Author: Alex

(HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont today announced that his administration is launching a new state program to address the healthcare workforce shortage in Connecticut’s health professional shortage areas.

Known as the Connecticut Student Loan Repayment Program, the initiative will offer up to $50,000 in student loan repayments to eligible healthcare providers who commit to practicing full-time in underserved communities in the state for at least two years. Part-time options are also available for $12,500 per year over two years, totaling $25,000.

The program is being overseen by the Connecticut Department of Public Health and administered by the Connecticut Area Health Education Center, a program that works throughout Connecticut to improve access to basic healthcare by linking local community groups with the resources of health professionals, health professional groups, and health professional training programs.

“Our administration is committed to ensuring that every resident of Connecticut has access to quality healthcare, regardless of their zip code,” Governor Lamont said. “This program is a significant investment in our healthcare workforce and a step towards reducing health disparities across our state. We recognize that not all providers can commit to full-time work, so we’re offering flexible options to attract a wider range of talent to our underserved communities.”

This program offers a distinct advantage over federal loan repayment programs such as the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program, which only applies to federal student loans. In contrast, the Connecticut Student Loan Repayment Program allows both federal and private student loan debt to be repaid, making it a more comprehensive solution for healthcare providers with diverse educational debt.

Eligible providers include:

• MDs and DOs in Family Practice, General Practice, Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, OB/GYN
• APRNs, including Certified Nurse Midwives, Nurse Practitioners, and Psychiatric Nurse Specialists
• Physician Assistants
• Registered Nurses
• Dentists and Dental Hygienists
• Psychiatrists, Psychologists, and Core Behavioral Health Providers, including Licensed Clinical Social Workers, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists, Licensed Professional Counselors, and Substance Use Disorder Counselors
• Pharmacists

“This program will help open doors to financial relief that are typically only thought to be exclusively available to advanced practice providers,” Governor Lamont said. “Whether you’re working in underserved areas, critical shortage facilities, or even in educational settings, opportunities are here for these medical professionals to have their student loans forgiven.”

“We are thrilled to partner with the Connecticut Area Health Education Center to launch this critical program,” Public Health Commissioner Manisha Juthani, MD, said. “By incentivizing healthcare providers to practice in underserved areas, we can make significant progress in improving health outcomes for all Connecticut residents.”

“The Connecticut Area Health Education Center, whose program office is located at UConn Health Center, is proud to play a role in administering this program,” Petra Clark-Dufner, director of the Connecticut Area Health Education Center, said. “We are committed to supporting the healthcare workforce and improving access to care in underserved communities.”

Applications will be accepted beginning May 22, 2024. For application information, visit ctslrp.org.

(Hartford, CT) – Attorney General William Tong today announced a lawsuit against Altice/Optimum Online, seeking to halt and recoup millions of dollars in unlawfully charged “Network Enhancement Fees.” The complaint further seeks to hold the company accountable for buried disclosures regarding limits to advertised speeds.

The complaint alleges three categories of violations of the Connecticut Unfair Trade Practices Act, including the improper fee, inadequate speed disclosures, and English-language disclosures on Spanish marketing materials. The complaint seeks both restitution for consumers as well as penalties to the state.

Since at least January 2019, Altice has charged Connecticut consumers a monthly “Network Enhancement Fee,” which has increased over time with limited disclosure from $2.50 per month to $6.00 per month. In total, Altice has collected millions of dollars from Connecticut consumers through the fee, over and above the regular monthly Internet service charge. For new customers, the fee was not disclosed up front, and appeared only in the shopping cart after a consumer selects an Internet service. Altice claims the fee is necessary to “maintain and improve the network”—a basic business function that customers already pay for in the base rate.

The complaint further alleges that Altice buries disclosures about the limits to their advertised speeds by listing them on the back of mailers in tiny print, in gray-on-gray backgrounds online and in print, and in small words that float away from the screen in their TV ads.

Finally, Altice sent out a large volume of Spanish advertisements with English-only disclosures.

“When customers pay for Internet service, they have a right to expect promised speeds and network reliability without being nickel and dimed with junk fees,” said Attorney General Tong. “Altice has extracted millions of dollars in hidden, escalating fees from Connecticut customers over and above the base rate simply to keep their network running. And even with all that extra revenue, they won’t stand by their promised advertised speeds without a series of fine print, fast moving caveats. Our complaint seeks to hold Altice accountable for these unfair, anti-consumer practices, and to stop and claw back millions of dollars in these inappropriately collected fees.”

“Just because junk fees are common practice, doesn’t mean we should settle for paying them, especially as companies find new ways to extract extra money from consumers,” said Department of Consumer Protection Commissioner Bryan T. Cafferelli. “This suit is just one of the many ways our state is working to combat the practice of junk fees, especially those that specifically target minority and non-English speaking communities.”

“Few phrases scream “junk fee” quite like “Network Enhancement Fees.” Scams like this fee take advantage of an internet environment with few options for consumers. I want to thank Attorney General Tong for standing up for Connecticut residents and taking legal action. Connecticut will continue to be at the forefront of protecting consumers both at the General Assembly and in the courtroom,” said Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff.

“These fees are indicative of deceptive, anti-consumer practices and are what the Energy and Technology Committee has worked to fight in recent years. Our service providers offer good service at affordable costs to customers – and then charge excessive fees while failing to meet the services they offered to provide. We deserve better as a state and I support Attorney General Tong’s work on this issue,” said Senator Norm Needleman.

The Office of the Attorney General first launched its investigation into Altice Optimum in November 2022, following more than 500 consumer complaints regarding hidden fees, poor technical support, and slow internet speeds.

This complaint follows a settlement reached in August 2022 with Frontier Communications following review of over 1,400 consumer complaints regarding equipment returns, poor internet quality, unsatisfactory customer service, and excessive charges. The Frontier settlement, worth over $60 million, expanded access to high-speed internet for Frontier customers in economically distressed communities, ended a hidden monthly $6.99 internet surcharge, and forced improvements in Frontier’s marketing and customer service.

Assistant Attorney General Rebecca Quinn and Deputy Associate Attorney General Michael Wertheimer, Chief of the Consumer Protection Section, assisted the Attorney General in this matter.

(HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont today announced that he is ordering special elections to be held on Tuesday, November 5, 2024 – the same date as the next general election – to complete the terms of six probate judges who will each be retiring over the course of the next year. Five of the six judges are reaching the state’s mandatory retirement age of 70 for judges.

The governor specifically chose to hold these special elections on the same date as the next general election because doing so will enable the municipalities in each of these probate districts to avoid any added costs of holding separate elections for this purpose.

Probate judges in Connecticut serve four-year terms. The terms of all six retiring judges expire on January 5, 2027. The winner of each special election will begin serving from the date of the current office holder’s retirement through the end of their current term.

The probate districts include:

Region No. 22 Probate District

Towns: Bethlehem, Oxford, Roxbury, Southbury, Washington, Watertown, Woodbury

Current judge: Honorable Domenick N. Calabrese

Expected retirement date: August 31, 2024

Fairfield Probate District

Towns: Fairfield

Current judge: Honorable Kathleen N. Maxham

Expected retirement date: January 3, 2025

Tolland-Mansfield Probate District

Towns: Coventry, Mansfield, Tolland, Willington

Current judge: Honorable Barbara Gardner Riordan

Expected retirement date: March 9, 2025

Hamden-Bethany Probate District

Towns: Bethany, Hamden

Current judge: Honorable Edward C. Burt, Jr.

Expected retirement date: March 14, 2025

Middletown Probate District

Towns: Cromwell, Durham, Middlefield, Middletown

Current judge: Honorable Joseph D. Marino

Expected retirement date: May 3, 2025

Windham-Colchester Probate District

Towns: Chaplin, Colchester, Hampton, Lebanon, Scotland, Windham

Current judge: Honorable John J. McGrath, Jr.

Expected retirement date: June 12, 2025

(HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont announced today that Fuss & O’Neill, Inc., a renowned civil and environmental engineering firm founded in Connecticut 100 years ago, is expanding its operations in the state. The firm is establishing a new office in Hartford and plans on creating 74 new jobs in the state over the next several years.

Founded in 1924, Fuss & O’Neill has 11 locations in seven states in the northeast, including two offices in Connecticut. The company employes approximately 400 professionals, including 200 in the state. It will be relocating its headquarters from Manchester to a 23,000 square-foot space in Hartford’s Gold Building this autumn.

“Connecticut has the best trained and most skilled workforce in the country, which is why our state is an ideal place for Fuss & O’Neill to expand its operations,” Governor Lamont said. “This highly respected engineering firm employs hundreds of people in good paying jobs in several states, and I am glad that the company has chosen our state as the location to add to its employee base. I look forward to their continued growth here.”

Fuss & O’Neill’s CEO, Kevin Grigg, PE, is excited about the company’s move to Hartford.

“Moving our corporate headquarters to Hartford was a strategic decision that exemplifies our commitment to investing in the communities we serve,” Grigg said. “We have purposefully relocated and opened new offices in urban areas, always seeking environments that inspire innovation and attract top talent. Our move to Hartford aligns with our mission, our work, and our client base. This is an exciting new chapter for our firm as we celebrate our centennial anniversary.”

The Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD) is supporting the company’s workforce expansion by providing up to $1,142,489 in tax credits, contingent upon the firm creating and retaining 74 new full-time jobs.

“Fuss & O’Neill has been a fixture in Connecticut for 100 years and we are thrilled to see their continued growth and success here,” DECD Commissioner Dan O’Keefe said. “They are a welcomed addition to our capital city, and their expansion is another testament to the sustained strength of Connecticut’s economy.”

Fuss & O’Neill specializes in planning, design, and construction work in the transportation, water, buildings, government, industry, and energy market sectors.  They have done extensive work in Connecticut, including notable projects such as Beehive Bridge in New Britain, maintaining Hartford’s flood control system, and providing a multitude of services for the Science Park development in New Haven.