United Way of CT endorses ‘solutions’ to connect youth

ROCKY HILL – The United Way of Connecticut has endorsed solutions to the problem of disconnected youth in the state as outlined by a statewide commission.

In its final report issued earlier this month, the 119K Commission, which was created by the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities (CCM), came up with solutions to address the crisis of disconnected youth in the state.

The bipartisan group of leaders that make up CCM, hundreds of stakeholders who engaged in the process, and Boston Consulting Group who was retained by CCM with support from Dalio Education, compiled the report.

“It’s very well understood that the more stability there is in the family, the better the odds are that that young person will have what they need to find their own path, to address their own challenges, to weather the difficult experiences of adolescence and to make the most of their talents, skills and abilities,” says Lisa Tepper Bates, United Way of Connecticut president and CEO.

“Too many families in our state are struggling financially, including at-risk and disconnected young people who are raising children of their own,” she added. “The pressure is crushing when you’re so worried about paying the bills, keeping a roof over your head, putting food on the table and keeping the lights on.”

Today, more than 564,000 ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained and Employed) households are struggling across every zip code in our state. The 119,000 young people identified in the report were likely raised in an ALICE family. Without support, they will likely raise their children in an ALICE family, too. Addressing this crisis with focus and urgency can break this generational cycle.

The report outlines a 10-year plan to cut the number of at-risk and disconnected youth in half, including “ready-to-implement” solutions:

• Aligned Action 8: Support an expanded and refundable child tax credit at the state and federal levels to provide families with direct financial support and relieve financial stress
• Aligned Action 2: Establish a critically important integrated case management structure to coordinate the wide range of services a young person needs to thrive across different organizations and sectors
• Aligned Action 3: Enhance the 211 system to reduce wait times and provide targeted flex funds to cover gaps in existing services to ensure that this trusted resource keeps young people on track.

“Let’s start with what’s most urgent,” Bates said. “Connecticut should proactively invest in young people’s success up front, rather than pay on the back end for incarceration, for substance-use treatment, for mental health crises that could have been avoided if they’d had the tools, stability and support earlier. We need these young people. UWCT is ready to play our role as a partner.”

The CCM 119K Commission on At-Risk and Disconnected Youth is a state-wide coalition of leaders on a mission to reconnect 60,000 young people to viable education and career pathways.