Susan Yankee, chair of the Connecticut State Advisory Council for Special Education executive committee, invited representatives from the Talley Youth Justice Institute to describe the institute’s Transforming Children’s Behavioral Health work and overlap with SAC priorities.

Emily Baumbach, senior project manager at the Talley Youth Justice Institute, said the institute launched work groups in 2024 and is finalizing a draft strategic plan that will be shared with SAC leadership next week and presented to a larger committee on April 26. Baumbach described two standing work groups on “services” and “system infrastructure,” and said the institute will launch two additional groups in April focused on school-based services and prevention. She urged diverse participation and offered to send work plans and meeting invitations so SAC members can help “shape the work plans for the year.”

Baumbach said the institute’s legislative packet includes two bills that have already had public hearings and that she will distribute. “I will send our recommendations in brief, which is our original legislative packet, and there are 2 bills that are going through the legislative process. ... It is house bill 6 9 5 1 and house bill 7 1 0 9,” she said.

Committee members said they see clear overlap between the institute’s priorities and SAC’s ongoing interest in ensuring students receive behavioral-health supports. Tom Kosker (representing Disability Rights Connecticut) and others volunteered to be included in follow-up. Jeffrey Spar, chair of SAC’s legislative committee, asked that the institute send its materials directly to him for the legislative committee’s review.

The institute described prevention and school-based work groups as still forming; Baumbach said final work plans will be built at the first meetings and that the institute wants to avoid duplicative efforts by coordinating with existing state committees.

The institute did not propose or request any formal vote from the executive committee during the meeting; staff committed to send the draft strategic plan, the recommendations-in-brief and links to the two bills for SAC review.