed and distributed to members. Members were also encouraged to send their written concerns and personal stories to the local media. These actions are offered in a effort to show how unfair it is to try to balance the state’s budget on the backs of the most vulnerable population in the state – a balance sought by cutting the funding for last year’s already limited safety net programs.

The committee’s legislative approach for the 2010 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 our people. 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 2010 legislative season.

If you would like to join the FAVOR Public Policy Committee, please email Llonia Gordon at lgordon@favor-ct.org.

2010 Public Policy & Legislative Session Bills of Focus