Connecticut
Connecticut study highlights pregnancy-related deaths, domestic violence link
Roughly a third of pregnancy-associated deaths in Connecticut involved individuals who had experienced intimate partner violence at some point during their lives, according to a study released Wednesday by the Connecticut Coalition Against Domestic Violence that sheds new light on missed opportunities for intervention.
The first-of-its-kind analysis of Connecticut maternal mortality data from 2015 to 2021 determined that among the 102 deaths that occurred during pregnancy or within one year after the end of pregnancy, 33 of the deceased had experienced intimate partner violence or IPV.
Of those who died, eight endured abuse during pregnancy, nine encountered the abuse postpartum, and five faced abuse during both periods — yet the CCADV found that only one of these 22 individuals was referred to domestic violence services, despite the fact that 64% of the women screened positive for IPV in health care settings, some as many as five times.
CCADV Director of Health Professional Outreach Ashley Starr Frechette called the pattern of missed opportunities “alarming.”
“The research is clear that this is a key point of intervention which Connecticut simply cannot afford to miss,” she said.
The data highlights concrete disparities in maternal mortality rates: Mothers who reported experiencing IPV during pregnancy make up just 1.1% of births, according 2017 to 2021 data from the Connecticut Department of Public Health, but the CCADV report revealed that this same demographic accounted for nearly 13% of pregnancy related deaths between 2015 and 2021.
CCADV CEO Meghan Scanlon said the true number of perinatal IPV cases could be even higher, cautioning that the data captures confirmed cases only.
“I think there are people that could have absolutely been missed in this study,” Scanlon said. “This is just a snapshot of what is potentially happening in our communities.”
“When you’re in the thick of being pregnant or postpartum, you’re in a really vulnerable position in your life,” Scanlon added. “We see this as a report that just sort of begins to scratch the surface of the work that we could potentially be doing across the state with different service systems in order to reduce maternal mortality as it relates to intimate partner violence.”
In Connecticut, IPV screenings are not required, leaving the decision of whether or not to screen for abuse up to the practitioner.
Among the 33 individuals who died during pregnancy or in the postpartum period and experienced IPV during at least one point of their lives, the CCADV found that 58% received an IPV screening from an obstetric provider, 53% received a screening from emergency providers, and just 38% received a screening during their labor and delivery hospitalization.
The report called the frequency of missed intervention “One of the most disturbing findings from the analysis.”
Scanlon said that CCDAV worked with the Connecticut Hospital Association to develop a bill that would have required each of the state’s birthing hospitals to provide each pregnant and postpartum patient with educational materials on IPV resources. The proposal unanimously passed the House but died in the Senate during the final hours of the legislative session.
“We will be looking to reintroduce that,” Scanlon said. “There are so many different instances where individuals are touching our various service systems and maybe not necessarily getting what they need. … Anytime that we can get education into the hands of people, regardless of if they are experiencing this issue directly or if they know somebody that is, I feel like that is an incredible win because it’s empowering somebody to either help themselves or help another person.”
Scanlon said the disconnect driving a lack of screenings and referrals is due in part to a division in how domestic violence is perceived.
“The general public including all different sectors, from health care to private and government sectors … really does view domestic violence, intimate partner violence, family violence as a criminal justice-heavy issue. And we as a movement would disagree. We actually do see it as more of a public health crisis,” Scanlon said, noting that statewide, the CCADV system serves 40,000 individuals each year.
“It impacts not just the health and wellbeing of the individual experiencing the abuse or the trauma, but it impacts their children … work … school education systems. When you take a step back, (you) see how many different ways it impacts our communities.”
Bridging that gap is an ongoing effort. Scanlon said the CCADV has partnered with Women’s Health Connecticut and several other practices through the Purple Ribbon Project, which provides domestic violence certification training to health care staff and emphasizes consistent screening and education.
Scanlon said the most important part of her work “is reducing and hopefully preventing a person from experiencing a fatality from intimate partner violence.”
Of the 22 decedents who experienced IPV in the pre or postpartum period, three died during pregnancy, one died by homicide, five were murdered by a current or previous intimate partner, two took their own lives, nine overdosed. Others died of natural causes or motor vehicle accidents, according to the report.
The CCDAV study found that case narratives often involved red flags or indicators for IPV such as “abdominal pain, decreased fetal movement, periorbital hematoma, back pain, ruptured uterus, and facial pain in the context of repeated emergency department visits for concerns such as slipping in the shower, falling down the stairs, or accidentally hitting the pregnant belly.”
The report said among pregnant women IPV has also been associated with high blood pressure, vaginal bleeding, late or insufficient prenatal care, late miscarriages, stillbirths, premature births, inadequate weight gain and nutrition, substance use disorders and mental health conditions.
Help for domestic violence victims in Connecticut is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week by visiting www.CTSafeConnect.org or by texting or calling 888-774-2900.
The National Domestic Violence Hotline is 800-799-7233.
Connecticut
CT early voting turnout: How many people in your city have voted?
With less than a week until Election Day and 10 days into early voting, hundreds of thousands of Connecticut residents have already cast their ballots.
For the first time, Connecticut residents can vote early. Early voting started on Oct. 21, and as of Tuesday night, more than 430,000 ballots have been cast, according to the Secretary of the State’s office. West Hartford has the most people voting early with 10,207 ballots cast, followed by Norwalk with 9,690 and Stamford with 9,511. Fairfield and Milford also have strong participation in early voting, with 9,453 and 8,766 votes.
Most early voters are registered Democrats, with 112 towns showing Democratic majorities among early voters. In comparison, 57 towns have the most early voters as unaffiliated, and 14 towns lean Republican.
Voter registration in Connecticut is concentrated in the state’s biggest cities. Stamford leads with 76,418 registered voters, followed by Bridgeport with 71,382 and Hartford with 64,244. Norwalk and New Haven complete the top five, with 58,085 and 57,551 registered voters, respectively.
Certain towns stand out for their high turnout relative to registered voters. Sharon leads with 37.8% of registered voters casting ballots early, followed by Salisbury at 37.1% and Woodbury at 34.9%. Madison, Clinton and several others show over 30% early voting participation.
Other cities show low early voting turnout relative to their registered voters. Hartford leads in low participation, with only 5.8% of registered voters casting ballots early. Waterbury follows with 6.9%, and New Haven with 7.9%. Bridgeport and New Britain have 8% and 10.1% early voting rates, respectively.
Check the Connecticut Voter Guide 2024 for more information on the elections.
Connecticut
Chancellor of Connecticut State college system being investigated for lavish spending
In an era of budget cuts and restructuring, college administrators in Connecticut claim to be doing everything they can to help keep schools afloat. State leaders announced they will be initiating an audit of the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities system and its chancellor, Terrence Cheng, after reports of controversial spending decisions he is said to have made. Before Cheng took the post with the CSCU, he was the campus director of UConn Stamford, a position he held from 2016 through 2021.
“The tone-deaf champagne tastes of Chancellor Cheng are not a good look for the chancellor or for the CSCU system,” state senator Stephen Harding said to the press.
Cheng oversees the CSCU system, which comprises the four state universities (Eastern, Southern, Western, and Central), Charter Oak State College Online, and the 12 community and technical colleges, which are in the midst of consolidation. Although CSCU is a separate body from the University of Connecticut, certain decisions in procurement, interoperability agreements and finances are shared between that system and UConn.
Using documents and information obtained from a Freedom of Information (FOIA) request, reporters at the Stamford Advocate published a detail on Cheng’s purchases – including hundreds of dollars in meals and chauffeur services from his home in Westchester, N.Y. As part of his contract with the state, Cheng was provided a state vehicle and a $71,000 stipend with the expectation he would move to Connecticut. He’s also provided $25,000 annually for “housing and entertainment expenses.”
So far, he’s been renting an apartment in Hartford – but he doesn’t use it all the time. The report says that a recent interview indicates that he still uses his New York residence as his primary address.
“I believe myself and others feel he should be here in the state of Connecticut,” said Richard Balducci, a member of the Board of Regents, the group that oversees CSCU and works with the state, in the Stamford Advocate report. At UConn, the Board of Trustees would be the equivalent body.
Governor Ned Lamont announced on Oct. 25 that the state comptroller’s office would initiate an independent audit on CSCU’s financial management and hopes a comprehensive review can be furnished. His announcement said the main purpose of the inquiry would be to “assess whether public funds have been managed in accordance with state financial policies and in alignment with the educational mission of the CSCU system,” with itemized purchases and review of meals and vehicle usage part of the request.
Earlier this year, Cheng was lambasted by the leadership of Eastern State Connecticut University through a vote of no confidence. According to the ESCU senate’s statement as reported on by the CT Mirror, they believe the CSCU system has been mismanaged under Cheng’s direction.
Adam Joseph, vice chancellor for external affairs at CSCU, said at the time to the CT Mirror that “administrators recognize the uncertainty faculty at all levels are feeling.”
The merger of the state’s community colleges into one institution, originally devised as a way for CSCU to save money during former system president Mark Ojakian’s tenure, was handed off to Cheng and resulted in over 100 layoffs and various internal changes at the 12 campuses, according to reporting by the Norwalk Hour and Connecticut Post.
Any information contained in the state comptroller’s investigation into CSCU will be made public. No changes to Cheng’s position or current allowances are planned, but he said in a statement to the Stamford Advocate that he is looking to improve.
“This is one of those moments, right, where you learn as you’re doing your job,” Cheng said.
Connecticut
Connecticut towns to get fire suppressors for absentee ballot boxes
The state of Connecticut is protecting its ballot boxes against fire after incidents in other parts of the country.
Connecticut towns will get fire suppressor devices that are designed to be installed inside absentee ballot drop boxes. The devices will offer an additional layer of protection, according to the Secretary of the State.
“Safeguarding our elections is a top priority. By staying ahead of potential threats, we can take a strong stand, ensuring a safe and secure process for all. Every voter should have confidence in casting their ballot no matter if it’s in person or at a drop box,” Secretary of the State Stephanie Thomas said in a statement.
The state is adding these devices because of incidents like in Washington state and Oregon.
Devices with the words “Free Gaza” set boxes on fire, damaging many ballots. Authorities are still looking for the person responsible.
Connecticut officials said there is no threat here, but they encourage anyone who sees something suspicious to call the State Elections Enforcement Commission at 866-733-2463.
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