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Looking Ahead

Andy Hart

February 18, 2010

Since 1963, the Community Renewal Team has been addressing the concerns and issues of Hartford and the surrounding region. As the community action agency for Central Connecticut, CRT is well known for Energy Assistance, Head Start, Meals on Wheels and Senior Cafés, and for the Family Service Centers that offer support and referrals to tens of thousands of people every year. Over the past decade, CRT has also been a leader in building and managing affordable housing, establishing community justice programs, counseling those with mental health or substance abuse issues, and providing supportive housing with wrap-around case management.

As CRT looks forward to the coming decade – and anticipates its own 50-year anniversary – the Agency hopes to contribute to the region’s success in many ways. Here are a few:

Affordable Housing

As illustrated on these pages, CRT has successfully created innovative and affordable housing solutions that meet the unique needs of our city’s population. The coming ten years will bring more housing for seniors, veterans and low-moderate income families, built and managed by Meadows Real Estate Management and Development Corp., which is CRT’s development arm.

Senior Services

CRT will continue to take a holistic approach to helping seniors remain healthy, comfortable in their homes, able to participate in the vibrant life of their communities. These services will need to grow and shift focus, to meet the needs of the aging Baby Boom generation. Housing stability and nutrition services will continue to be important, along with health care, socialization and volunteer opportunities to serve the community.

Training and Employment for Youth

CRT’s new Capital City YouthBuild program is the forefront of the Agency’s efforts in the areas of Youth Employment. Far too many disconnected youth – those who are neither in school nor in the workforce – have low academic achievement and few vocational skills. Over the next decade, many Hartford adolescents and young adults will enroll in CRT programs that combine academic improvement, work readiness, professional skills and employment placement.

Expanding Mental Health Support

With multiple locations and flexible hours, CRT’s licensed and accredited Behavioral Health Service is already serving a large number of un- and under-insured individuals, immigrants from more than 20 countries, and those who speak a variety of languages. The clinics will expand in the coming ten years, to serve a broader population including youth, seniors, and those from an increasingly diverse background.

Holistic Service Delivery

The CRT approach to service delivery, which we have called Steps to Success, provides an evidence-based way to assist people reach their goals and move toward prosperity. Clients set their primary goals, and staff help break these down into smaller, more achievable steps. By tracking assessments, activities and outcomes across 17 dimensions, CRT staff can support the efforts that participants are making to improve their lives.