Office of Governmental Accountability Office of the Child Advocate

Resources

Child in Danger/in Need of Voluntary Services:

  • DCF Careline: (800) 842-2288 or https://portal.ct.gov/DCF
  • Purpose: Reporting of suspected abuse and/or neglect of a child under age 18 (anywhere and by anyone) or the suspected abuse and/or neglect of a child under age 21 by a staff member(enrolled in certain academic environments).

 

Families Involved with DCF:

Purpose: For complaints about DCF staff, pending investigations, on-going cases with DCF.

 

Internet Access for Remote Learning: 

Child Development

Purpose: Child Development Infoline (CDI) takes great pride in working individually with families to understand their needs, connect them to the best services available, and follow up to ensure their needs are being met. CDI Care Coordinators are available by phone to help with: General child development; Challenging behaviors; Disability and health related issues and Pregnancy supports.

Purpose: Care coordinators provide education on development, behavior management strategies and programs, make referrals to services, and provide advocacy and follow-up as needed.

Purpose: Children have a lot to learn in the first three years. Birth to Three supports families when they have concerns about their children’s development. To talk to someone about your concerns, call toll-free at 800-505-7000 (TDD accessible).

Day Care Services/Complaints:

Purpose: Care 4 Kids helps low to moderate income families in Connecticut pay for child care costs. This program is sponsored by the Connecticut Office of Early Childhood.

Purpose:2-1-1 Child Care is a free, confidential, and statewide service which helps match the requests of parents with child care providers and programs. Child Care Referral Specialists help parents learn about options in their community and understand what to look for in selecting a quality child care arrangement. Child Care Referral Specialists encourage parents to contact the Office of Early Childhood Division of Licensing to check on the complaint history of licensed child care options that are being considered. Child Care Referral Specialists can also help parents connect to other resources such as Care 4 Kids Child Care Subsidy Program or Birth to Three Early Intervention Services.

Purpose: The Division of Licensing is responsible for the administration of the child care and youth camp licensing programs at the Office of Early Childhood. Family child care homes, group child care homes, child care centers and youth camps are required to be licensed.

 

Child Support:

                     Support Enforcement Services: (800) 228-5437 or https://www.jud.ct.gov/childsupport/.

   Purpose: Our mission is to assist parents in securing financial and medical support for their children.

 

Rent and Utility Assistance:

Special Education Needs (Need for advocate at PPT, complaints about educational programs, information about how to negotiate for special education services):

Purpose: Provides resources and a centralized library focusing on both special and regular education.

Purpose: Staff members at this division of the CT Department of Education focus on taking complaints and concerns from parents of students receiving special education services in CT.

  • CT Parent Advocacy Center (CPAC): Toll-free: (800) 445-2722; (860) 739-3089 or https://cpacinc.org/

Purpose: A statewide nonprofit organization that offers information and support to families of children with any disability or chronic illness, age birth to 26.

Purpose: DRCT’s mission is to advocate, educate, investigate and pursue legal, administrative, and other appropriate remedies to advance and protect the civil rights of individuals with disabilities to participate equally and fully in all facets of community life in Connecticut.Disability Rights Connecticut Education Rights Clinic. The clinic will be open to students and families of students     with disabilities, including                   students with special education needs or students who have or may need 504 plans. Clinic appointments will provide   an opportunity for callers   to talk with advocates, law students, and attorneys. In a one-hour virtual meeting, clinic attendees will receive counsel and   advice and short-term   service related to their child’s special education needs free of charge. DRCT Ed Clinic Flyer_082222_ENGLISH           DRCT Ed Clinic Flyer_082222_SPANISH                    

 

                            

Bullying and Harassment:

Purpose: CWCS is a non-partisan arm of the Connecticut General Assembly. As staff to the legislature, the CWCS researches best practices, coordinates stakeholders, and promotes public policies that are in the best interest of Connecticut’s underserved and underrepresented women, children and older adults.

Purpose: Provides Resources on how to identify, prevent, respond and get help for bullying.

 

Legal Information and Representation For Children:

Purpose: Helping Abused and Neglected Children; Improving Child Health; Improving Educational Success; Preventing Truancy and Reducing Involvement with the Juvenile Justice System; Generating System Reform; Improving Knowledge and Skills of Attorneys, Child Welfare Professionals, Parents and Youth

Purpose: Child Protection Services ensures that children and indigent parents who require legal services and guardians ad litem in child protection, child custody and child support cases in Superior Court, receive high quality, competent and zealous representation.

 

 

 

Suicide prevention

https://www.preventsuicidect.org/

  • Purpose: The CTSAB is a network of diverse advocates, educators and leaders concerned with addressing the problem of suicide with a focus on prevention, intervention, and health and wellness promotion.
  • The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is a United States-based suicide prevention network of over 160 crisis centers that provides 24/7 service via a toll-free hotline with the number 1-800-273-8255 (TALK). It is available to anyone in suicidal crisis or emotional distress.

 

Sexual Assault/Domestic Violence:

Purpose: CCADV works to improve social conditions and lead Connecticut’s response to domestic violence through policy, advocacy, public awareness, technical assistance, and training.

Purpose: OVA receives and reviews complaints of persons concerning the actions of any state agency or other entity that provides services to crime victims. When appropriate, the OVA may also initiate formal investigations into the circumstances of a complaint so as to remedy the concern in a systemic manner.

 

Purpose: The staff of the Office of Victim Services (OVS) understands this is a difficult time for you and your family. We have several programs and services to help you with the emotional and financial impact of the crime and to support you through the criminal justice process. See "Programs and Descriptions" below for a brief description of these programs and services.

 

Mental Health Care Needs (access to services, help with care coordination, systems navigation, respite/special services):

                      Purpose:  The toolkit includes a comprehensive service directory to facilitate referrals,             along with best practices, tips, strategies, customizable  communication forms, and more.

Purpose: Assisting families and professionals with advocacy, guidance and information.

Purpose: A program of the Office of Early Education, Family Support Services Division. We connect Connecticut children and their families to community services and resources related to child health, behavior, development and learning. We serve pregnant women, parents, caregivers, social service agencies, child health providers, as well as early care and education providers.

Purpose: FAVOR, Inc. supports, educates, and advocates for families with children who have special mental, emotional, and behavioral health challenges and/or developmental and intellectual disabilities.

Purpose: We educate. Offered in thousands of communities across the United States through NAMI State Organizations and NAMI Affiliates, our education programs ensure hundreds of thousands of families, individuals and educators get the support and information they need.  We advocate. NAMI shapes national public policy for people with mental illness and their families and provides volunteer leaders with the tools, resources and skills necessary to save mental health in all states. We listen. Our toll-free NAMI HelpLine allows us to respond personally to hundreds of thousands of requests each year, providing free referral, information and support—a much-needed lifeline for many. We lead. Public awareness events and activities, including Mental Illness Awareness Week and NAMIWalks, successfully fight stigma and encourage understanding. NAMI works with reporters on a daily basis to make sure our country understands how 

Purpose: Conducts high-quality research and analysis, policy development, strategic communications, and establishment of a sustainable and powerful voice for children. We are a research-based think tank that advocates for policies that benefit the state’s children and families.

  • African-Caribbean American Parents of Children with Disabilities (AFCAMP): (860) 548-9959 or http://www.afcamp.org

Purpose: For parents, families, and communities to come together and discuss their issues, as well as seek support, training, and information to help them better advocate and care for their children.

 

 Special Health Care Needs – Autism:

Purpose: Non-profit experienced family advocacy and training organization available to the autism community in Connecticut.

  • CT Department of Developmental (DDS) Autism Services Division (ASD): (860) 418-6078 or http://www.ct.gov/dds/cwp

Purpose: DDS is the lead agency for autism in the state. ASD Services is committed to providing comprehensive, coordinated and effective supports and services for DDS consumers with Autism Spectrum Disorders and their families through case management (TCM). ASD Services ensures that our consumers may engage in meaningful participation and self-determination in all aspects of life.

 

Health Insurance (Need for health insurance for children, problems with commercial insurance)

Purpose: Assist Connecticut residents with their healthcare coverage. If you have questions about enrollment into healthcare coverage, need to understand the referral or pre-authorization process or need assistance with the appeal/grievance procedures, we are here to help!