Report: Connecticut's Medicaid Expansion Increased Coverage, Access to Preventive Care and Behavioral Health Treatment

A recently issued report found that emergency department visits are down; coverage seen as critical in fight against opioids has expanded, and preventative care and mental health care have become more prevalent – all resulting from a 2010 policy decision made by Connecticut’s elected officials to expand Medicaid coverage. That decision, made collaboratively by a Republican Governor (M. Jodi Rell) and Democratic-controlled legislature – helped to reduce Connecticut’s uninsured rate from 9.1 percent in 2010 to 4.9 percent in 2016 and created a significant source of coverage for preventive health services and behavioral health care, according to the report developed by the Connecticut Health Foundation.

The report examines the impact of HUSKY D, as the Medicaid expansion is known, and highlights a number of key findings:

• Most people covered by HUSKY D are using their insurance to get care. Just over 80 percent of people with HUSKY D used the coverage for preventive or outpatient health services in 2016.
• Emergency department usage among HUSKY D members is down significantly. The rate of emergency department visits fell by 36 percent from 2012 to 2016.
• HUSKY D is a significant source of coverage for behavioral health care. In 2016, more than one in three HUSKY D members – 36 percent – used their coverage to get care for a mental health condition or substance use disorder.
• Outcomes have improved for diabetes patients with HUSKY D. A review of more than 500 HUSKY D members with diabetes found that the percentage whose blood glucose was under control rose from 31 percent to 50 percent from 2012 to 2016.

The report also examines the role HUSKY D plays in other policy work in the state, including addressing the opioid crisis and helping those leaving prison get medical and behavioral health treatment when they return to society. The report notes that before HUSKY D, individuals with substance use disorders were generally not eligible for Medicaid, creating a major barrier to treatment.

“Health insurance coverage is a critical first step to health, but it is also important to ensure that people are able to use that coverage to get care, and for that care to make a difference in people’s health,” said Patricia Baker, president and CEO of the Connecticut Health Foundation. “This research underscores the importance of HUSKY D in giving low-income state residents the tools to take care of their health.”

HUSKY D covers adults ages 19 to 64 who do not have minor children and whose income falls below 138 percent of the poverty level – the equivalent of $16,643 for an individual. (For comparison purposes, a person working 30 hours per week at Connecticut’s minimum wage – $10.10 per hour – would earn $15,756 in a year, the report indicates.)

The report concluded that “nearly eight years after Connecticut expanded HUSKY to cover more low-income adults, HUSKY D has made a significant impact on the state’s uninsured rate and the lives of thousands of people. The majority of those covered are using this insurance to get preventive care, and the rate of emergency department usage has declined, a promising trend.”

The report also notes that the federal government has “financed more than 90 percent of the cost of the program, allowing Connecticut to cover more than 200,000 people with a relatively small budgetary impact.” Currently, the federal government pays 94 percent of the cost of coverage and the state pays 6 percent. The report also identifies challenges associated with HUSKY D, including concerns raised by health care providers about Medicaid payment rates and uncertainty in federal funding.

The report’s analysis indicates that HUSKY D enrollees live in every city and town in Connecticut.  The largest number of covered individuals live in Hartford (18,404), Bridgeport (16,330), New Haven (15,583), Waterbury (13,989), New Britain (8,439) and Stamford (6,110).

The Connecticut Health Foundation is the state’s largest independent health philanthropy dedicated to improving lives by changing health systems. Since it was established in 1999, the foundation has supported innovative grantmaking, public policy research, technical assistance, and convening stakeholders to achieve its mission – to improve the health of the people of Connecticut. Since its creation, the Connecticut Health Foundation has awarded grants totaling more than $60 million in 45 cities and towns throughout the state.

Dangers of Distracted Driving Focus of New Documentary Produced in CT

A decade ago, local producer/director/writer Jennifer Boyd’s documentary Teens Behind the Wheel brought an EMMY Award and generated impactful airing on Connecticut Public Television and PBS, along with much discussion on news programs and increased awareness at driving schools across the country.  Well, it’s a decade later, and technology has provided the foundation for a sequel that is, in many ways, more troubling than the original. 3 Seconds Behind the Wheel, which debuts on Connecticut Public on Thursday evening, is a new documentary and podcast series that follows the lives of eight drivers over six months using in-car cameras and tracking technology to expose the often-hidden behavior of distracted drivers.

The documentary is scheduled for national release in this fall.  It has been described as a “window into our own lives,” by its realistic depiction of the pervasiveness – and dangers - of districted driving.

Why three seconds? That is the amount of time it takes to send a text message, choose a song, or engage in other activities that can impact safe driving behavior. That is also how long it takes to drive across a football field.

Producers gathered weekly data from subjects in Florida and Connecticut to get an honest picture of the many activities drawing drivers’ attention off the task of driving. Experts from MIT, Cambridge Mobile Telematics, Safety Track, and the University of Connecticut provided monitoring equipment, data storage, and expert analysis. The production took well over a year to complete.

The film also gives audiences a firsthand look at emerging technologies that could one day offer solutions to rising crash statistics. The documentary follows researchers at Google who are using driving simulators to develop next-generation in-car infotainment systems, and explores how one Swedish company is experimenting with technology that could one day allow cars to understand human feelings and make driving decisions based on individual needs.

“While many of these drivers’ habits will shock you, this is a very honest and intimate look at human nature,” said Jennifer Boyd, producer, director and writer of 3 Seconds Behind the Wheel. “And it provides a little insight into some truths about all of us.”

State DOT Commissioner James Redeker noted that distracted driving is a major contributor to crashes and deaths on highways.  Officials also noted that “it only takes three seconds to take a life or to end your own.”

Over the past 20 years, Boyd has produced public television documentaries on topics ranging from climate change to gun control, and she's won 9 Emmy Awards for that work.  Assisting her on the latest project were Catherine Sager, Senior Producer/Corporate Liaison; Cecilia Prestamo, Video Editor/Producer and Script Supervisor; Paul Smith, Director of Photography; and Tom Nelson, Editor. Nancy Bauer, Connecticut Public’s Vice President Sales/Corporate Support, is credited a being a driving force in the decision to research and produce the documentary.

3 Seconds Behind the Wheel premieres Thursday, June 21 at 8 p.m. on Connecticut Public Television and will rebroadcast Tuesday, July 17 at 10 p.m. and Saturday, September 15 at 7 p.m. More information about 3 Seconds Behind the Wheel can be found at 3seconds.org. Funding for 3 Seconds Behind the Wheel is made possible by Presenting Sponsor Travelers with additional support from General Motors and the Connecticut Department of Transportation.

US DOT Looks to Future of Transportation Infrastructure, Taps College Consortium Including UConn for $14.2 Million Initiative

Connecticut’s deteriorating transportation infrastructure, and the lack of sufficient funding to make needed improvements, have been in the news often in recent months.  While not an immediate solution to pressing challenges, an announcement from the U.S. Department of Transportation may provide encouragement for those seeking longer-term remedies. The U.S. DOT has selected the University of Maine to lead the creation of a highly competitive University Transportation Center (UTC), to focus on “improving the curability and extending the life of transportation infrastructure.”

The initiative, to include the University of Connecticut and the Connecticut Department of Transportation, will be called the Transportation Infrastructure Durability Center (TIDC). TIDC aims to help save taxpayer dollars by extending the life of transportation assets, including bridges, roads and rail.

The U.S. DOT will provide as much as $14.2 million over five years for the UMaine-led coalition including UConn, University of Rhode Island, University of Massachusetts Lowell, University of Vermont, and Western New England University.

Additional partners include representatives from the Maine Department of Transportation (MDOT), Vermont Agency of Transportation, Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT), Connecticut Department of Transportation (ConnDOT), Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT), and the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Transportation and Development Institute.

“Along with our partners from all New England states, we look forward to leading research to extend the life of existing bridges, construct longer-lasting assets, and reduce costs for the DOT and the public,” said Dr. Habib Dagher, founding executive director of the UMaine Advanced Structures and Composites Center, and center director of the newly formed TIDC Center.

Officials explain that working with state DOTs, the new TIDC will seek to identify new materials and technologies that maximize the impact of transportation infrastructure investments. The center will work along four pathways:

1. develop improved road and bridge monitoring and assessment tools;
2. develop better ways to strengthen existing bridges to extend their life;
3. use new materials and systems to build longer-lasting new bridges and accelerate construction; and
4. use new connectivity tools to enhance asset and performance management while promoting workforce development, the release said.

According to the U.S. DOT, each University Transportation Center is a consortium of two- and four-year colleges and universities that come together to form a unique center of transportation excellence on a specific research topic.

“Together, they advance U.S. technology and expertise in the many disciplines comprising transportation through education, solutions-oriented research and technology transfer, and the exploration and sharing of cutting-edge ideas and approaches,” USDOT explains.

The U.S. DOT invests in the future of transportation through its University Transportation Centers (UTC) Program, which awards and administers grants to consortia of colleges and universities across the United States.  In the Northeast, other consortia with the same policy focus include a 9-institution UTC led by Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey and a 6-institution group led by Pennsylvania State University.

Other groupings include a 10-institution consortium led by the University of Florida devoted to reducing congestion; a 6-institution effort to promote safety led by the University of Michigan and a 8-institution initiative to improve mobility of people and goods coordinated by the University of Southern California.

The newly announced TIDC will harness the experience of 28 faculty researchers, including a team of five engineering faculty members from UConn, led by Civil and Environmental Engineering Department Professor Ramesh B. Malla, and will train 280 student researchers from all New England states. It will focus on real infrastructure needs identified by DOT partners, and prioritize extending the life of existing transportation assets to ensure cost-effectiveness.

“As a regional and national leader in transportation-related research, UMaine is prepared and ready to take on this work,” said U.S. Sen. Angus King of Maine. “The creation of this new center will allow the university to expand its efforts to tackle the infrastructure problems facing communities not just in Maine, but across the country. This project has the potential to save taxpayer money and improve quality of life.”

“We are eager to partner with this program to support research that will offer new technologies and techniques that ensure taxpayer investments continue to be maximized while also extending the lifespan of our investments,” said Maine DOT Commissioner David Bernhardt.  Officials noted that member universities of the new TIDC have an extensive record of accomplishments in transportation infrastructure research, education and technology transfer.

New England’s transportation infrastructure faces unique challenges due to harsh winter weather and short construction seasons. According to ASCE, Nearly 30 percent of New England roads are rated in poor condition which, on average, costs each motorist $584 annually in extra vehicle repairs and operating costs. Nationally, driving on roads in need of repair costs U.S. motorists $120.5 billion.

Since 1987, the UTC program has advanced transportation research and technology at colleges and universities across the country. Every five years, academic institutions nationwide compete to form their region’s UTC.

Fiscal Commission’s Work is Done (Technically), But Members Aren’t Going Away

They may be disbanded, but they’re sticking together – driven by a belief that the state’s future hangs in the balance. The Connecticut Commission on Fiscal Stability and Economic Growth, a panel of primarily state business leaders appointed by the state legislature and Governor last year to help the state grapple with its ongoing fiscal challenges, went out of existence on March 1 when they issued a comprehensive 119-page report following three months of public hearings and deliberations. 

Nonetheless, the 14 members, mostly prominent business leaders, continue to seek opportunities to discuss their recommendations in public forums, regularly advocate for substantial changes in the management of state fiscal affairs, have begun meeting with gubernatorial candidates, and are urging business leaders across the state to keep up the pressure on state elected officials to take comprehensive action consistent with their wide-ranging recommendations.

“We committed to see it through,” said Commission co-chair Jim Smith, Chairman and former CEO of Webster Bank. “We knew it wouldn’t be one (legislative session) and done.  This is about policy, not politics.  We’ve all checked our politics at the door.  This is about the greater good, and how we change the course of Connecticut’s future.”

With all 187 legislative seats and the six state’s statewide constitutional offices – including Governor - up for election this November, the Commission co-chairs believe Connecticut’s best opportunity for much-needed systemic structural changes will be in the next legislative session, which begins in January. They intend to “actively engage” throughout this election season and in next year’s legislative session, and have already met with about half of the current field of gubernatorial candidates.

Smith and Robert Patricelli, former CEO & Founder of Women's Health USA, who co-chaired the panel, were featured along with Commission member Cindi Bigelow, CEO of Bigelow Tea, at an event coordinated by the Hartford Business Journal last week. It was one of nearly 100 forums, discussions and one-on-one meetings that the co-chairs and other commission members have had since their findings and recommendations were issued.

The Commission uses the analogy of a “burning platform” to describe the current budgetary process, fiscal structure and economic status of the state, a frame of reference that reflects the public’s concern about the state’s precarious standing.  Smith said he is encouraged by the response they’re receiving.

“When we talk about the platform burning, people are riveted.  They’re anxious to hear solutions,” Smith explains, noting that the approaches proposed by the Commission are resonating with audiences because they provide a comprehensive – if challenging – path to douse the flames and stimulate economic growth, achieve sustainable budgets long-term, and re-establish the state’s competitiveness.

“Our findings are irrefutable, inescapable and require action,” Smith told CT by the Numbers.  “That comes across loud and clear.”

The Commission leaders are committed to generating a spirited public conversation about their findings and recommendations.  They told an attentive audience in Hartford last week that the 14 members remain in communication, and have now been working longer since they ceased to exist as a Commission than during the 76 days that they were officially constituted by law.  And they have no plans to walk away from the work they began.

In underscoring their commitment to remain involved beyond the life of the Commission, the co-chairs have evoked the memorable phrase from the 1976 movie Network – they’re mad as hell and they’re not going to take this anymore.  In fact, their goal remains to do something about it.  Pursuing a public conversation and meeting privately with leading gubernatorial candidates are parts of the strategy.

Smith indicates that as the Commission’s work unfolded, members were concerned that the “platform was even hotter than we knew,” but encouraged that creation of the Commission reflected a willingness to involve the private sector in charting the path forward.

Patricelli, in fact, has floated the idea of having 500 businesses to sign a letter to the state’s elected officials urging action on the Commission’s recommendations, which include changes in spending, tax policy, investments, infrastructure, transportation and competitiveness. Only with sustained pressure, he argues, will the incoming legislature and Governor take action.  They point to the sustained drop in Connecticut’s Gross State Product (9.1% over the past decade), while the state’s New England and Tri-State neighbors saw growth, as among the numerous factors that led to their conclusion that substantial changes are needed in the state’s fiscal policies.

The co-chairs say it is understandable that more was not done with the Commission’s recommendations during the short 2018 legislative session, largely because an election was just around the corner.  Instead, the legislature opted to have the Office of Policy and Management (OPM) coordinate two studies, soon to get underway.  One would look at the Commission’s recommendations that involve “rebalancing of state taxes to better stimulate economic growth without raising net new taxes”; the other would conduct a study of the proposal for reform of the Teachers' Retirement System.

The legislature also voted to have OPM issue a request for proposals to hire a national consultant to study and make recommendations regarding efficiency improvements in revenue collection and agency expense management that will result in a savings of at least 500 million dollars.

Each is a potential step forward, but not nearly enough, the co-chairs have indicated since the session ended on May 9. Some aspects of the Commission’s work is evident in those actions, and the timing of those efforts, to be ready in January as newly elected officials take office, may provide pieces to build on.

Patricelli has also suggested that the state’s part-time legislature is not up to the task of governing a 21^st century state, by its very nature.  The legislature is in session for 5 months in even-numbered years and 3 months in odd-numbered years, in accordance with the state constitution.  That’s just not enough, he says, suggesting that a comprehensive study be done on the legislative systems in other states to determine what might be best for Connecticut.

In addition to Smith, Patricelli, and Bigelow, Commission members were Pat Widlitz (Vice-Chair), former state representative from Guilford and Co-Chair of the General Assembly’s Joint Committee on Finance, Revenue and Bonding; Jim Loree, President and CEO of Stanley Black & Decker; Chris Swift, Chairman and CEO of The Hartford; Bruce Alexander, Vice President of State Affairs and Campus Development at Yale University; Greg Butler, Executive Vice President and General Counsel of Eversource Energy; Roxanne Coady, Founder and CEO of R.J. Julia Booksellers; David Jimenez, Partner at Jackson & Lewis and a member of the state Board of Regents for Higher Education; Paul Mounds, Vice President for policy at the Connecticut Health Foundation; Frank Alvarado, Veterans Affairs Officer, Small Business Administration; Eneas Freyre, New York Life and Michael Barbaro, President, Connecticut Realtors.

High School A Risky Time for CT Students, Survey Finds

The Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System was designed to focus the nation on behaviors among youth related to the leading causes of mortality and morbidity among both youth and adults and to assess how these risk behaviors change over time. In Connecticut, the times they are a changin’.  Data released this week by the state Department of Public Health highlights changes over the past decade, and disparities among current students depending upon their grades in school.

The Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System measures behaviors that fall into six categories:

• Behaviors that contribute to unintentional injuries and violence;
• Sexual behaviors that contribute to unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV infection;
• Alcohol and other drug use;
• Tobacco use;
• Unhealthy dietary behaviors; and
• Inadequate physical activity.

The 2017 Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) includes randomly chosen classrooms within selected schools, and is anonymous and confidential.  It was completed by 2,425 students in 38 public, charter, and vocational high schools in Connecticut during the spring of 2017. The school response rate was 76%, the student response rate was 81%, and the overall response rate was 61%. The results are representative of all students in grades 9-12, according to the state Health Department.

The survey found that during the past decade, the percentage of students who rarely or never wore a seat belt has declined by one-third, as has the percentage who drove a car at least once in the previous month after they had been drinking.  That drop was between 2013 and 2017.

The percentage of students who “felt sad or hopeless” almost every day for a two week period “so that they stopped doing some usual activities” during the previous year climbed from 228% in 2007 to 26.9% in 2017 – more than one-quarter of students.  The survey found that in 2017, 13.5% of students seriously considered attempting suicide and 8.1% attempted suicide during the past year.

More than one-third of students (34.6%) of students did not eat breakfast every day in the week preceding the survey, and 14.1% did not eat breakfast on any of those days.  The percentage of students who got 8 or more hours of sleep on an average school night dropped from 26% in 2007 to 20% in 2017,

The survey also found that 25.8% of students with mostly A’s and 48.6% of those with the lowest grades (D or F) have used marijuana at least once in their lifetime.  More than one-quarter of students, across all academic grades (A-F) responded that they drank alcohol at least once in the month prior to the survey.

The survey found that 38 percent of students whose grades were mostly A’s texted or e-mailed while driving a car on at least one occasion in the 30 days prior to the survey.  The percentage was slightly less among students with lower grades:  31% of students with mostly B’s, 30% of students with mostly C’s and 23% of students with mostly D’s and F’s.

When it came to the percentage of students who rode with a driver who had been drinking alcohol (one or more times during the 30 days prior to the survey), students with better grades did so less often, ranging from 12% of students with mostly A’s to 26% of students with mostly D’s and F’s.

The survey also found that 1 out of 5 students (20.1%) whose grades were mostly D’s and F’s did not go to school because they felt unsafe at school or on their way to or from school, on at least one day during the 30 days prior to the survey.  Among those with mostly A’s, that percentage was just under 4 percent.

Among those with the lowest grades, 38.9% were in a physical fight at least once during the previous 12 months, and 19.7% were threatened or injured with a weapon on school property, such as a gun, knife, or club, at least once during the past year.  Among those with mostly A’s, the percentages were 10.2% and 3.6%.

https://youtu.be/d63xyYs9s94

CT's BIO Industry Has Strong Presence at Record-Setting International Convention

Connecticut was one of 18 states to have a strong presence at the BIO International Convention, held this week in Boston. It was a record-setting year, as 18,289 U.S. and international attendees – the most in the last 10 years – participated in what was described as “the epicenter of the biotechnology industry” for four days of programming, 46, 916 partnering meetings (setting a new Guinness World Record for “The Largest Business Partnering Event”) and entertainment. More than a dozen Connecticut companies had a presence in the state’s pavilion at the event:  Jackson Laboratory, Sema4, Genotech Matrix, AlvaHealth, RallyBio, Cantor Colburn, Pfizer, e-Path Learning, Thetis Pharmaceuticals, XViVO, Clarity Quest, Lucerna, Wyant Simboli, Boehringer Ingelheim, Aeromics, LambdaVision, Pattern Genomics.

Also participating were Southern Connecticut State University, Yale University and the University of Connecticut, as well as the City of New Haven, and the town of Branford, along with BIO CT, Connecticut Innovations and the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development.  Additional companies from the state were on-hand, although not as part of the state’s coordinated effort.

All told, there were more than 1,000 companies from dozens of nations represented at the 25^th anniversary conference.  The organizations represented at the BIO International Convention include the world’s leading biotech companies, top 25 pharma companies, top 20 CROs and CMOs, and more than 300 academic institutions including the major research labs and government agencies. Organizers indicate that one out of three attendees based outside of the U.S. and nearly 40 percent are C-level executives at their respective companies.

"If you are or want to be any type of a life science hub, you need to be at this convention," Dawn Hocevar, president and CEO of BioCT, recently told New Haven BIZ. "Connecticut participated in the last two conventions, however, this is the largest footprint we've ever had." BioCT is the bioscience industry voice for the state of Connecticut.  BioCT is dedicated to growing the vibrant bioscience ecosystem in Connecticut by supporting innovation, collaboration, networking, education, talent engagement and advocacy. 

This year’s educational programming was more robust and diverse than ever before, according to organizers, with more than 180 educational sessions, including brand new tracks on genome editing, opioids and corporate best practices.

Among the presenters, panelists, and featured speakers was Scott Gottlieb, Commissioner of Food and Drugs at the U.S. Food and drug Association, a graduate of Wesleyan University in Middletown.

https://youtu.be/rT-HCSKcsqU

Connecticut Adds High School Certificate of Global Engagement

Much has been said but less has been done to encourage Connecticut students to prepare for an ever more connected and interdependent world.  Until now.  The State Board of Education has voted to establish a Connecticut Certificate of Global Engagement, which high school students can earn by completing specific aspects of the curriculum, and aims to prepare “globally competent students who are college and career ready.”  The Certificate would be noted on high school transcripts. The Connecticut Certificate of Global Engagement was established, according to the curriculum overview, “to recognize public high school graduates who have successfully completed a global education curriculum and engaged in co-curricular activities and experiences that fostered the development of global competencies and global citizenship.”

“In today’s intricately interconnected world, informed citizens require an increasingly broader base of knowledge and perspective, because local communities, societies and economies are directly affected by events and trends that occur well beyond national borders,” the newly adopted curriculum guidelines point out.

The Certificate is based on the guidelines of the Connecticut Social Studies Frameworks and American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) World Readiness Standards, and builds upon the recommendations of the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO).  It supports student literacy as defined by the Common Core Standards and provides a pathway for 21st Century Skills.

Officials stress that the Certificate does not require additional resources in local school districts, “as all coursework would already be part of the curriculum. The Certificate, however, gives school districts an opportunity to evaluate the entire school curriculum through the lens of global knowledge.”

The mission of the Certificate program, officials explain, is to provide Connecticut students a “pathway to gain global knowledge and skills that will increase their competitiveness and ability to succeed in college and career and their participation as informed citizens.  In today’s global marketplace, it is in the long-term economic, social, and democratic interests of the United States, Connecticut, and local communities to encourage and facilitate international connections in the community, state and beyond.”

To be recognized for the Certificate, students will need to complete the following requirements:

• coursework in world languages;
• coursework with strong global implications and analysis;
• extracurricular activities and experiences with global themes; and
• a global service learning or action project.

The guidelines indicate that through coursework and co-curricular activities, globally competent students will demonstrate the following competencies:

• investigate and express ideas about the world beyond their immediate environment;
• recognize and articulate their own and others’ perspectives;
• communicate ideas effectively with diverse audiences; and
• translate ideas into appropriate actions to address a contemporary global issue.

Globally-Focused Coursework would require at least 7.0 credits or demonstration of mastery and Globally-focused Student Activities would require competency in global citizenship through active participation in “at least one or more co-curricular and other school-sponsored or endorsed activities over at least 3 years of their high school experience with suggested involvement of a total of at least 15 hours.”

The guidelines for the Certificate of Global engagement were approved at the Board’s May 2 meeting and is now available for high schools throughout the state to implement.  A copy of the guidelines appears on the State Department of Education website alongside the state’s Social Studies Frameworks and Resources.

The curriculum plan was developed by a 24-member committee including Stephen Armstrong, the state’s Social Studies Consultant in the Department’s Academic Office, David Bosso, President of the Connecticut Council for the Social Studies, Robert Rader, Executive Director of the Connecticut Association of Boards of Education, high school teachers, superintendents, language specialists, college professors and representatives of the World Affairs Council of Connecticut.

Exhibit at Wadsworth Atheneum Shows Hartford Roots

Life and art come full circle this month at the Wadsworth Atheneum in Hartford, with the opening of an historic exhibition with an unmistakable hometown connection.  Frederic Edwin Church was a prominent American landscape painter in the 1800’s, born in Hartford, and a central figure in the Hudson River School of American landscape painters. His family wealth came from Church's father, Joseph Church, a silversmith and watchmaker in Hartford.  Joseph subsequently also became an official and a director of The Aetna Life Insurance Company. Joseph, in turn, was the son of Samuel Church, who founded the first paper mill in Lee, Massachusetts in the Berkshires, which allowed Frederic to pursue his interest in art from a very early age, according to the website that features his work.

At eighteen years of age, Church became the pupil of Thomas Cole in Catskill, New York after Daniel Wadsworth, a family neighbor and founder of the Wadsworth Atheneum, introduced the two. Now, the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art will present “Frederic Church: A Painter’s Pilgrimage,” bringing together approximately 50 of the celebrated Hudson River School painter’s compositions of sacred terrain in the Middle East and the Mediterranean.

“This is a rare opportunity for our audience to explore a side of Church’s working process and fierce entrepreneurship beyond the usual experience of landscape paintings,” says Robert H. Schutz, Jr., Associate Curator of American Paintings and Sculpture Erin Monroe. “Church’s story started in Hartford, so it is particularly fitting for the Atheneum to feature this exploration of his pilgrimage as a way to reconnect the artist with his personal and professional origins.” The exhibition opens to the public at noon on June 2 and is on view through Aug. 26.

A leading painter of 19th-century America, Frederic Church was the most popular and financially successful painter in the United States during his lifetime. As a young artist Church’s first formal training was facilitated by Atheneum founder Daniel Wadsworth, who arranged for Church’s apprenticeship with painter Thomas Cole, the father of the Hudson River School. While committed to the natural sciences, Frederic Edwin Church (1826–1900) was "always concerned with including a spiritual dimension in his works".

Organized by Kenneth J. Myers, curator of American art at the Detroit Institute of Arts, “Frederic Church: A Painter’s Pilgrimage” explores the enduring appeal of pilgrimage through a lesser-known body of work resulting from the artist’s journey to powerful sites of spiritual and historical significance in the late 1860s.

As he further established his career, Church traveled to remote places to sketch majestic scenes unfamiliar to his American audience, turning them into dramatic, large-scale paintings. These travels provided Church with ideas and material to produce major paintings for his wealthy patrons, including prominent American industrialists and financiers such as Hartford’s Timothy Mather Allyn, J. Pierpont Morgan and firearms manufacturer Elizabeth Hart Jarvis Colt.

From 1868–1869, Church, his wife and their young son visited the lands of modern-day Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Palestine, Jordan and southeastern Turkey, with Church taking expeditions to Athens, Damascus, Petra, Baalbek and Jerusalem. Church made countless small-scale pencil drawings and oil sketches on these trips, noting observations including colors, light, time of day and even weather patterns. Upon returning to his New York studio Church created large-scale compositions.

“These historic views are especially compelling and relevant now,” says Monroe. “It is a chance to foster conversation around the destruction and urgent need for preservation of cultural heritage sites in the 21st century.”

An illustrated catalogue accompanies the exhibition.  Tours of “Frederic Church: A Painter’s Pilgrimage” are offered Saturdays and Sundays at 2:30 p.m. from June 9–Aug. 26. Free lectures include “Sacred Geographies: Frederic Church, the Holy Land, & the Hudson Valley” with Yale University professor Jennifer Raab, June 12 at 6 p.m. “Art After Dark: Rock the Kasbah” on June 7 at 5 p.m. will feature live music, exhibition tours and an outdoor bazaar; tickets are $5-10.

Focus on Preventing Driving Deaths During Deadliest Period

The period between Memorial Day and Labor Day is the time when motorists are more likely to be injured or killed in fatal crashes involving a teen driver.  It is described as the “100 deadliest days,” by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. More than 1,000 people were killed in crashes involving teen drivers in 2016, according to the organization, a 14 percent increase compared to the rest of the year and a figure that equates to 10 people per day.

The two AAA Clubs in Connecticut -- AAA Northeast and AAA Greater Hartford -- gathered with Federal and State traffic safety advocates in Hartford to draw attention to the data in the hopes of reducing the numbers in the coming three month period.

"The number of fatal crashes involving teen drivers during the summer is an important traffic safety concern for AAA," says Fran Mayko, AAA Northeast spokeswoman.  “Research shows young drivers are at greater risk during this time, and have higher crash rates compared to older, more experienced drivers because of two factors: speeding and nighttime driving."

Over the last five years in Connecticut, there have been 44 fatal crashes involving teen drivers, including 12 last summer during the 100 "Deadliest Days" period. At least half of the crashes occurred after 9 pm, according to data obtained through UConn's CT Crash Data Repository, officials pointed out.

Although none of the victims in those 12 crashes was a teen driver, the driver's passengers or someone in another vehicle were either injured or killed. "Statistics shows these crashes affect everyone on the road, not just teen drivers or their parents," says Mayko. "Education, coupled with proper driver training and parental involvement, will help teen drivers become better, safer drivers on our roadways."

Based on 2016 National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data, the AAA Foundation research highlighted the following:

• 36% of all motor teen driver vehicle fatalities occurred between 9:00 pm and 5:00 am;
• There was a 22% increase in the average number of nighttime crashes per day involving teen drivers between May and September compared to the rest of the year;
• 29% of all motor vehicle deaths involving a teen driver were speed-related;
• 1 in 10 nighttime crash fatalities and 1 in 10 speed-related fatalities involved a teen driver.

Overall, Connecticut traffic deaths have been inching up for most of the past few years on average, mirroring a national trend.  Traffic deaths were down in 2017 to 284, according to the UConn Crash Data Depository, after  reaching an historic high of 311 in 2016, after a steady increase in the previous few years (278 in 2015, 248 recorded in 2014).  Nationally, traffic fatalities are the highest they’ve been since 2008.

AAA urges parents to discuss the higher risks teens face during the summer and to familiarize themselves with Connecticut's Graduated Drivers Licensing (GDL) laws and become actively involved in the learn-to-drive process involving their inexperienced teen.  To prepare for the summer drive season, AAA also encourages parents to:

• Discuss early and often the dangers of risky driving situations with their teens;
• Teach by example and minimize their own risky behavior when behind the wheel;
• Make and enforce a parent-teen driving agreement that sets driving limits based on the state’s GDL.
• Visit TeenDriving.AAA.com that offers tools such as interactive widgets, highlighting teen driving risks and state licensing information. An online AAA StartSmart program also offers parental resources on how to become effective in-car coaches and ways to manage their teen’s overall driving privileges.

The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety is a not-for-profit, publicly funded research and educational organization, whose mission is to prevent traffic deaths and injuries by conducting research into their causes. It also educates the public about strategies to prevent crashes and reduce injuries when they do occur.

https://youtu.be/QmCJKvyXhEQ

After 100 Year Absence, National Association of the Deaf to Meet in Hartford This Summer

For the first time in a century, the biennial conference of the National Association of the Deaf returns to Hartford this summer. The conference was first held in the United States since 1880, and has been held every two years for the past 50 years.  The 1917 conference was the only appearance in Hartford.

The 2018 edition, July 3-7, 2018, will feature multiple education tracks, seminars and workshops, including specific training sessions in racial justice and “the real way to be normal a round deafblind people.” The conference will begin with “an inspiring Opening Ceremony” honoring 200 years of “deaf education and contributions made in our community,” conference organizers indicate.

NAD President Melissa S. Draganac-Hawk said “The location and timing of the conference has a special significance, the 200th Anniversary of the founding of American School for the Deaf in Hartford.  This momentous event also served as the basis for the conference theme.  The serialized signs memorialize the main effects of the partnership between Thomas Gallaudet and Laurent Clerc in laying the groundwork for Deaf Education in America.”

Sessions include Best Practices for Communication Accessibility at Professional Sports Venues, Navigating the Gray Areas of Hearing-Deaf Dynamics, Achieving Legal Recognition of Sign Languages, and Entrepreneurship for All, among nearly 50 choices available to conference attendees. Workshop papers presented at the conference will include career and professional development topics as well as personal development, among the tracks offered. For instance, typical workshops include those on workplace interpersonal dynamics, career advancement, leadership and communication abilities, networking skills, and more.

The 54^th NAD Conference will be held at the Connecticut Convention Center.  The NAD will partner with three other organizations during this conference — the National Deaf Education Conference (NDEC) will be hosting their conference and will handle and take charge of the Education track; Deaf In Government will handle and take charge of Government Employment Training (GET); and the Registry of Interpreters (RID) Region I will handle and take charge of the Interpreting track. The remaining education tracks are the responsibility of the NAD.

Delegates to the  Biennial Conference are members of State Associations and Affiliated Non Profit Organizations (NPOs) who are attending from throughout the country, and participating in the organization’s Council of Representatives.  Biennial NAD Conferences are specifically tailored for deaf, deaf-blind, late-deaf, hard of hearing and hearing consumers, educators, professionals, and business owners and managers.

The conference will also feature an exhibit hall that will be open to the public.  Organizers predict that more than 2,000 people are expected to come and browse through the products and services that will be featured.

The NAD was established in 1880 by deaf leaders who believed in the right of the American deaf community to use sign language, to congregate on issues important to them, and to have its interests represented at the national level. The NAD today ensures that the needs and concerns of the nation’s deaf and hard of hearing community are well represented on the federal level through collaborative and cross disability efforts with consumer based and professional organizations.

In recent years, Atlanta was the 2014 host and Phoenix was the location in 2016.  Two years from now, the conference will be conducted in Chicago. The NAD mission is “to preserve the civil, human, and linguistic rights of deaf and hard of hearing people.”