Access Health, Minimum Wage, and more

January 16, 2026

Dear Friends,

Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Monday is Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a time to celebrate a life dedicated to service, courage, and hope. As we remember Dr. King’s powerful vision of equality and peace, we are called to carry his legacy forward through acts of kindness, justice, and community engagement.

Access Health Registration Extended

Due to HIGH DEMAND, AccessHealthCT has extended its enrollment deadline to January 31st. Finding the right health insurance coverage can often be difficult to navigate, but AccessHealthCT has staff dedicated to walking you through the process. Visit their website, call the help center, or attend an enrollment event to have your questions answered.

Website: accesshealthct.com

Phone: 1-855-805-4325

Weakening of the Childhood Vaccine Schedule

While RFK Jr and the CDC put children’s lives on the line, we are taking a different approach in Connecticut.

Our state Department of Public Health has taken a stand against false claims about vaccines, and we've recently also joined with other states to announce formation of the Northeast Public Health Collaborative.

This voluntary regional partnership aims to strengthen public health coordination, share expertise, and improve preparedness across state lines. The Collaborative’s shared purpose is to work together in new ways – optimizing the use of shared resources, innovating, and reimagining core services – to ensure trust in public health, respond to public health threats, advance community health, and strengthen confidence in vaccines and science-based medicine.

CT’s vaccine policies continue to be governed by science. Talk to your child’s doctor about vaccine safety and efficacy.

Education Initiatives in CT

From the development of the Early Childhood Education Endowment to the influx of Special Education funding, 2026 is looking BRIGHT for the future of education in Connecticut. You can read more about these initiatives in the graphics below.

Minimum Wage Increase

On January 1st, the Connecticut minimum wage increased to $16.94/hour: a response to the state’s increased cost of living. This wage increase will directly benefit more than 160,000 workers.

Connecticut Content Creator Collaborative

This week, Governor Lamont announced the launch of the Connecticut Content Creator Collaborative, or C4. This is a new digital platform designed to connect businesses, organizations, and agencies with content creators and influencers who authentically represent Connecticut.

C4 serves as a centralized, searchable database where content creators can list their profiles at no cost, and where businesses can easily discover, filter, and connect with creators based on industry focus, geography, audience demographics, and content specialty, from lifestyle and culinary to travel, culture, family, and entrepreneurship.

Users can explore creators by:

Content category (culinary, lifestyle, travel, family, culture, business)
Geographic focus
Audience demographics
Platform reach and specialties

C4 is free for creators to join, boosting visibility, credibility, and access to new opportunities while giving businesses a trusted, efficient way to find partners who bring stories to life.

Click here to explore what C4 has to offer.