Written testimony to the Appropriations Committee in support of the Governor’s proposed FY 26-27 budget for health agencies

Senator Osten, Representative Walker, Senator Hartley, Senator Kushner, Representative Exum, Representative Paris, and distinguished members of the Committee,

My name is Sarah Blanton and I am the CEO of 4-CT, a New Haven-based nonprofit organization. Since our founding in 2020, investments in our efforts have made it possible to demonstrate that providing direct cash assistance to individuals to cover their basic needs helps to strengthen economic and household security, reduce stress, and enhance positive outcomes, which, in turn, reduces the risk of violence and suicide (as per the CDC). Thanks to a Community Violence Intervention grant from the Connecticut Department of Public Health, we have expanded our efforts to partner with community-based organizations to provide direct cash assistance and make a meaningful difference in the lives of individuals and families in New Haven and Hartford counties, especially those impacted by, or at risk of, violence. 

We would like to take this opportunity to thank Governor Lamont for his continued commitment to gun violence prevention and urge the legislature to prioritize this critical funding of $3.9 million for gun violence prevention for each year of the biennium.

Prior to our grant from the Connecticut Department of Public Health, 4-CT was providing same-day resources to individuals and families post-injury via our work with Hospital-based Violence Intervention Programs (HVIPs) at Yale New Haven Hospital and Connecticut Children’s. Now, our flexible cash assistance  – which relieves economic pressure and gives recipients the dignity and autonomy to decide for themselves how to best spend the money – is bolstering the intervention and prevention efforts of effective community-based organizations in New Haven and Hartford. These programs and organizations are often limited in the resources that can be provided to clients, many of which aren’t available for days, weeks or months or are severely restricted in terms of how they can be used. 

The impact of cash assistance on our partners and the individuals they serve:

• COMPASS Youth Collaborative:

• "Our city is safer and healthier because of [your direct cash assistance]." 

• “Some people are just engaging in [risky] activities because they are hungry. Impulsivity is a major issue, one moment of desperation could result in them being in jail for a long time or losing their life. To be a credible messenger, in the right place, at the right time, with the right resources…”

• "Offering cash assistance, no strings attached, in your worst moment is almost unbelievable. It's powerful for healing someone, one less worry on their mind. It opens the door to services beyond the [cash assistance]." 

• “Cash…helps you in a way that gets at your immediate need. It's not a number to call, which is always a tricky path...Red tape or another agency.”

• “Urgency now becomes an issue if it's not safe to return to their home. Housing is a nightmare, but flexibility and immediacy – and not a shelter...It's critical to have flexibility."

• Clifford Beers Community Care Center: 

• Before 4-CT’s flexible cash assistance, accessing flexible funds could take up to 48 hours. Now the turnaround time is almost immediate. 

• “‘I just want you to know that sometimes y’all literally save lives.’ A family with two kids, who were being targeted in retaliation for a recent shooting, had been staying in a hotel. The situation had not been resolved and funding for the hotel, from another source, ran out just as everything was shutting down for the weekend. Thanks to 4-CT being able to get cash onto a prepaid card within an hour, the kids could stay out of harm's way, preventing two shootings that weekend.”

• Yale New Haven Hospital’s HVIP : 

• These recorded remarks come from Antwan Nedd, social worker at the time, about the importance of providing cash assistance to victims.

• Erin Latham, victim service navigator, noted that offering financial aid helps establish a deeper relationship with domestic violence survivors, allowing them to engage more fully with other services. “There is an unexpected trust that is built when someone gives you something that you need. It strengthens a bond between the healthcare provider and the person.” 

Through the aforementioned violence intervention and prevention partnerships and our guaranteed income program for formerly incarcerated individuals coming home to New Haven, we have countless stories of the positive impact of cash transfers on mental health, economic mobility, job training, educational plans, goal setting, stress levels, healthy food choices, reunification with children, and relationship building with family. Many of our guaranteed income participants have shared with me directly how the money keeps them off the streets and out of trouble. One man shared, "Sometimes people resort to what they know already. Sometimes people don’t want to do that. Sometimes people want to go another way. I feel like this money right here was another way. I stayed patient and I waited because I didn’t immediately say, ‘Oh let me go sell drugs to get this, to get that’ I didn’t do that this time. I really sat and thought about what I really want to do with myself." 

It is indisputable that the stabilizing effect of cash transfers reduces toxic stress and gives people the breathing room and autonomy to make better choices and the opportunity to have time to engage in the services our community-based partners offer.

The proposed funding in the Governor’s budget for gun violence prevention through the Department of Public Health is a vital investment in public health and community safety.  The state’s investments in violence prevention to date are working – with the decline of firearm injuries and deaths over the past two years.  Your support now means more than ever, especially with the elimination of The Office of Gun Violence Prevention at the federal level. This life-saving work depends on sustained investment from the state. The communities most impacted by gun violence—disproportionately communities of color—cannot afford to lose these critical resources.

By fully funding violence intervention and prevention efforts, Connecticut is taking a proactive approach to reducing gun violence. This funding is not just an investment in safer neighborhoods—it is an investment in economic stability, public health, and the well-being of Connecticut’s families and youth.

We strongly urge the Appropriations Committee to support the Governor’s proposed budget of $3.9 million for gun violence prevention for each year of the biennium. We also encourage legislators to explore opportunities for long-term, sustainable funding streams to ensure community-based programs remain in place beyond the immediate budget cycle.

Gun violence is preventable, and we have the tools to stop it. But we need your continued partnership to ensure that community violence intervention programs receive the resources they need to save lives and create safer communities across Connecticut.

Thank you for your time and your commitment to gun violence prevention. We welcome the opportunity to further discuss our programs, share success stories, and collaborate on solutions that will continue making Connecticut a national leader in gun violence prevention.

Sincerely,
Sarah Blanton, CEO