Advocacy 2011

Ron Cretaro

CT Nonprofits' Executive Director Ron Cretaro (left), Public Policy Director Liza Andrews, and Senior Policy Specialist Julia Wilcox are registered lobbyists representing our members’ views at the Capitol.

CT Nonprofits also utilizes the services of the firm Capitol Strategies — Patrick McCabe, Esq. & P. J. Cimini, Esq. — to assist in our efforts.

CT Nonprofits' 2011 Cross-Sector Legislative Agenda

CT Nonprofits' Summary of the Final FY12 & FY13 Biennial Budget

CT Nonprofits Report: The Economic Health and Impact of Nonprofits in Connecticut (2010)

For information specific to your sector, please contact the following individuals: 

Liza Andrews - Overarching issues, mental health, substance abuse, social services, education

Julia Wilcox - Developmental disabilities, community justice, arts & culture

Colleen Parker - Children & Youth, juvenile justice

Testimony

September 2011 |  April 2011  |  March 2011  | February 2011

The opportunity to provide testimony is vital for nonprofits to help those most in need, and to give a voice to those who may not be able or know how to speak for themselves. Participating in nonprofit public-policy advocacy helps nonprofits help people and causes, make and shape laws and policies that enable nonprofits accomplish their missions, and finally, is part of how we fulfill our responsibility to democracy. (Read Liza Andrews' recent article about the importance of advocacy.)

Testimony is one of the ways nonprofits can legally lobby, and it serves to inform and educate policy makers about issues, concerns, and possible solutions. CT Nonprofits is very active in Legislative Sessions every year, providing advocacy support and testimony on many bills throughout the session.

 
Links on this page will download PDFs of testimonies given by CT Nonprofits, CT Nonprofits' Members, and the Nonprofit Cabinet, a consortium of various nonprofit human services organizations housed within CT Nonprofits. Testimony is listed by date posted, title (linked to a PDF) and author, with the most recent testimony at the top of the table. For your convenience, we may post reference materials worthy of note concerning specific bills.
 
 
September 2011
9/27/11 

Testimony before the Program Review and Investigations Committee Regarding: PRI Study Related to the Provision of Selected Services for Clients with Intellectual Disabilities. By Julia Wilcox, Senior Public Policy Specialist, CT Nonprofits
9/27/11 Testimony before the Appropriations, Human Services and Energy & Technology Committees regarding the LIHEAP Block Grant Allocation Plan. By Liza Andrews, Project Director, CT Nonprofit Human Services Cabinet

 

April 2011
04/01/11 Testimony before the Judiciary Committee regarding SB 1164, An Act Delaying Implementation of Provisions to Raise the Age of Juvenile Court Jurisdiction for Youth Seventeen Years of Age. By Jon Clemens, Policy Specialist, CT Nonprofits.

 

March 2011
03/22/11 Testimony before the Human Services Committee regarding HB 6612, An Act Concerning Recommendations from the Commission on Nonprofit Health & Human Services Relating to Purchase of Service Contracts.
By Peter DeBiasi, Board Member, CT Nonprofits
By Dan O’Connell, CT Nonprofit Human Services Cabinet
03/22/11 Testimony before the Human Services Committee regarding SB 1199, An Act Concerning the Department of Children and Families’ Regional Structure, Differential Response, and Poverty Exemption. By Caryl Hallberg, Executive Director of Covenant to Care for Children
03/07/11 Testimony before the Finance, Revenue & Bonding Committee regarding SB 1007, An Act Concerning the Governor’s Recommendations on Revenue. By Ron Cretaro, Executive Director, CT Nonprofits.
03/07/11 Testimony before the Finance, Revenue & Bonding Committee regarding SB 1008, An Act Authorizing Bonds of the State for Capital Improvements and Other Purposes. By Ron Cretaro, Executive Director, CT Nonprofits.
03/04/11

Testimony before the Appropriations Committee regarding HB 6380, An Act Concerning the Budget for the Biennium Ending June 20, 2013 (Related to Human Services – DSS & DCF).
By Liza Andrews, Public Policy Director, CT Nonprofits
By John Merz, CT Nonprofit Human Services Cabinet
By Brian Baker, Assistant Director, South Park Inn

By Cheryl Burack, MS, Executive Director of Coordinating Council for Children in Crisis, Inc.
By Jon Clemens, Policy Specialist at Connecticut Association of Nonprofits
By Gabriel Fonseca, MS, Program Manager of the Fatherhood Initiative, Madonna Place
By Nancy Gentes, LICSW, Executive Director of Madonna Place
By Galit Sharma, Clinical Supervisor of Nurturing Families Networks, Coordinating Council for Children in Crisis, Inc.
By Richard Spears, MA, Clinical Director at Children’s Community Programs of Connecticut
03/03/11 Testimony before the Judicial & Corrections Subcommittee of the Appropriations Committee Regarding HB 6380, AAC the Budget for the Biennium Ending June 20, 2013 (Related to Judicial & Corrections). By Julia Wilcox, Senior Public Policy Specialist, CT Nonprofits.
03/02/11 Testimony before the Appropriations Committee regarding HB 6380, An Act Concerning the Budget for the Biennium Ending June 20, 2013 (Related to Health & Hospitals – DMHAS).
By Jack Malone, Executive Director, Southeastern Council on Alcoholism & Drug Dependence.
By Domenique Thornton, General Council and Director of Public Policy, Mental Health Association of CT

 

February 2011
02/28/11 Testimony before the Government Administration & Election Committee regarding SB 1059, An Act Implementing the Recommendations of the Commission on Enhancing Agency Outcomes. By Ron Cretaro, Executive Director, CT Nonprofits.
02/23/11 Testimony before the Public Health Committee regarding SB 533, An Act Establishing a Uniform State Licensing Process for Private Community-Based Providers. By Liza Andrews, Public Policy Director, CT Nonprofits.
02/22/11 Testimony before the Select Committee on Children regarding HB 6340, An Act Concerning the Placement of Children in Out-of-State Treatment Facilities.
By Jon Clemens, Policy Specialist at Connecticut Association of Nonprofits
By Doug DeCerbo, Executive Director of Mount Saint John, Inc.
By Paul Kosowsky, Vice President of Youth Continuum 
By Cheryl Smith, LCSW, Administrator for Residential Programs at The Children’s Center of Hamden
By Jeremy Smith, Director of Therapeutic Foster Care at Dare Family Services
By David Tompkins, MPA, Vice-President of Education, Child Placement and Group Care at Klingberg Family Centers
02/22/11 Testimony before the Select Committee on Children regarding SB 981, An Act Concerning the Placement of Young Children in Congregate Care Programs
By Harry Adamakos, PhD, Clinical Psychologist
By Jill Bicks, Executive Director of Child Advocates of Connecticut
By Jon Clemens, Policy Specialist at Connecticut Association of Nonprofits
By Carole Greenberg, LMFT
By Mary Ellen Hass, LCSW, Executive Vice President of Family & Children's Agency
By Alison Loop, Certified Nurse Practitioner, Kids in Crisis
By Laurie Reisman, LCSW, Director of Operations at Family Services of Greater Waterbury, Inc.
By Shari Shapiro, Executive Director of Kids in Crisis
By Cheryl Smith, LCSW, Administrator for Residential Programs at The Children’s Center of Hamden
By Jeremy Smith, Director of Therapeutic Foster Care at Dare Family Services
02/14/11 Testimony before the Insurance & Real Estate, Human Services and Public Health Committees regarding HB 6308, An Act Establishing the Connecticut Healthcare Partnership and HB 6305, An Act Concerning Implementation of the SustiNet Plan. By Ron Cretaro, Executive Director, CT Nonprofits
02/10/11 Testimony before the Insurance & Real Estate Committee regarding SB 877, An Act Concerning Mental Health Parity. By Liza Andrews, Public Policy Director, CT Nonprofits
02/07/11

Testimony before the Planning and Development Committee regarding HB 5142 & HB 5259, An Act Requiring Public Hearings on the Locations of Group Homes.

By Terry Macy, Executive Director, SARAH Tuxis, Inc.
By Thomas Fanning, President, Ability Beyond Disability (ABD)
By Martin Legault, President & CEO, Corporation for Independent Living, Inc (CIL)
By Liza Andrews, Public Policy Director, CT Nonprofits
By Paul Rosin, Executive Director, Community Residences, Inc.

By Cheryl Fasano, MBA, President and CEO of New Hope Manor
By Paul Kosowsky, Vice President of Youth Continuum
02/03/11

Testimony before the Commerce Committee regarding SB 127, AAC Update to the Neighborhood Assistance Act.

By Ron Cretaro, Executive Director, CT Nonprofits
By Robert Fishman, Executive Director, Jewish Federation Association of CT
By Albert May, Director of Development, Christian Community Action
By Douglas Joseph, CPA, Blum Shapiro & Company
02/03/11 Testimony before the Select Committee on Children regarding HB 6227, An Act Concerning Changes to the General Statutes Concerning the Department of Children and Families. By Chris Lacey, Program Director of the Therapeutic Foster Care Program at Waterford Country School
02/03/10

Testimony before the Select Committee on Children regarding HB 6225, An Act Requiring a Results-Based Accountability Report Card on Out-of-State Residential Treatment of Children, and SB 846, An Act Concerning the Transfer of Educational Credits. By Jon Clemens, Policy Specialist, CT Nonprofits
02/03/11

Testimony before the Select Committee on Children regarding SB 844, An Act Adopting a Foster Parent Bill of Rights.

By Erin Joudrey, Director of Foster Care & Adoption, Klingberg Family Centers.

By Chris Lacey, Program Director of the Therapeutic Foster Care Program at Waterford Country School
By Deborah Tadduni, LCSW, Director of the Therapeutic & Medically Complex Foster Care Program at Family & Children’s Agency

 

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