“DCF has sent a comprehensive response to several questions from committee members that serve as my primary statement on this matter,” DCF Commissioner Vannessa Dorantes said.
For two hours Wednesday, the Children’s Committee heard testimony and raised questions in connection to a Harwinton group home investigation.
“The biggest goal is really a fact-finding mission, we just need to know how best to help the children in care,” Chairwoman of the Committee on Children Rep. Liz Linehan said.
The Bridge Family Center is contracted by the Department of Children and Families (DCF) to provide temporary emergency housing for youth.
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Commissioner Dorantes provided a timeline of child abuse and sexual contact allegations between Bridge Center employees and teens and youth-on-youth dating back to 2021 and into 2023.
“In April of 2023 allegations of sexual contact between a Bridge employee and a young person, a careline report was made and immediate HR action was taken by the Bridge staff,” Dorantes said.
During the summer, DCF issued a corrective action plan, and admissions at the state-funded group home were halted.
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Last month, a lawsuit was brought against The Bridge Family Center. The plaintiff, the mother of a 14-year-old teen, alleges their child was physically abused and exposed to sexual assault when she lived at the time.
Executive Director Margaret Hann was not present during the hearing citing the pending lawsuit. Hann said in a statement:
“We are inspired by today’s hearing and the collective desire to invest in effective interventions and appropriate treatment plans for our most vulnerable youth.”
“I am hoping we can all work together and get the legislatures involved to come up with a holistic solution to the whole issue,” Harwinton First Selectman Michael Criss said. “Our goal is these should be locked facilities; they should be where we are working with the youth to break the cycle of what they are coming from.”
Rep. Linehan said there will be bipartisan work to discuss the next steps.
“There is going to be a lot of work done between now and February when we go into session and the hope is that we will have a large group of legislatures that are willing to fight for these kids in the way they need,” Linehan said.
