Susan Johnson

We had a candid conversation with U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney on my weekly radio show about the impacts of the federal government shutdown. Please read below to learn why he says the division in Washington is a huge letdown for health care.

During last week's special session, we passed a bill supporting children's behavior health care. I'll break down how this legislation supports our kids.

The state is adding 1,000 new spaces in January for early childhood education. Keep scrolling for more details on this groundbreaking development! 

Here are the sections in today's email:

• Let's Talk About It: Government Shutdown
• Victory of Children's Behavioral Health
• More Early Childhood Education Spaces Coming

 

Let's Talk About It: Government Shutdown

U.S. Congressman Joe Courtney joined me on "Let's Talk About It" to discuss the impact of the federal government shutdown. After 43 days, Democrats and Republicans reached a deal on a spending bill last week. Our conversation focused on the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and the crucial subsidies that help cover the cost of health insurance premiums. Those tax credits are set to expire at the end of the year.

Congressman Courtney emphasized that the shutdown represents a big setback for health care across the country. He shared stories from residents across Connecticut's 2nd District, many of whom warned that without ACA subsidies in 2026, their insurance premiums could skyrocket, forcing some of them to forgo coverage entirely. This scenario would also have serious consequences for our hospitals, especially in rural communities. With more uninsured patients, hospitals risk losing critical revenue, increasing debt, and weaker financial stability. In turn, this could lead to cuts in services or delayed investments in essential infrastructure, limiting access to care for entire communities. We also talked about recent uncertainty surrounding SNAP benefits and Medicaid. Please click on the video below to listen to the entire conversation.

U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney discusses the impacts of the government shutdown.

Victory for Children’s Behavioral Health

In the previous e-blast I provided a summary of some of the important bills we passed, and this week I would like to add that we approved legislation that continues to build on House Democrats’ commitment to children’s behavioral health care.

Highlights include: Statewide study to assess the demand for children’s behavioral health services and improve data collection New grant program to support care coordination and resource navigation for kids and families Insurance companies must now cover autism treatments, including applied behavior analysis and cognitive behavioral therapy, up to age 26 Adding substance abuse treatment providers for children to Transforming Children’s Behavioral Health Policy and Planning Committee (TCB)

More Early Childhood Education Spaces Coming

Connecticut is adding up to 1,000 new spaces to the state’s Early Start CT program beginning in January, opening the door for more children to access high-quality early learning and child care. These additional slots stem from legislation we passed in 2025, which will deliver the largest expansion of early childhood education in our state's history.

To further strengthen the program, the state is also increasing provider payments by 8%, helping child care providers cover rising operational costs and offer more competitive wages to staff who play such a vital role in children's development.  This expansion is funded through the Connecticut Early Childhood Education Endowment, which supports income-eligible families with infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and school-age children. Click here for more information on Early Start CT.