Connecticut Health Foundation Awards $25,000 to Connecticut Appleseed’s “Schools to Prison Pipeline Project”
Study to look at impact of school policies on tendency of students to progress from school into the juvenile justice system

NEW BRITAIN (April 8, 2009) – Wilton-based Connecticut Appleseed (CA) was awarded an 18-month, $25,000 grant by the Connecticut Health Foundation (CT Health) Board of Directors to publish a report that describes adverse effects of school policies on children. Specifically, the report will examine how suspension, expulsion and special education referrals increase the likelihood of the students’ involvement in the juvenile justice system.

The grant was one of nine awarded by the board’s during its recent quarterly meeting.

“With CT Health's support, our research will uncover and publicize school district disciplinary practices and codes that successfully keep all kids in schools, where their mental health and academic needs can be fully addressed,” says Bob Kettle, Connecticut Appleseed's executive director.

The Schools to Prison Pipeline Project’s goal is to minimize the percentage of disciplined students who become entangled in the juvenile justice system. Thus far, insufficient research in Connecticut focuses on what causes the school-to-prison pipeline and what policies can help reduce or eliminate a student’s progression from school into the juvenile justice system.

“This grant responds to the foundation’s goal to reduce the number of at-risk children ages 6-14 entering intensive treatment and/or the juvenile justice system due to mental health problems,” says Patricia Baker, CT Health president & CEO.

Connecticut Appleseed, a statewide, nonpartisan, nonprofit organization, is a network of public-interest law centers working to identify and address injustices in their communities through education, legal advocacy, community activism and policy expertise, while addressing root causes and producing practical solutions. Results from Appleseed’s study will provide complimentary information to the Connecticut Voices for Children’s (Voices) report, Missing Out: Suspending Students from Connecticut Schools. Appleseed, along with Voices and The Tow Foundation, participate on the Connecticut Juvenile Justice Alliance’s education subcommittee.

“The CT Health grant will enable Connecticut Appleseed to distribute our report to both school districts and policy-makers, and encourage them to adopt best practices that are proven to help break the schools-to-prison pipeline”, adds Claire Howard, Appleseed’s education policy associate.

Other Grants Awarded
Connecticut Oral Health Initiative (COHI) received a $200,000 annual grant, up to two years, to expand its advocacy, research and development capacity. COHI supports collaboratives and advocates for increased access to oral health care for HUSKY-eligible children.
Discretionary grants also were awarded to eight nonprofit organizations:

• Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. (Hartford) received a $15,000 grant to support the 4th Annual Stepping Into Wellness Conference.
• Connecticut Council for Philanthropy (Statewide) was awarded a $6,608 grant to support its 2009 President's Award and Leadership Fund.
• Connecticut Health Policy Project, Inc. (New Haven) received a $15,000 grant to support a conference on developing a patient-centered medical home model of practice.
• Connecticut Head Start State Collaborative Office (Hartford) received a $6,580 grant to support statewide Head Start Program staff training on use and implementation of the Cavity Free Kids curriculum, designed to improve oral health of Head Start children.
• Connecticut Mission of Mercy (Essex) received a $25,000 grant to provide dental care at its 2nd Annual Mission of Mercy Project in New Haven.
• Council on Foundations (Washington, D.C.) was awarded a $16,570 grant to support its nationwide grant-making association activities.
• Institute for Community Research (Hartford) received a $10,000 grant to support its Connecticut Youth Research Activist’s Photo Voice Project on Health Disparities, and education and advocacy project. It seeks to bring youth perspective and voice to health care dialogue and introduce youth to career options and opportunities in public health. 
• URU, The Right To Be, Inc. (West Haven) received a $5,000 grant to support its National Civic Engagement Tour for its documentary, The Deadliest Disease in America. The film addresses racial and ethnic health disparities using stories of individuals, families and organizations.
   
  For additional information about the foundation, please contact Maryland Grier, communications officer, at 860.224.2200, ext. 32 or maryland@cthealth.org; or Monette Goodrich, vice president of communications & public affairs, at ext. 13 or monette@cthealth.org.
   
  About the Connecticut Health Foundation (CT Health) – www.cthealth.org: the state’s largest independent, nonprofit grant-making foundation dedicated to improving the health of the people of Connecticut through systemic change, program innovation and health policy analysis. Since it was established in July 1999, CT Health has awarded 476 grants totaling $38 million in three priority areas – children’s mental health, reducing racial and ethnic health disparities, and oral health.