CONNECTing care across systems
The Connecticut Network of Care Transformation (CONNECT) initiative has fostered partnerships between families, state agencies, and service providers at the local, regional, and state levels to better integrate child-serving systems into a system of care.
Connecting Children & Families to Care
The Connecticut Network of Care Transformation (CONNECT) initiative - also known as Connecting to Care - is a statewide effort to blend and integrate child-serving systems into a network that will equally and effectively serve all children and families.
Connecting to Care creates partnerships between families, state agencies, and service providers at the local, regional, and state levels. The work is part of the State’s sustained effort to improve children’s behavioral health in accordance with Connecticut’s Behavioral Health Plan for Children.
Connecting to Care is working to ensure that children and families are connected to the care they need, when they need it, so that they can reach their full potential.
Connecting Schools to Care
Connecting Schools to Care IV Students (CONNECT IV) is the current phase of the Connecting to Care initiative. It is focused on building the capacity of Connecticut schools to implement comprehensive school mental health supports and strengthen connections with community-based behavioral health services.
About Connecting to Care
The Connecting to Care initiative is funded by four consecutive system of care grants Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (2013-2027) awarded to the Connecticut Department of Children and Families (DCF). DCF partners with CHDI, Carelon Behavioral Health, FAVOR, Inc., and The Consultation Center at Yale University.
CHDI serves as the Coordinating Center for the Connecting to Care initiative and operates on-going Connecting to Care workgroups.
Connecting to Care History
Connecting to Care began with a planning grant in 2013, followed by expansion, implementation and sustainability phases:
- CONNECT I Planning (2013)
- CONNECT II Expansion and Implementation (2014-2019)
- CONNECT III Expansion and Sustainability (2019-2023)
- CONNECT IV Expansion and Sustainability (2023-2027)
Connecting to Care builds upon previous efforts (such as WrapCT) to bridge gaps in services and create an integrated system of care for families. WrapCT was funded in 2006 to help communities provide comprehensive mental health care to children and families through the Wraparound evidence-based service delivery model. CHDI coordinated the consultation, training, workforce development, technical assistance, and evaluation components of this Wraparound Initiative. The Wraparound model has been sustained statewide through care coordination services and local system of care community collaboratives.
For more information about the Connecting to Care initiative and workgroups, visit Plan4Children.org.
Information to help families and others understand, navigate, and find behavioral health services near them can be found at ConnectingtoCareCT.org.