April 15th is YSB Day at the Capitol
Thursday, March 27, 2014 by sarah
March 25, 2014
Hello fellow CYSA members:
I just wanted to take a moment to remind everyone that Youth Service Bureau Day at the Capitol will be held on Tuesday April 15th, 2014. Please take the time to visit our website www.ctyouthservices.org for more information and the registration link. Be sure to register on time! This year we have chosen the topic of “Youth-Focused Mental Health First Aid” as our platform for the day. Mental health is at the forefront of many legislative initiatives and many YSBs have been offering strong and accessible mental health services in their communities for many years, so it just seemed to make sense that we highlighted the topic of mental health as a theme for this very special and important day! CYSA has invited two experienced trainers in Mental Health First Aid from the Southeastern Regional Action Council to present a 2-hour age appropriate version of the popular and evidence-based Mental Health First Aid Program.
Also be sure to make appointments with your legislators as soon as possible. Some legislators like to meet in the morning prior to the event, and others prefer afternoon appointments, so be sure to permit for extra time based on when and where they might like to meet with your group! Keep in mind that the central message you may want to share with your legislators is this: YSBs give more “Bang for the Buck” than many other community agencies. You may also want to reference that YSB’s are statutorily required and responsible to be the coordinating entity for prevention, intervention, diversion, and positive youth development programming in the communities where they operate. Be sure to leave them with an open invitation to come by and visit your YSB anytime! Though we all have a central mission, we also address the unique needs in our respective communities for the children, youth, and families we serve!
I look forward to seeing all of you there and believe that this will be one of our best YSB Day’s at the Capitol to date! So connect with your YSB chapter and share a bus or van, and come spend the day with us at the Capitol as we celebrate Youth Service Bureaus across the state of Connecticut! See you on the 15th of April!
Sincere regards,
Barbara A. Lockhart, MS President, Connecticut Youth Services Association
