1. CARING ACROSS COMMUNITIES/ FRESH IDEAS Grantee Meeting Presentation The Center for Children’s Advocacy Catholic Charities Jubilee House Hartford, Connecticut March 18-20, 2008

2. Organizational Descriptions Center for Children’s Advocacy - Hartford (CCA): Center for Children’s Advocacy - Hartford (CCA): –Mission to promote and protect legal rights and interest of poor children through legal representation, education & training & systemic advocacy. –Legal advocacy through Child Abuse & Neglect, Medical-Legal Partnership, Teen Legal Advocacy, Team Child and New Immigrants & Refugees Legal Rights Projects. Catholic Charities – Hartford: Catholic Charities – Hartford: –Non profit agency dedicated to promote dignity, self-sufficiency and human potential of those in need. Key program = Migration and Refugee Services. Jubilee House – Hartford: Jubilee House – Hartford: –Community based agency dedicated to learning, education and assistance. Key program = The Refugee Assistance Center.

3. Project Description Immigrant & New Arrivals Advocacy Project: Immigrant & New Arrivals Advocacy Project: –Improve health of immigrant & refugee children through activities which: Increase access to education and health care Increase access to education and health care Decrease stressors that impact children’s health Decrease stressors that impact children’s health Train new immigrant & refugee families on health and education-related rights Train new immigrant & refugee families on health and education-related rights Seek access to increased services by collaboration with community based agencies to identify, educate and train new immigrants & refugees on access to fundamental health and education rights. Seek access to increased services by collaboration with community based agencies to identify, educate and train new immigrants & refugees on access to fundamental health and education rights.

4. Overview of Target Population Hartford = more refugees than any city in Conn. Hartford = more refugees than any city in Conn. –More than 19% of population foreign born –8% of students in country in U.S. < three years –Highest % of children in state in homes where English not primary language (52%). Population = refugees or immigrants who reside in Hartford. Population = refugees or immigrants who reside in Hartford. –Age: 0 – 18 y.o. –Target population > 80 countries (inc. Bosnia, Kosovo, Haiti, Columbia, Ecuador, Somalia, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Burma, Afghanistan, etc.

5. Project Goals Improve health outcomes of Hartford’s new immigrant and refugee children through interdisciplinary collaboration between legal advocacy center and community based agencies. Improve health outcomes of Hartford’s new immigrant and refugee children through interdisciplinary collaboration between legal advocacy center and community based agencies. Improve educational outcomes of Hartford’s new immigrant and refugee children through interdisciplinary collaboration between legal advocacy center and community based agencies. Improve educational outcomes of Hartford’s new immigrant and refugee children through interdisciplinary collaboration between legal advocacy center and community based agencies. Train health, education and social service providers to recognize, act upon, address, and advocate for new immigrant and refugee children and families facing legal and educational barriers in the Hartford area. Train health, education and social service providers to recognize, act upon, address, and advocate for new immigrant and refugee children and families facing legal and educational barriers in the Hartford area.

6. Case Example Refugee Family Identified by CCA Collaborative Partner Refugee Family Identified by CCA Collaborative PartnerProblem: –Denied medical insurance coverage under Medicaid –Child not enrolled in school b/c school does not provide language services for this child. Advocacy: –Referral to CCA’s New Immigrant & Refugee Advocacy Project to assess potential violation of legal rights; –Engage in legal advocacy to ensure that legal and educational rights are provided; –Schedule training sessions to provide advocacy tools for health care and education providers, as well as engage community based partners to collaborate on training to new immigrant and refugee families.