About the Connecticut Family Support Council

The Council was establshed by statute in 1994 to assist the various state agencies that administer or fund family support services to:

Establish a comprehensive, coordinated system of family support services
Use existing state and other resources efficiently and effectively
Identify and address services that are needed for families of children with disabilities
Promote state-wide availability of such services

The CT Family Support Council envisions communities across Connecticut in which familys of children with disabilities are:

Strengthened to nurture and enjoy their children at home and in their communities
Supported to meet their children’s unique health, educational, recreational and vocational needs
Informed to help make choices and decisions regarding the services, supports and resources available to them.
Assisted by community based services to meet the individual needs to their children and the inherent potential of all children to contribute to their communities

Family support services are whatever is needed for families to thrive within their communties including, but not limited to:

Appointed Council Members

Robyn Trowbridge, Co-Chair, Meriden Laura Knapp, Plainville

Karen Hlavac, Co-chair , Wallingford Joan Law, Stratford

Jennifer Carroll, Glastonbury Merva Jackson, Hartford

Cindy Stramandinoli, Stamford Mona Tremblay, Putnam

Angela Klonoski, Plainfield Terry Walsh, Woodstock

Karen Zrenda, Old Lyme
Alice Buttwell, New Milford

Evelyn Mantilla, West Hartford Lisa Sheppard, Fairfield

Kathleen Reddington, Dept. of Developmental Services
Kathleen Bradley, Dept. of Children and Families

Sylvia Gafford-Alexander, Dept. of Social Services Colleen Hayles, State Dept. of Education

Ann Gionet, Dept. of Public Health Moira O'Neill, Office of the Child Advocate

Elaine Zimmerman, Commission on Children
Jim McGaughey, Office of Protection and Advocacy

Dr. Mark Greenstein, Birth to Three Council (SICC)
Mary Beth Bruder, A.J. Pappanikou Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities

Jennifer Carroll, Glastonbury

Northcentral: Sheila Harris, Hartford
Northeast: Mona Tremblay, Putnam
Northwest: Alice Buttwell, New Milford
Southcentral: Tesha Imperati, North Haven
Southeast: April Dipollina, Waterford
Southwest: Lisa Sheppard, Fairfield

Chris Sloss - Milford

African-Caribbean American Parents of Children with Disabilities, Inc. AFCAMP	Autism Society of CT, ASCONN
Autism Spectrum Resource Center, ASRC	Child Development Infoline
CT Council on Developmental Disabilities	Commission on the Deaf and Hearing Impaired, CDHI
CT Lifespan Respite Coalition, CLRC	Favor, Inc.
Family Connections Program, Yale-New Haven Children's Hospital	Office of the Healthcare Advocate
Specialty Support Center, CT Children's Medical Center

Robyn Trowbridge, Co-Chair, Meriden	Laura Knapp, Plainville
Karen Hlavac, Co-chair , Wallingford	Joan Law, Stratford
Jennifer Carroll, Glastonbury	Merva Jackson, Hartford
Cindy Stramandinoli, Stamford	Mona Tremblay, Putnam
Angela Klonoski, Plainfield	Terry Walsh, Woodstock
Karen Zrenda, Old Lyme	Alice Buttwell, New Milford
Evelyn Mantilla, West Hartford	Lisa Sheppard, Fairfield

Kathleen Reddington, Dept. of Developmental Services	Kathleen Bradley, Dept. of Children and Families
Sylvia Gafford-Alexander, Dept. of Social Services	Colleen Hayles, State Dept. of Education
Ann Gionet, Dept. of Public Health	Moira O'Neill, Office of the Child Advocate
Elaine Zimmerman, Commission on Children	Jim McGaughey, Office of Protection and Advocacy
Dr. Mark Greenstein, Birth to Three Council (SICC)	Mary Beth Bruder, A.J. Pappanikou Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities