Center for Children's Advocacy

09/17/2026

A new opportunity to bring legal and medical expertise together to better support children and families in CT. 📚⚖️🩺

CCA staff members Sarah Mervine, Kathryn Meyer, Jennifer Wheeler, and Jenna Faulkner-Filosa recently joined Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics fellows at the Yale Child Study Center for the first session of a new year-long training partnership.

Together, CCA and Yale developed a curriculum that brings legal and clinical perspectives together to help fellows better understand the laws and systems that shape children’s experiences in school, including access to the services and supports they need.

This was just the first of many opportunities to learn from one another throughout the year, all with a shared goal: helping children and families navigate complex systems and achieve better outcomes.

We’re excited to see this partnership grow!

09/16/2026

CCA has four new and updated Teen Rights resources designed to help young people understand their rights and options when navigating challenging situations at school, at home, and in their lives.

Whether you’re a young person looking for answers or an adult supporting a teen, these resources can help you understand what the law says and where to find support.

➡️ Explore CCA’s Teen Rights resources:

Pregnant or Parenting: What are my rights in school?: https://bit.ly/4xntESA

What is Emancipation? Is it a good option for me?: https://bit.ly/3TvVf63

Missing School? It’s a big deal – here’s what the law says: https://bit.ly/3SOqPvH

Pushout: Are you considering leaving school?: https://bit.ly/4gX5MPi

09/15/2026

Immigrant families are facing a time of heightened fear and uncertainty, including questions about how immigration status may affect their children at school. But every child has the right to access a public education, regardless of their (or their parents’) immigration status.

Schools may ask for certain information when enrolling a child, but there are limits to what they can require. Can a school ask for immigration information? What documents are required? What if a family doesn’t have the records normally requested?

CCA’s latest Q&A explains important school enrollment rights and protections for immigrant families, including families experiencing homelessness or housing instability.

➡️ Read the full Q&A on our blog to learn what schools can—and cannot—require when enrolling your child: https://cca-ct.org/school-enrollment-rights-connecticut/

09/14/2026

Your family’s experience with special education matters. 📚

Has your child received an Individualized Education Program (IEP) or 504 Plan, been denied one, or is currently being evaluated for services? The Center for Youth and Community Leadership in Education (CYCLE) at Roger Williams University wants to hear from you.

They are inviting families to take a short, anonymous survey about their experiences navigating special education and school-based supports. Sharing your experiences can help inform efforts to improve services for students with disabilities and their caregivers.

The survey takes approximately 15 minutes to complete. If you have more than one child who has gone through the IEP or 504 Plan process, please complete a separate survey for each child.

Take the survey: https://bit.ly/3T3Ko2Y

Do you know a family who should have a voice in this conversation? Please share the survey with them.

09/11/2026

They had an idea for their community. Then they made it happen. 🏀

At the Sigourney Square Park ribbon cutting, CCA’s Speak Up Teens Youth Gavin, Josiah, and Selina took the mic to share the story behind the newly restored basketball court—and what it meant to see their advocacy become a reality.

This is what youth-led change looks like.

09/10/2026

“At some point I’m not going to be here. And she’s going to need those supports.”

That fear is at the heart of a lawsuit brought by CCA, Koskoff, Koskoff & Bieder, PC, and Feinstein Education Law Group challenging Connecticut’s strict IQ cutoff for Department of Developmental Services (DDS) supports.

For families like Darlene’s, being denied services is about far more than a test score. It can determine whether their loved ones have the support they need to build greater independence now and in the future.

In this NBC Connecticut story, Darlene shares the experience of her sister, Daynasha, who dreams of working in a hospital, making friends, and becoming more independent. Her family sought DDS services to help her build that future, but she was denied eligibility because of an IQ test score.

Now, her family is left asking a question many caregivers of people with intellectual disabilities face: Who will be there to provide support when they no longer can?

Watch NBC Connecticut’s report to hear directly from one of the four families at the center of the case.

Four families are suing Connecticut's Department of Developmental S...

09/09/2026

"We can't allow them to be invisible."

At Rep. Rosa DeLauro's recent press conference, CCA Founder and Special Counsel Martha Stone reminded us that while the identities of the children CCA represents must remain confidential, their stories cannot remain unseen.

Through CCA's Immigrant Children's Justice Project and our partnership with Koskoff, Koskoff & Bieder, PC and Kids in Need of Defense (KIND), we've represented children who spent months in federal custody before finally reuniting with their families.

As Martha shares in this clip, these children aren't defined by detention. They're children with hopes, dreams, and futures—children who want to go to school, become teachers and lawyers, and simply be with their families.

Every child deserves to be seen. Every child deserves to be heard.

09/08/2026

What happens when the signs of disability and Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are missed?

CCA's new report, Missed Cues and Lost Opportunities, examines the educational histories of 10 Connecticut youth with disabilities who became incarcerated before age 18.

The findings point to repeated missed opportunities, and practical recommendations to help ensure children receive the educational, developmental, and mental health supports they need before justice system involvement.

Swipe through to learn more, then read the full report: https://cca-ct.org/new-report-school-to-prison-pipeline-connecticut/

09/05/2026

Back-to-school season is better when the whole community comes together. 🎒💙

CCA was proud to join the Asylum Hill Neighborhood - AHNA and Immanuel Congregational Church, UCC for the 22nd annual South Marshall Street Back-to-School Block Party!

CCA’s Nieka Thompson, Josh Michtom, and Zoe Masters spent the day connecting with parents and caregivers, sharing resources, and having fun with children and families through games and crafts.

Alongside dozens of community organizations, we were glad to help families get connected to information, resources, and support as students head back to school.

Thank you to AHNA and Immanuel Congregational Church for bringing the Asylum Hill community together for another great year!

09/04/2026

Congratulations to CCA Staff Attorney Mallory James Sanchez, who will be honored at Anchor Health’s inaugural gala this October! 🌟

Through CCA’s LGBTQ Youth Advocacy Project, Mallory advocates for q***r and trans youth facing barriers related to education, discrimination, healthcare, housing, and civil rights. Their work also brings legal support directly into community and healthcare settings through CCA’s medical-legal partnership with Anchor Health.

Anchor Health describes Mallory as an “indispensable advocate” for its patients and the broader LGBTQ community, helping address legal barriers that can affect health and stability, including housing insecurity, discrimination, and identifying documents.

We’re proud to see Mallory recognized alongside Anchor Health Cofounder Patricia Chadwick, Connecticut State Treasurer Erick Russell, and Dr. Amanda Rostkowski (Comprehensive GYN of CT) for their commitment to the health, well-being, and futures of LGBTQ people.

Join us in congratulating Mallory—and learn more about Anchor Health’s inaugural gala on October 24: https://anchorhealthct.org/inaugural-gala/