New Haven Gun Buyback Program Set for Saturday

Just one week after the tragic killings of 20 elementary school children and six educators in Newtown, the New Haven Police Department will be conducting a gun buy back program on Saturday, December 22.  The event comes three weeks after a similar event in Hartford. The unofficial count for the gun buyback in Hartford on December 1, 2012 was 179 working firearms collected, 145 handguns and 34 rifles/shotguns.  Over $10,000 in retail gift cards were given to those turning in unwanted firearms.  This single day Gun Buyback program in Connecticut’s Capitol City has collected 464 firearms over the last four years.  Stepped up gun buyback programs were mentioned earlier this week by Hartford Mayor Pedro Segarra as a possible component in a comprehensive approach to the Newtown tragedy.

The New Haven gun buyback event is sponsored by the Injury Free Coalition for Kids of New Haven and Yale-New Haven Children’s Hospital’s Injury Prevention Program.  The goal is to get guns off the street, out of cars, out of basements and out of bedrooms. It has been estimated that a gun in the home is 22 times more likely to kill a family member or friend than to kill an intruder.

Gun Buyback programs have a history in Connecticut that began almost two decades ago with an overwhelming response in 1994, when then-Attorney General Richard Blumenthal, with the support of the Connecticut Retail Merchants Association and the Connecticut Police Chiefs Association, launched the nation’s first statewide program.  The response to the new initiative was far beyond all predictions – more than 4,200 guns, including 210 assault weapons, were turned in within less than a week.  That brought the statewide initiative to an end and required some state support by then-Gov. Lowell P. Weicker to fill in the gaps left by retailers and corporations that stepped up to support the initiative.

The approach, however, has continued.  Gun buyback programs in Connecticut municipalities – including Hartford, Waterbury, Bridgeport (55 weapons including rifles and handguns in 2010) and New Haven ( a total of 81 weapons in 2011 and 2012) -  have been more limited but continue to be successful, taking into account the lessons of the state’s initial effort in 1994 and the need to take a varying approaches to limit gun violence.

Said Chief State’s Attorney John M. Bailey in 1994: “I think it brought reality to the people of Connecticut. That 4,000 guns, including 210 assault weapons, could be turned in in four and a half days made people think how many guns could be out there.”

The annual Hartford gun buyback program was a collaboration between Hartford Hospital, Connecticut Children's Medical Center, St. Francis Hospital, CRT, the City of Hartford, the Hartford Police Department, the Office of the Hartford State's Attorney, and the Emergency Nurses Association.

Saturday’s New Haven buyback will be held at the New Haven Police Academy, 710 Sherman Parkway from 10:00am to 4:00pm, and is open to all Connecticut residents.  The department’s policy of “no questions asked” will be in effect allowing individuals to anonymously dispose of firearms without fear of charges for illegal possession when turning in the weapon. Non-operational guns, antiques, BB guns and holsters will be accepted but do not qualify for a gift card.

According to the New Haven Police Department, in order to receive amnesty for illegal possession at the time you turn in the weapon, protocol MUST be precisely followed.  The protocol includes:

1. Firearms MUST be delivered unloaded;
2. Firearms MUST be put in a clear plastic bag and put into another container (gym bag, backpack, etc);
3. If depositing ammunition in addition to a firearm, ammunition must be delivered in  separate bag;
4. If transporting the firearm by car, the firearm must be transported in the trunk of the car;
5. After the firearm is screened by officers and determined to be a working firearm, a $50.00 gift card will be given;
6. An additional $50.00 gift card will be exchanged for those firearms identified as assault weapons and/or saw-off shotguns(does not include newly sawed off for the purpose to receive extra gift cards);
7. Non-operational guns, antiques firearms, BB guns and holsters will be accepted but do not qualify for a gift card;

Early Identification of Mental and Behavioral Health Issues Critical, CT Study Finds

A recent report by the Connecticut-based Center for Children’s Advocacy revealed that early warning signs of mental and behavioral health problems are often not identified until middle school years, but could be uncovered much earlier. In any given year, the report noted that “about one out of every five Connecticut children (87,500 to 125,000) struggles with a mental health condition or substance abuse problem. More than half receive no treatment.”

With a grant from the Connecticut Health Foundation, Dr. Andrea Spencer, dean of the School of Education at Pace University and educational consultant to the Center for Children’s Advocacy, examined children’s educational records to identify how early these warning signs appear.  The report, issued in September 2012, documents the direct link between undiagnosed and unaddressed mental health issues with increases in school suspensions, expulsions and entry into the state’s juvenile justice system.  It also noted that:

• Over 70% of students diagnosed with mental illness and behavioral health problems by middle school exhibited warning signs by second grade.
• Almost 25% exhibited red flags during pre-Kindergarten years.

Early indicators, according to the report, included developmental and health issues, adverse social factors and exposure to trauma. The report, entitled “Blind Spot,” found that 25 percent of the children studied had documented traumatic experiences in their records  It recommends implementation of a series of initiatives:

• Improve screening for mental health risk factors
• Improve referral to early intervention services (mental health and special education)
• Improve collaboration between service providers
• Improve community and parent education about risk factors and support available
• Improve training and accountability for school staff and other providers

“Red flags for mental and behavioral health problems are often clear before the end of second grade,” said Dr. Spencer. “It is imperative that we improve screening and identification so support for these children can be provided before their academic careers are at risk.”

As a result of this report, the Center for Children’s Advocacy - a Connecticut nonprofit that provides legal support for abused and neglected children - introduced a statewide policy initiative to improve the quality and standard of care for children insured through the Connecticut’s Medicaid (HUSKY A) plan.

In addition, the Center noted that the Connecticut Department of Social Services (DSS) has agreed to convene a task force that includes representatives from the Center for Children’s Advocacy, Department of Children and Families, Department of Mental Health & Addiction Services, Office of Policy and Management, Value Options (contracted provider of mental health services under HUSKY/ Medicaid), American Academy of Pediatrics (CT Chapter), Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatrists (CT Chapter), Head Start, developmental pediatricians, Birth to Three Program, Department of Education, and the Connecticut Health Development Institute.

The task force is to review current regulations, make recommendations regarding screening and treatment protocols, and provide recommendations on reimbursement rates for pediatric providers, according to a news release issued by the Center.

Segarra Suggests Gun Buyback Programs as Part of Mayors-Led Response to Gun Violence

Hartford Mayor Pedro Segarra, appearing on ABC's This Week with George Stefanopoulos, raised the prospect of  gun buy-back programs, such as one held earlier this month in Hartford, as one element in a multi-faceted approach led by the nation's mayors, to respond to the multiple policy challenges of gun violence in America.  His comments brought to mind the  a post on CT by the Numbers on November 26, 2012, which referenced buyback initiatives in Connecticut in recent years. +++

The 4th Annual Gun Buyback will be held from 9am to 3pm on December 1, 2012 at the Community Renewal Team (CRT), 555 Windsor Street, in Hartford.  The program is a collaboration between Hartford Hospital, Connecticut Children’s Medical Center, St. Francis Hospital, CRT, the Hartford Police Department, and the Office of the Hartford State’s Attorney.

If you have an unwanted firearm in the home, this is your chance to remove the firearm by bringing it in.  Those bringing in firearms will receive compensation in the form of gift cards:

• $25 gift card for a rifle, or shotgun.
• $75 gift card for a handgun, or assault weapon.

This single day Gun Buyback program has collected 285 firearms over the last three years.  Of the 118 firearms collected in 2011, seventy-five-percent (75%) were handguns.  The Gun Buyback program seeks to raise awareness about responsible and safe ownership of firearms kept in the home.  Additional information may be obtained by calling (860) 249-1072.

It has been estimated that a gun in the home is 22 times more likely to kill a family member or friend than to kill an intruder. With gun ownership comes the responsibility of storing guns locked, unloaded and inaccessible to kids.  The buyback programs are one of a range of local, state and federal initiatives aimed at reducing gun violence, especially in the state’s urban centers.

Gun Buyback programs have a history in Connecticut that began almost two decades ago with an overwhelming response in 1994, when then-Attorney General Richard Blumenthal, with the support of the Connecticut Retail Merchants Association and the Connecticut Police Chiefs Association, launched the nation’s first statewide program.  The response to the new initiative was far beyond all predictions – more than 4,200 guns, including 210 assault weapons, were turned in within less than a week.  That brought the statewide initiative to an end and required some state support by then-Gov. Lowell P. Weicker to fill in the gaps left by retailers and corporations that stepped up to support the initiative.

The approach, however, has continued.  Gun buyback programs in Connecticut municipalities – including Hartford, Waterbury, Bridgeport (55 weapons including rifles and handguns in 2010) and New Haven ( a total of 81 weapons in 2011 and 2012) -  have been more limited but continue to be successful, taking into account the lessons of the state’s initial effort in 1994 and the need to take a varying approaches to limit gun violence.

Said Chief State’s Attorney John M. Bailey in 1994:  “I think it brought reality to the people of Connecticut. That 4,000 guns, including 210 assault weapons, could be turned in in four and a half days made people think how many guns could be out there.”

Looking Back at Connecticut's Assault Weapon Ban

Three news stories from 1995, 2004 and 2010 on Connecticut's assault weapon ban: Reported by The New York Times on July 25, 1995:

The Connecticut Supreme Court today upheld a state law banning assault weapons, declaring that the State Constitution's guarantee of the right to bear arms "does not guarantee the right to possess any weapon of the individual's choosing."

The decision, upholding a 1993 law that banned 67 semiautomatic assault weapons by brand name, makes Connecticut the first state with the right of self-defense specified in its Constitution to have an assault-weapons ban pass legal challenge, said Attorney General Richard Blumenthal, who represented the state in the case.

The decision does not set a binding precedent for any other state. But, Mr. Blumenthal said, "It takes a giant step toward upholding assault-weapons bans because it holds in very clear, unequivocal terms that states have a right and a responsibility to protect the public safety with these kinds of narrowly drawn, very specific bans on the most dangerous kinds of weapons."

The decision also comes as a Federal law banning certain types of assault weapons is under challenge both in Congress, where Republicans are threatening to repeal it, and in court, where the National Rifle Association is questioning Congress's right, under the United States Constitution's commerce clause, to impose the ban on states.

Reported by the Associated Press on September 14, 2004:

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) - The end of the national ban on assault weapons will leave Connecticut as one of seven states where those guns will remain illegal.  And gun rights advocates don't expect that to change soon.

"Nothing is going to change here in Connecticut and I don't perceive anybody going after the legislature in trying to get rid of the law this year," said Robert Crook, executive director of the Coalition of Connecticut Sportsmen.  "Maybe next year, maybe the year after, we'll make an effort to get rid of it," Crook said.

Connecticut and Massachusetts are the only two New England states with an assault weapons ban on place.

The 1994 federal ban, signed by President Clinton, outlawed 19 types of military-style assault weapons. A clause directed that the ban expire unless Congress specifically reauthorized it, which it did not.

Connecticut passed its own law in 1993. It defined assault weapons and listed semiautomatic firearms that were illegal to sell, transport or possess in the state. It banned future sales of 63 types of military style weapons. The state law also banned someone from using a combination of parts to convert a firearm into an assault weapon.

Attorney General Richard Blumenthal said Connecticut lawmakers need to renew their resolve to support the state ban.  "Our state must now commit to continued, even stronger enforcement of our assault weapons ban," Blumenthal said. "We can no longer count on our federal agencies to assist us."

U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., was among those members of Congress who wanted the federal ban reauthorized.  "Right now we have the Federal government recalling the Super Soaker toy gun at the same time we are within hours of letting assault weapons back on our streets," said DeLauro, during a news conference on Capitol Hill. "The mere notion that we would again legalize these guns is outrageous."

State Rep. Michael Lawlor, D-West Haven, co-chairman of the legislature's Judiciary Committee, who helped write the 1993 state legislation, criticized President Bush and Congress for not renewing the ban. He said they should be working to strengthen the law and make it permanent.

"These weapons serve no legitimate civilian or hunting purpose and Connecticut did the right thing by implementing its own law," Lawlor said.

But Crook said the Connecticut law has had little effect, and has been a burden for police. Crook said there have only been about a dozen prosecutions since 1993, resulting in two convictions. He credits the reduction of gang activity, not the state ban, with the reduction of assault weapon use on Connecticut's streets.

Some manufacturers of assault weapons have made cosmetic changes to their guns and were able to circumvent the ban, he said.  Crook said the state ban has mostly been "an affront" to the intelligence of gun owners, some of whom like to collect assault weapons or use semiautomatic firearms for target shooting.

Published by the Connecticut Post, July 7, 2010

HARTFORD -- After studying last week's U.S. Supreme Court decision, state Attorney General Richard Blumenthal said Wednesday the rejection of a law banning handguns would not affect Connecticut's 1993 prohibition on assault weapons.

Two of the three candidates angling to succeed Blumenthal agreed. But Martha Dean, the Republican endorsed at the party's May convention, said Wednesday she hadn't yet researched the issue.

"Unlike Chicago and the District of Columbia, Connecticut has no outright ban on firearms commonly used in self-defense," Blumenthal said in a Wednesday phone interview, also referring to a 2008 Supreme Court ruling that threw out a similar ban in the nation's capital. "Also, Connecticut laws have been enacted having in mind already that individuals have the right to keep and bear arms in self-defense." A key to keeping the state's ban on assault weapons, which Blumenthal successfully defended in 1995 before the state Supreme Court, is Connecticut's underlying constitutional right to own guns.

He said the defense of the assault-gun ban would center on Connecticut's allowance of other weapons for home defense.  "I think the argument would be that assault weapons aren't overwhelmingly chosen or used by Americans for the lawful purpose of self-defense," he said. "There is no absolute right to carry any weapon whatsoever."

Sen. Andrew J. McDonald, D-Stamford, co-chairman of the General Assembly's Judiciary Committee, said Wednesday that after reviewing last week's decision, he believes the nation's highest court didn't provide "any real guidance" as to what restrictions would be permissible.

But McDonald sees nothing in the ruling to undermine the state's ability to restrict some weapons, such as assault weapons, and keep guns out of the hands of felons, domestic abusers and the mentally incompetent.

He predicted that court challenges will target the assault-weapon ban.  "It creates a level of uncertainty," McDonald predicted. "Our law and laws all over the country will be scrutinized anew to test the reach of the decision," he said. "I would hope and expect our ban would remain in place. It depends on whom we have defending us."

George Jepsen, the Democratic candidate for attorney general, who as co-chairman of the Judiciary Committee 19 years ago helped write the ban on weapons such as the MAC-10, TEC-9, Colt AR-15 and the Colt Sporter, said Connecticut has good gun rules.

"Connecticut has one of the lowest death rates from gun violence in the nation thanks in part to our sensible gun laws," he said. "Connecticut laws target people with a history of violence or mental instability and don't take guns from law-abiding citizens, especially homeowners, let alone sportsmen." He's confident that advocates will challenge state law, but he's "pretty confident" the laws will stand.

"Under Connecticut's Constitution, gun ownership is a right," Jepsen said. "The validity of our assault-weapons ban has already been litigated at that standard and upheld by the Connecticut Supreme Court in a unanimous vote. I think it's only common sense that weapons only designed to kill people shouldn't be used outside the military."

Annual Gun Buyback Program in Hartford on Saturday

The 4th Annual Gun Buyback will be held from 9am to 3pm on December 1, 2012 at the Community Renewal Team (CRT), 555 Windsor Street, in Hartford.  The program is a collaboration between Hartford Hospital, Connecticut Children's Medical Center, St. Francis Hospital, CRT, the Hartford Police Department, and the Office of the Hartford State's Attorney. If you have an unwanted firearm in the home, this is your chance to remove the firearm by bringing it in.  Those bringing in firearms will receive compensation in the form of gift cards:

• $25 gift card for a rifle, or shotgun.
• $75 gift card for a handgun, or assault weapon.

This single day Gun Buyback program has collected 285 firearms over the last three years.  Of the 118 firearms collected in 2011, seventy-five-percent (75%) were handguns.  The Gun Buyback program seeks to raise awareness about responsible and safe ownership of firearms kept in the home.  Additional information may be obtained by calling (860) 249-1072.

It has been estimated that a gun in the home is 22 times more likely to kill a family member or friend than to kill an intruder. With gun ownership comes the responsibility of storing guns locked, unloaded and inaccessible to kids.  The buyback programs are one of a range of local, state and federal initiatives aimed at reducing gun violence, especially in the state’s urban centers.

Gun Buyback programs have a history in Connecticut that began almost two decades ago with an overwhelming response in 1994, when then-Attorney General Richard Blumenthal, with the support of the Connecticut Retail Merchants Association and the Connecticut Police Chiefs Association, launched the nation’s first statewide program.  The response to the new initiative was far beyond all predictions – more than 4,200 guns, including 210 assault weapons, were turned in within less than a week.  That brought the statewide initiative to an end and required some state support by then-Gov. Lowell P. Weicker to fill in the gaps left by retailers and corporations that stepped up to support the initiative.

The approach, however, has continued.  Gun buyback programs in Connecticut municipalities – including Hartford, Waterbury, Bridgeport (55 weapons including rifles and handguns in 2010) and New Haven ( a total of 81 weapons in 2011 and 2012) -  have been more limited but continue to be successful, taking into account the lessons of the state’s initial effort in 1994 and the need to take a varying approaches to limit gun violence.

Said Chief State’s Attorney John M. Bailey in 1994:  "I think it brought reality to the people of Connecticut. That 4,000 guns, including 210 assault weapons, could be turned in in four and a half days made people think how many guns could be out there."

Quest Program Participants Target Issues From Sex Trafficking to Job Skills

Leadership Greater Hartford’s highly regarded Quest program develops and engages emerging and established leaders in the region through opportunities to sharpen skills, build new professional relationships and – most importantly - address pressing community issues.  The 2012 class of Quest – 47 participants strong – were grouped into four teams, each pursuing distinct and important projects during the course of the year.  Their work is already in evidence in the community, and received high praise at a recent “graduation” ceremony held at the Mark Twain House in Hartford.  The initiatives:

• The HartBeat Ensemble taskforce focused on what members described as the “appalling, abhorrent and terrifying nature of human sex trafficking” in the Hartford region, coordinating with the Hartford Police Department. They worked with HartBeat Ensemble, an ensemble company that creates original, professional theater based on stories from the community. To help increase public awareness of the issue, the taskforce developed a marketing, collaboration and public relations plan for their newest play in development, Project: Turnpike, which is based on the 2007 landmark federal trial of United States vs. Dennis Paris that took place in Hartford. The play represents 72 hours in the life of four exploited sex workers in a motel room on the Berlin Turnpike.  The play’s opening night is scheduled for April 24, 2013.

Law enforcement officials have observed that Hartford’s location  - near mass transit and between New York and Boston – contributes to the human trafficking industry’s presence here.  Recently, human trafficking – estimated to be a $32 billion-a-year business worldwide – has been the subject of a national crackdown by the travel industry, which has launched an initiative to train employees to identify and report potential trafficking incidents.    The U.S. Departments of Homeland Security and Transportation along with Amtrak also announced plans to training 75,000 employees.

• The North End Career Resources taskforce focused on the importance of providing career resources to the North End community of Hartford.  They developed and conducted a “Job Skills Resources Fair” at the Albany Avenue Branch of the Hartford Public Library on September 25, 2012.  It was a job skills fair, not a job fair – with the goal of connecting fair attendees with the skills necessary to make them employable in a tough hiring environment.  The “vendors” were non-profit agencies that work in the areas of job skills training.
• The Billings Forge Community Works taskforce worked with Billings Forge Community Works, an innovative job education and training, housing, and community development organization that serves the residents of Hartford's Frog Hollow neighborhood. This taskforce accomplished three main goals: enhanced their corporate sponsorship program, implemented their auction event for the annual “Farm to Table” event/fundraiser and created an organizational membership program.
• The Hartford Children’s Theatre taskforce partnered with Hartford Children’s Theatre, which provides theatrical training and entertainment for Connecticut children and families. The taskforce focused on the summer theatrical production of Hartford Children’s Theatre and worked specifically in the areas of development, marketing and general public relations efforts.  In doing so, they not only raised sufficient funds to offset the costs of the production, they also provided input and novel suggestions for future marketing and fundraising operations.

Participating in Quest 2012 were:

Kelsey Aderman - Lincoln Financial Group Debbie Albrecht- Murtha Cullina, LLP. Deb Battit - Hartford Foundation for Public Giving Yvette Bello - Latino Community Services Theresa Benoit - ConnectiCare, Inc. Joe Bierbaum - Stone Academy Maureen Bowman - Travelers Monique (Roxanne) Brown - Phoenix Life Suzanne Butler - OptumHealth Katie Carges - Hartford Hospital Vrinda Dabke - OptumHealth Theresa Desilets - Cigna Steve  Dibella - Hartford Police Department Alisa Dzananovic - Saint Francis Hospital Martin Estey - Hartford Consortium for Higher Education Tom Farrish  - Day Pitney, LLP Fred Faulkner - The Open Hearth Julie Geyer - Capital Workforce Partners LaResse Harvey - Civic Trust Lobbying Company John Henry Decker - Certified Financial Planner Kelly Hewes - The Hartford Carolyn Hoffman - Junior League of Hartford, Inc. Margo  Kelleher - VestA Corporation Lynne  Kelleher - CT Children's Medical Center Ryan Kocsondy - University of Connecticut John McEntee - Travelers Nicole  Miller   Goodwin College Kelly Muszynski - OptumHealth Tokuji Okamoto - Our Piece of the Pie Mario Oquendo, Jr. - Hartford Fire Department Janet Pasqua - ConnectiCare, Inc. Lisa Pawlik - Catholic Charities Sara Phillips - Travelers Jason Roberts - Travelers Josie Robles - Hartford Behavioral Health Kevin Roy - Shipman & Goodwin LLP Michael Ryan - Lincoln Financial Group Leslie Sanborn - Oak Hill Jerene  Slivinsky - UnitedHealthcare Quinten  Smallwood - Travelers Danielle Smiley - City of Hartford - HHS Jen Sprague - United Way of Central and Northeastern Connecticut Paul Stigliano - Hill-Stead Museum Amelinda Vazquez - Eastern Connecticut State University Sonia Worrell Asare, Esq. -  Travelers Andrea  Young - Goodwin College

Coastal Residents Tuned to Radio When Storm Hit; Ratings Soar

The arrival and immediate aftermath of Hurricane Sandy last month brought not only destructive weather, but the return of an old fashioned medium to temporary prominence.  While those with power looked to television, cable news channels, the internet and social media for information, those whose electricity had disappeared, particularly those in the hardest-hit areas, turned to radio. The New York Times is reporting that data from Arbitron, the radio ratings service, indicates that from 7 p.m. to midnight on Oct. 29, when the storm made landfall in the region, an average of just more than a million people in the New York metropolitan area were listening to the radio during any 15-minute period.

That is an astonishing 70 percent increase from the same period the week before. Besides the five boroughs of New York City, the metropolitan market includes five counties in New York, nine in New Jersey and part of one in Connecticut.

The audience increase was astronomical in the pummeled coastal areas. In Connecticut, Stamford and Norwalk had a 367 percent increase during that period; in New Jersey, that figure was up 247 percent in Monmouth County, and up 195 percent in Middlesex, Somerset and Union counties. These numbers increased even though some stations, like WNYC and WINS, lost their AM frequencies (although they continued to broadcast on FM.)

In some cases, as in past major storms, local stations without regular news staffs aired the audio of local television stations that were on the air with non-stop storm coverage.  For those with an abiding affinity for radio, the storm has become the preeminent recent example of the power of radio to provide critical information and reach large numbers of people in an emergency situation.  Some broadcast officials continue to urge the Federal Communications Commission to take action to encourage cell phones to have an FM radio receiver installed, harkening back to the generation for whom transistor radios were as ubiquitous as today’s cellphones.

Targeting Financial Fraud Against Senior Citizens in CT

Attorney General George Jepsen is encouraging members of the public and social service agencies that work with seniors to attend the annual Connecticut Triad conference to learn more about financial exploitation and ways to protect against such abuse. The conference will be Thursday, Nov. 1 from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Riverfront Community Center, 300 Welles Street in Glastonbury. In addition to the Attorney General, featured speakers include Hubert H. Humphrey III, of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s Office of Financial Protection for Older Americans; Special Agent Anna Ferreira-Pandolfi of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services’ Office of the Inspector General and Dr. Linda Eagle of the Global Bankers Institute.

Assistant Attorney General Phillip Rosario, head of the OAG’s Consumer Protection unit, will moderate a panel discussion by representatives of the Glastonbury Police Department, the state Department of Banking, the state Department of Social Services, People’s Bank Fraud Unit and the Probate Court.

The event is free and open to the public, but seating is limited and those attending are asked to reserve a space by e-mailing gjames@swcaa.org, or by calling 203-814-3620, on or before Friday, Oct. 26.

Triad is a national initiative of law enforcement agencies and community groups working together to reduce crimes against seniors. There are more than 60 local Triad chapters in Connecticut. Current members of the CT Triad Advisory Board include: The Office of the Attorney General, The Department of Social Services Aging Services Division, People’s United Bank, The CHOICES Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) Healthcare Fraud and Abuse Project, AARP Connecticut and the Connecticut Area Agencies on Aging.

David B. Fein, U.S. Attorney in Connecticut, hosted the first of the six summits nationwide focusing on financial fraud earlier this month. He says between 2008 and 2011, FBI statistics show at 136 percent increase in investor fraud schemes. At an event in Stamford on October 1, speakers discussed an increase in scams involving reverse mortgages, the failure of victims to have done any due diligence on those they trust their money to, and a lack of skepticism when an "investment counselor" asks for funds to be paid directly to them.  Since last year, the U.S. Department of Justice says, it has charged, brought to trial, taken pleas or received sentences for more than 800 defendants in investor fraud cases. The amount taken from victims exceeds $20 billion.

Earlier this week, a Wells Fargo survey found that a growing number of middle-class Americans plan to postpone their golden years until they are in their 80's.  CNN reported that nearly one-third, or 30%, now plan to work until they are 80 or older -- up from 25% a year ago, according to the survey of 1,000 adults with income less than $100,000.   Overall, 70% of respondents plan to work during retirement, many of whom plan to do so because they simply won't be able to afford to retire full time.

Breaches of Personal Health Data Increase, CT in Middle of Pack

An excess of 20 million patient records have been stolen, hacked, lost, improperly disposed of and/or subjected to unauthorized access since the August 2009, according to Healthcare IT News.   The web-based publication compiled data supplied by Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) since the August 2009 Breach Notification Rule requiring HIPAA-covered entities provide notification after a data breach involving 500 or more individuals. A report by Redspin.com, using HHS data, indicates there were 385 reported breaches of protected health information in 2011, that 59% of breaches involved a business associate, 39% occurred on a laptop or portable device, and the five largest incidents resulted in slightly more than half of the data breached.

States with the highest number of patient records estimated to have been subject to data breach (exceeding 176 people per thousand population) include New Hampshire, Utah, Virginia.  The next group of states, with between 87 and 176 people per thousand, includes California, New York, Arizona, Florida, South Carolina, and Tennessee.

Connecticut is in the middle tier of states, with between 16 and 48 people per thousand population having had their healthcare data compromised.

Earlier this year, Attorney General Jepsen announced he is seeking more information from Hartford Hospital about why unencrypted personal information and protected health information of approximately 9,000 patients was stored on a laptop apparently stolen from a third-party vendor.

Back in 2010, a healthcare data breach in Connecticut that exposed medical information for more than 400,000 individuals resulted in action by former Attorney General Richard Blumenthal, reportedly  the first time that a state attorney general  used the new provisions of the HITECH Act of 2009 to sue a healthcare provider for HIPAA violations.  In that instance, an external hard drive containing unencrypted medical records went missing from Health Net of Connecticut. Another interesting aspect, it was reported,was that the  Attorney General sought not only monetary awards but also a court order forcing Health Net to encrypt all portable electronic devices.

In reviewing the causes of the data breaches of health care records nationwide, it is estimated that 50% were as a result of theft, 18% due to unauthorized access or disclosure, 12% due to loss, 9.5% due to a combination of factors, 6% due to hacking and 4.6% due to improper disposal.

The past few years have brought massive reported breaches, such as the 4.9 million records lost by TRICARE Management Activity (a Department of Defense health care program) when backup tapes disappeared, 1.9 million records lost when hard drives disappeared from HealthNet, and 1.7 electronic medical records stolen from the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation's North Bronx Healthcare Network.

Prescription Drug Take Back Day is Saturday; 60 CT Sites Ready

State and local law enforcement officials in more than 60 cities and towns across Connecticut will join with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) this Saturday, September 29, to give residents the opportunity to prevent drug abuse and theft by ridding their homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused and unwanted prescription drugs. Attorney General George Jepsen joined the DEA, the state Departments of Consumer Protection and of Emergency Services and Public Protection, and the Governor’s Prevention Partnership in detailing the state’s growing prescription drug problem and encouraging state residents to take part in National Prescription Drug Take Back Day by visiting a nearby collection site.  Connecticut’s  collection sites will be open from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

The National Survey on Drug Use and Health reports that 90 percent of addictions start in the teenage years. Prescription medications are now the most commonly used drugs among 12 to 13 year olds. Two-thirds of teens who abuse pain relievers say they get them from their family members and friends

“Prescription drug abuse is the fastest growing drug problem in the United States, and the problem is here, at our doorstep,” said Attorney General Jepsen. “Safe disposal of unused and unwanted prescription medications is an effective way of getting potentially dangerous substances out of medicine cabinets.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control, more Americans die from drug overdoses than in car crashes, and this increasing trend is driven by prescription painkiller overdoses.

“National Prescription Drug Take Back Day is an opportunity for us to increase awareness of the simple steps we all can take to slow the growth of prescription drug abuse, which is a 365-day a year problem, and to encourage everyone to use safe drug disposal practices every day,” Department of Consumer Protection Commissioner William M. Rubenstein said, noting that Connecticut has sites for unused prescription medication to be turned in throughout the year, beyond the nationwide event  this Saturday.

This past April, Americans turned in 552,161 pounds – 276 tons – of prescription drugs at over 5,600 sites operated by the DEA and nearly 4,300 state and local law enforcement partners. In its four previous Take Back events, DEA and its partners took in over 1.5 million pounds – nearly 775 tons – of medication.

“The Governor’s Prevention Partnership commends the leadership of the Attorney General and the DEA in bringing focus to the need for proper disposal of unused medicine in order to reduce the risk of youth drug abuse,” said Jill Spineti, president and CEO of the Governor’s Prevention Partnership. “We also remind parents and caregivers to have open communication with their children and to remain vigilant throughout the teenage years, so that misuse or abuse of medicine can be avoided.”