CT Voices for Children Supports Plan to Close CJTS

Connecticut’s lawmakers are bringing a plan before the Capitol that includes a proposal to close Middletown’s Connecticut Juvenile Training School, as well as Southbury Training School.

The goal of the proposal is to eliminate a $350 million budget deficit that is expected for the fiscal year.

Connecticut Voices for Children, an organization that promotes the well-being of Connecticut’s young people and their families, supports Malloy’s proposal.

They released the following statement:

We at Connecticut Voices for Children applaud Governor Malloy’s leadership to create a pathway to close the Connecticut Juvenile Training School (CJTS), recognizing that alternative models to CJTS could serve our children and the public in more effective ways.

We hope that this year lawmakers and advocates will work together with the Governor to guarantee that the state has a strong plan in place to transition children from CJTS to appropriate community-based supports and programs with adequate funding to ensure positive outcomes for our youth.

“The Governor’s announcement is great news for Connecticut and its youth,” stated Cyd Oppenheimer, policy fellow at Connecticut Voices for Children. “This year we should fully explore community-based service expansion and other alternatives. Research shows that a community-based continuum of care that includes treatment and youth development programming can achieve equal or better results at a fraction of the cost. We are on the right path but there is much to be done before July 2018.”

Connecticut has long been viewed as a juvenile justice reform leader, the statement read.

“The Governor’s announcement is an important indicator of Connecticut’s commitment to continue to lead the nation in improving opportunities for all our children, no matter their struggles,” the organization’s statement noted.