CCA delivers written recommendations to improve services, reduce solitary confinement for incarcerated young people at Manson Youth Institute

As a result of a recent settlement with the State over conditions for incarcerated youth at Manson Youth Institute (MYI), CCA attorney Marisa Halm helped coordinate two consultations between the state Department of Corrections (DOC) and national experts. MYI is the adult correctional facility that houses young people up through the age of 21 years old who are charged with adult crimes. These consultations produced a set of written recommendations for DOC on how to improve services including education and mental health, while increasing the overall amount of programming available at MYI.

For the 300+ young people incarcerated at MYI, dealing with COVID-19 also means dealing with an increase in solitary confinement. Youth at MYI had been placed under partial lockdown for weeks in November and December, largely in response to an outbreak of COVID-19 in the prison, as well as staffing shortages at DOC. In-person programming had been suspended during the lockdown, including in-person schooling and mental health counseling. Under these circumstances, writes Attorney Halm, "these recommendations are particularly timely."

Attorney Halm continues to advocate on behalf of young people at MYI. Her efforts have led to DOC establishing the capacity for Wi-Fi at MYI, as well as an agreement to establish a virtual learning platform for youth at MYI.

A link to the recommendations is available here.

Click here for a link to the Settlement.

For more information, please contact CCA attorney Marisa Halm.

Bringing youth homelessness resources to the community

In October, CCA attorney Adam Yagaloff (pictured left) worked with the Journey Home Youth Action Council to connect with, and provide resources to, young people in Hartford around issues of youth homelessness. Attorney Yagaloff's pop-up legal clinic helps connect young people to housing, education, mental health care, and other important resources. Attorney Yagaloff continues to provide community-based legal help through CCA's Mobile Legal Office. Learn more about the Mobile Legal Office in this video from CCA.

For more information, contact CCA attorney Adam Yagaloff.

CCA featured in Connecticut Public Television "Cutline" documentary on Sheff v. O'Neill

Originally filed in 1989, Sheff v. O'Neill is a landmark lawsuit in which the Connecticut Supreme Court ultimately upheld Hartford students' constitutional right to equal educational opportunity. More than 30 years later, Sheff has resulted in over 20,000 Hartford-area students attending a school created as a result of Sheff litigation, and nearly half of Hartford’s students of color now attend racially and economically integrated schools.

The successes of Sheff are many, but CCA continues to address the racial and ethnic educational disparities which still persist in the Hartford region. In November, Connecticut Public Broadcasting Network produced a "Cutline" documentary on Sheff asking: "Where do we go from here?" This documentary features CCA Executive Director Martha Stone, who also serves as co-counsel for the plaintiffs in Sheff v. O'Neill.

To view the documentary, click here.

For legal documents and background on Sheff v. O'Neill, view the Sheff page on CCA's website.

For more information, please contact CCA Executive Director Martha Stone.

Educating the next generation

Last week, CCA bid farewell to this semester's Child Advocacy Clinic students at UConn Law School. These six students (pictured above), Leah, Julia, Emily, Sam, Brayson & Melisa, helped CCA attorneys with their ongoing litigation throughout the semester. They also gave presentations on topics ranging from sibling visitation for children in foster care, to policing in schools, to pandemic-related issues for students with disabilities.

During the fall and spring semesters, CCA works with UConn Law to educate and engage law students on issues of child advocacy through the clinic. Many graduates of the clinic have continued to work in child advocacy after graduation, and some have even gone on to work at CCA! We are excited to see what the future holds for this semester's talented students, and looking forward to working with a new group of Child Advocacy Clinic students in the spring!

For more information, contact CCA attorney Stacy Schleif.