CCEH, UCONN Propose Solutions to Early Childhood Cabinet

August 04, 2015

CCEH Executive Director Lisa Tepper Bates and Dr. Anne Farrell, Associate Professor of Human Development & Family Studies at the University of Connecticut and Director of the Center for Applied Research in Human Development, presented as a team on Thursday, July 3o, before the Connecticut Early Childhood Cabinet, co-chaired by Lieutenant Governor Nancy Wyman and Commissioner of the Office of Early Childhood, Dr. Myra Jones-Taylor.  The Cabinet is investigating the specific challenges faced by families with young children experiencing homelessness or housing instability, and exploring what Connecticut can do to improve service delivery to these families.

Bates presented on recent research regarding what works to end the homelessness of these families, with a 11264590_10153139768188251_1081483114019264267_nparticular focus on permanent housing subsidies and rapid re-housing as the interventions that positively impact housing stability.  Bates stressed that while the homeless response system focuses on the issue of housing stabilization, we need to continue to work to improve connections and cooperation with mainstream resources to address other family needs.  Farrell presented on the need for shared assessment to understand these other family needs, emphasizing the opportunity for greater efforts to greater coordination among resources, and improved access for families experiencing homelessness to existing programs to assist children and parents, alike, and improve health and other outcomes beyond housing stability.

You can download Bates’ presentation here.

You can download Farrell’s presentation here.