This page archives the work of the Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS) workgroup, which was convened from 2019-2023, as part of the Connecting to Care initiative (CONNECT III).

NOTE: Ongoing work to support CLAS continues through Connecticut’s Statewide Council of Community Collaboratives (SCCC). For more information, contact Lisa Palazzo, LCSW, Carelon.

Resources and training materials are available in the CLAS Library on ConnectingtoCareCT.org.

Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS) Workgroup (2019-2023)

Promoting health equity, which means everyone has a fair and just opportunity to be as healthy as possible, is a priority for behavioral health services in Connecticut. Existing disparities based on race, ethnicity, language, and other dimensions of identity contribute to a lack of access to quality care and can disproportionately impact health outcomes.

The CLAS workgroup developed and implemented a statewide process for enhancing racial justice, cultural humility, and linguistic responsiveness within the children’s behavioral health network of care. This process helped organizations reduce health disparities across behavioral health services at the local, regional, and state levels. It was based on the enhanced National Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS) Standards in alignment with the Connecticut Department of Children and Families’ (DCF) racial justice framework.

incorporating enhanced National Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS) standards within the Network of Care in alignment with the Connecticut Department of Children and Families’ (DCF) racial justice framework. worked to reduce health disparities across behavioral health services at the local, regional, and state levels by partnering with local organizations, health care leaders, and families to increase racial justice competence, including adherence to the National Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS) Standards and in alignment with the Connecticut Department of Children and Families’ (DCF) racial justice framework.

Workgroup Documents and Resources