Category: Local News

MILFORD, Conn. (December 4, 2018)  Boys & Girls Village received a $435,000 annualized grant from the Connecticut Department of Children and Families (DCF) to support delivery of an intensive home-based services program entitled Multisystemic Therapy – Building Stronger Families (MST-BSF).

The program will treat families that are active cases within DCF where there is physical abuse and/or neglect of a child in the family plus substance misuse by at least one caregiver. A two-year pilot study of the program showed significant success, and a large-scale clinical trial of MST-BSF was completed earlier this year in upstate Connecticut.

“We are grateful to have the Department of Children and Families’ support as we bring this important new program to Fairfield County,” said Dr. Steven Kant, CEO of Boys & Girls Village. “The interventions provided by our experienced clinical team will comprehensively address the factors that contribute to child maltreatment as well as substance use, creating stronger, healthier families in our area.”

At Boys & Girls Village, the grant will support a team consisting of three full-time master’s level Clinicians, one full-time Case Manager, one full-time MST-BSF Clinical Supervisor, and one part-time APRN. The team is expected to serve 21 families annually, each receiving intensive treatment services several times each week for an average of six to nine months.

In 2003, Connecticut DCF began work to increase services for families engaging in abuse or neglect of a child in the family plus parental substance misuse. DCF brought together faculty at the Medical University of South Carolina and Johns Hopkins University to develop the MST-BSF model.

Results from the two-year pilot study showed substantial improvements. Among families that received MST-BSF, parents showed significant decreases in substance use, depression, and psychological aggression towards the child, while youth showed significant decreases in anxiety. Twenty-four months post-referral, MST-BSF parents were three times less likely to have a substantiated new incident of abuse or neglect, and half as many youths required placement out of the home.

For more information about the MST-BSF program, please contact Christina Trani at Tranic@bgvillage.org.

 

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HARTFORD – State Representative Brenda Kupchick (R-132) and State Senator Tony Hwang (R-28) today shared their support of a state grant for mortgage foreclosure counseling in the amount of $28,000 given to Operation Hope of Fairfield this year.  The funding, which comes from the state’s Interest on Real Estate Broker’s Trust Account (IOREBTA), will be used to provide local residents with assistance in foreclosure proceedings, financial counseling and housing remediation.

Rep. Kupchick and Sen. Hwang cited recent data showing that Connecticut has one of the highest mortgage foreclosure and default rates in the country, with close to 3,150 properties either under default, foreclosure, or auction. Despite improving economic conditions since the recession of 2009, Connecticut is still running nearly 30 percent above the average foreclosure rate since then.  The national average is 36 percent below that period.

Operation Hope runs homeless shelters for men, women and families, a community kitchen and a food pantry. It also owns or operates 46 units of affordable, supportive housing.

Rep. Kupchick, Ranking Member and Sen. Hwang, Co-Chair of the General Assembly’s Joint Committee on Housing, had worked in cooperation with Operation Hope to secure the IOREBTA bond and increase the number of affordable housing units in Fairfield in what they called a “financially sustainable” way.

“Rep. Kupchick and Sen. Hwang were able to secure this critical finding, knowing that Operation Hope would be able to prevent homelessness for local homeowners who’ve run into issues with their mortgages,” said Carla Miklos, Executive Director of Operation Hope.

“Operation Hope offers an invaluable service to our community by helping to make sure families have somewhere to call home,” said Rep. Kupchick.  “This is an example of a sensible grant that will pay dividends by empowering a highly effective non-profit organization to provide a core government service in a way that truly benefits everyone.  I look forward to continuing advocacy with Operation Hope and the Housing Committee to continue the state’s initiative to ensure sufficient affordable housing is available in Connecticut.”

“This grant is vital to our community and those experiencing financial struggle,” said Sen. Hwang.  “Connecticut has some of the highest foreclosure rates in the country; many of them right in our backyards in Fairfield County.  Programs like Operation Hope help to combat the housing crisis and give families confronted with possible loss of their home an opportunity to access counseling, support and professional guidance when foreclosure happens.”

Established in 1992, IOREBTA is not funded by Connecticut taxpayers. Under the program, real estate brokers deposit residential and commercial escrow funds into interest-bearing accounts with the purpose of providing mortgage assistance for low to moderate income families, persons with down payments or any other appropriate housing subsidies. The Connecticut Housing Finance Authority serves as the fiduciary for the funds.

BRIDGEPORT, Connecticut – November 29, 2018 – St. Vincent’s Medical Center will host its fourth annual Birth Symposium. Expectant parents are invited to learn more about St. Vincent’s birthing and maternity services on Thursday, December 13, 2018, at 7:00 pm. Birth Center tours will begin at
6:30 pm.

Featuring caring and compassionate birthing and maternity experts, the Birth Symposium will offer information on the St. Vincent’s Family Birthing Center and other helpful topics, including midwifery, the Bradley Method, and more.

Additional resources include prenatal massage, hypno-birthing, chiropractic care in pregnancy, car safety, “Birthing from Within,” and many other services of interest to expectant parents.

The program, which is complimentary and open to the public, will be held at St. Vincent’s Medical Center, Hawley Conference Center Level 4, 2800 Main Street, Bridgeport. Parking in the Visitor’s Garage is free with validation. To learn more, call (203) 944-0264.

 

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