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SNAP benefits poised to stop Nov. 1 despite CT hopes to continue
Keith M. Phaneuf and Lisa Hagen, The Connecticut Mirror, Oct. 22
Connecticut officials are bracing for a key federal nutrition assistance program to stop abruptly on Nov. 1, absent intervention from President Trump’s administration or an end to the federal government shutdown. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, serves an estimated 360,000 people in Connecticut per year, with about $75 million per month in federal funds. The U.S. Department of Agriculture directed states to shut down the electronic benefit transfer cards that SNAP recipients use to purchase groceries. That means these cards won’t gain any new purchasing power starting Nov. 1, and any unused benefits also can’t be accessed after Oct. 31.
Report: Mental health, housing, and care access worsening in Stamford, Darien
Cris Villalonga-Vivoni, CT Insider, Oct. 20
More people in Darien and Stamford are reporting feeling less satisfied with their lives and experiencing higher rates of anxiety and depression, while access to health care and housing insecurity are getting worse, according to a community needs assessment from Stamford Health. Trust in medical providers and public health officials has declined over the past three years. In Stamford, trust levels are especially low among Black and Hispanic residents. “People are almost paralyzed with fear of the idea of the bill,” said Jennifer Smith, a public health consultant on the study. “That is what’s really preventing people from seeking preventative care that could turn out to be cheaper in the long run for themselves and for our health care system.”
‘Couches and conversations:’ How urgent crisis centers are helping address rising mental health struggles
Cris Villalonga-Vivoni, CT Insider, Oct. 21
Connecticut has opened three community-based walk-in urgent crisis centers in Hartford, New London and Waterbury since 2022. Designed as an alternative to the emergency room, the centers welcome children and teens under 18 experiencing mental health challenges such as suicidal thoughts, self-harm, anxiety, depression or out-of-control behavior. More than 2,460 children and their families have used the centers. About 89% showed improvement during their visit, and 98% were discharged home. Center leaders are worried about the fiscal future as their federal start-up funds dry up and service reimbursement rates are too low to sustain operations.
ICE keeps detaining pregnant immigrants — against federal policy
Shefali Luthra and Mel Leonor Barclay, The 19th, Oct. 20
A Biden-era policy restricts ICE from arresting or detaining immigrants who are pregnant, postpartum or nursing, except in extreme circumstances. While President Donald Trump has not formally rescinded the policy, it’s clear from lawsuits, news reports and advocates that it’s not being followed. Quantifying the number of pregnant, postpartum or nursing immigrants in custody has become impossible: In March, Congress let lapse a requirement that the administration report twice a year on how many of these immigrants are being held in immigration facilities. ICE said that pregnant immigrants are receiving sufficient care in custody, but medical professionals say the conditions in these facilities can heighten the risk for complications.
Obamacare is expensive. But so is all health insurance.
Reed Abelson and Margot Sanger-Katz, The New York Times, Oct. 22
Congress is fighting over whether to extend federal subsidies that help people pay for health insurance through marketplaces established by the Affordable Care Act. The fight highlights two broader truths about health insurance in America: It’s expensive — and every other market is also subsidized by the government. The Affordable Care Act prices tend to grab headlines because they are easy to see in online marketplaces, whereas very few Americans encounter the full prices of other types of coverage. Employer-sponsored coverage is generally subsidized by employers, and because it is excluded from payroll and income taxes, it is effectively purchased at around a 30 percent discount on average.