programs that help people in connecticut - Town of Vernon

needs of crime victims by offering information, referral, court-based
advocacy, notification programs to victims and their family members,
and financial compensation for crime-related expenses to eligible claimants.
Toll-free helpline: 1-800-822-8428 or Website: ct.gov/crimevictim.
Children, Youth and
Families
Adoption and Foster Care
Casey Family Services
Foster care program: Designed for children who, for a variety of reasons,
cannot live with their birth parents or extended family of origin, or
be adopted. The program recruits, trains, and supports qualified foster
families to provide a stable family experience for each foster child while
maintaining, to the fullest extent possible, a connection with the child’s
birth family. The program seeks to help children reach the highest level
of permanency.
Post Adoption Program: Provides services to individuals and families
who have adopted children and need treatment and support to strengthen
and preserve the family. The program helps adoptive families understand
the developmental process of adoption - including issues of bonding
and attachment, grief/loss, birth family concerns, transitioning from
foster care to adoption, and transracial or transcultural adoptions. The
program provides counseling, training, technical assistance, family
strengthening activities, school advocacy, and groups for adopted children
and parents.
Address: 789 Reservoir Avenue, Bridgeport, CT 06606. Toll-free Telephone:
1-800-332-6991. Telephone: (203) 372-3722. Email:
tmurphy@caseyfamilyservices.org. Website: caseyfamilyservices.org.
Connecticut Department of Children and
Families (DCF)
DCF recruits, trains, licenses and provides support to foster care families.
DCF provides medical coverage and a monthly reimbursement to
cover the expenses of caring for a foster child. DCF provides information
to prospective adopting parents and parents considering releasing a
child for adoption. Children free for adoption are listed with DCF’s Office
of Foster and Adoption Services, which offers services to parents
and adult adoptees, including search and reunion information. Support
groups and subsidies are available for parents adopting children with
special needs. Toll-free Telephone: 1-888-KID-HERO (543-4376).
Early Childhood Development
Child Care Infoline
Child Care Infoline is a free, statewide resource and referral service staffed
by child care specialists working with an up-to-date computerized database
of licensed family day care homes and day care centers. It informs
parents about child care options and openings near their home or workplace
and can refer them to additional regional resource agencies. Infoline
Toll-free Telephone: 2-1-1.
Connecticut Department of Social Services
Child Care Assistance Program: The Care 4 Kids program provides
child care financial assistance to eligible Temporary Family Assistance
(TFA) recipients and low to moderate income working families to help
them pay for child care. Care 4 Kids assists families with children up to
age 13 (or 18 if the child has special needs). Care may be provided in
licensed family day care homes, group day care homes, child day care
centers, the child’s own home, or a relative’s home. Payment is the
lesser of the published state rates (determined by the age of the child,
setting of care, and region of the state) and actual cost of care. Employed
families may be required to pay a weekly fee in addition to the
child care subsidy. Toll-free Telephone: 1-888-214-KIDS (5437).
Child Care Centers: DSS provides funding and technical assistance to
over 110 child day care centers run by municipalities and nonprofit organizations
supporting almost 4,500 children. Families are charged fees
on a sliding scale based on family size and income. For the location of
centers, call Toll-free Infoline: 2-1-1.
Child Care Training: DSS provides education and information to child
care personnel through a quarterly newsletter, All Children Considered,
which is coordinated by the UConn Cooperative Extension System.
Quality enhancement grants are also available to selected Connecticut
School Readiness Councils. DSS funds the education of caregivers
through the Training Program in Child Development, Toll-free Telephone:
1-888-793-3500 extension 4405; and supports a professional
career development system for child care personnel through CT Charts-
A-Course, Toll-free Telephone: 1-800-832-7784.
School-Age Child Care: DSS provides funding and technical assistance
to municipalities, Boards of Education and nonprofit child care providers
to encourage the use of school facilities for school-age child care
programs that support working parents. Toll-free Telephone: 1-800-282-
6063.
Department of Education (SDE)
The Department of Education provides funding to support Head Start
and School Readiness preschools. Programs vary in length of day and
how many months of the year they operate. Some are available 10 hours
a day, 5 days a week for 50 weeks. Locations include community-based,
faith-based, and public school facilities. Some programs charge a fee
based on the family size, income and the number of hours in the program.
Quality standards are defined through legislation and programs
must be accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young
Children, or approved by the federal Head Start Program, the New England
Association of Schools and Colleges for Public Schools, the Independent
Schools, or the American Montessori Society. Contact the district
Superintendent’s office or the Bureau of Early Childhood/Career
and Adult Education. Address: 25 Industrial Rd., Middletown, CT 06457.
Telephone: (860) 807-2050. Website: ct.gov/sde.
Preschool Special Education services are provided to more than 3,022
children throughout the state, in public and private schools. Through a
partnership with the State Education Resource Center (SERC) the SDE
provides technical assistance, training and professional development on
serving young children with disabilities for public school teachers, teachers
in community-based settings and others. Contact the district Superintendent
or the Bureau of Early Childhood/Career and Adult Education.
Address: 25 Industrial Rd., Middletown, CT 06457. Telephone:
(860) 807-2050. Website: ct.gov/sde.
*Spanish speaking staff available.
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Children, Youth and Families