In 2018, Connecticut established the LGBTQ+ Health and Human Services Network with the charge of building a more just, safer, and healthier environment for the community. Now known as the LGBTQ+ Justice and Opportunity Network, this subcommittee of the Commission on Women, Children, Seniors, Equity and Opportunity (CWCSEO) informs policy by conducting community needs assessments and builds capacity through grantmaking. With leadership and an established grantmaking system in place, the Network is positioned to expand and meet its advocacy mandate.
The Network has partnered with Equality Connecticut and will advocate for these policy initiatives in 2025:
Community grants are the most efficient funding vehicle for State funds to reach the LGBTQ+ community and an increase in funding would significantly impact local and state organizations’ capacity.
A needs assessment was conducted in 2021 and it is time to perform another. The community has changed post-pandemic and societal attitudes toward queer people – especially the transgender community – have taken a dark turn.
Visibility grants are revenue directed to local community centers, Pride organizations and others to build their capacity in welcoming people to Connecticut. LGBTQ+ individuals and families are fleeing states with hostile laws on the books and settling in Connecticut. It is critical for these community organizations to have the capacity to ensure they are reaching the LGBTQ+ community traveling to Connecticut.
Professional development grants are funds that will be distributed to public schools for training educators. The State Department of Education consistently recommends this training in the updated Guidance on Civil Rights Protections and Supports for Transgender or GenderDiverse Students, yet allocates no funding for it. A coalition of LGBTQ+ and special education organizations endorses this idea and has trained facilitators ready to do the work.
The Access to Healthcare Fund is critical for the state to attract tourism and new residents. There are long waitlists to access transgender healthcare – from six months to two years, depending – and individuals and families are traveling and moving to Connecticut in search of this care. There is an urgent need for doctors, training, nurses, staff, space, respite care, and housing for youth experiencing profound mental health challenges.
With this increase in capacity, the Network Administrator becomes a part-time role to assist leadership with grants and policy management.
LGBTQ+ Policy Analyst
CWCSEO has seven policy analysts, with one each devoted to women, children, seniors, African Americans, Latinos and Puerto Ricans, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, and food and nutrition. With promises to enforce binary, sex-assigned-at-birth identities through an executive order, banning transgender athletes from participation in sports, rescinding family and marriage status, and other dangerous priorities at the national level, the LGBTQ+ community is the target du jour. Adding an LGBTQ+ policy analyst to the Commission establishes a much-needed direct line of communication with the executive branch, legislators, and state agencies, providing both Connecticut and the LGBTQ+ community the agility to respond to opportunities or challenges quickly and efficiently.
www.ctlgbtqnetwork.org | info@ctlqbtqnetwork.org | Media inquiries: media@ctlqbtqnetwork.org
Out Accountability Project
Numerous organizations and coalitions are working on policy initiatives this session. Below, you can read specifics about the Out Accountability Project’s goals supporting LGBTQ+ youth in schools. You can learn more about the Network and Equality CT by following the QR codes below.
The Out Accountability Project is a new organization dedicated to equitable access to education for LGBTQ+ youth. Connecticut’s public schools are woefully unprepared to support queer students and while there are educators and administrators committed to safe, affirming learning environments, they are often limited in what they can achieve. The Project aims to support their work with policy updates and expand these initiatives into every district.
A movement to develop inclusive curriculum, including a sex ed mandate, and a “freedom to read” campaign, which aims to address book banning in public school libraries and classrooms, are gaining traction. The Out Accountability Project has the support of national organizations like GLSEN and statewide coalitions of librarians, educators, and authors.
Collection of data regarding LGBTQ+ youth in schools continues to move forward. Last session, the first bill was passed related to this much-needed data, but there is more work to be done with school climate assessment surveys and reporting.
Increased funding for magnet schools is a significant priority this upcoming session. Capitol
Region Education Council is leading this work with the full support of the Out Accountability Project. Magnet schools are leading the way in creating and maintaining safe, affirming learning environments and are a haven for LGBTQ+ youth away from their local district.
