Addressing One Of Newtown’s

Most Pressing Needs

To the Editor:

I want to thank the Legislative Council’s administrative subcommittee of Jeff Capeci, Joe DiCandido, Jan Brookes, and Fran Pennarola for recommending the town spend $56,000 more next year to continue its assault on substance abuse. Newtown Youth & Family Services will use $16,000 to expand the drop-in center at our new building on Church Hill Road so middle school students have a safe, drug-free place to go after school. The other $40,000 will provide approximately 760 hours of one-on-one time between the agency’s certified substance abuse counselors and residents who have experimented with or become addicted to drugs.

If you recall, substance abuse among teens was the second most pressing concern identified by Newtowners in the community survey commissioned last year by resident Paul Lundquist. I commend council members for listening to their constituents and entrusting Newtown Youth & Family Services with the money necessary to help people for whom drugs have become too big a temptation. I hope our elected officials will resist the urge to cut this money no matter how long it takes to approve a budget this year.

I also want to make it very clear to Ben Roberts, Budget Committee spokesperson from the Independent Party of Newtown, that Newtown Youth & Family Services has already achieved some $150,000 in efficiencies from last year’s merger between Newtown Youth Services and the Family Counseling Center. It has been six years since either agency requested a budget increase from taxpayers in Newtown.

Finally, I invite people to drop by our new building in the center of town, see all the good we’re doing, and help us help all children in Newtown reach their potential and stay off drugs.

Chris Gardner

Chairman, Board of Directors

Newtown Youth and Family Services

4 Mt. Pleasant Terrace, Newtown                               March 31, 2008