Program on Climate Change and Health in Connecticut

The Program on Climate Change and Health in Connecticut at the Yale Center on Climate Change and Health (YCCCH) provides evidence-based thought leadership, policy advocacy, and technical assistance to civil society and government partners throughout the state.

YCCCH works in partnership with the Office of Climate and Health at the Connecticut Department of Public Health (DPH) to enhance health equity, increase resiliency, and ensure Connecticut communities are prepared for the health impacts of climate change. This collaboration is supported by a subaward from the DPH through their cooperative agreement with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to implement the Building Resilience Against Climate Effects (BRACE) framework in Connecticut.

The following initiatives are supported by our collaboration with DPH:

• Pilot grants for Local Health Departments/Districts: In collaboration with DPH, we award pilot grants to Local Health Departments/Districts (LHDs) to develop a local heat and air quality response plan with a health equity lens.
• CT Extreme Heat & Air Quality Preparedness: A Toolkit for Municipal Public Health Departments: The Toolkit for Municipal Extreme Heat & Air Quality Response Planning in Connecticut is a set of resources designed for municipal public health departments that are committed to climate change preparedness and resilience, with a specific focus on extreme heat and poor air quality stemming from ozone and PM2.5 levels. Access the toolkit.
• Connecticut Symposium on Climate Change and Health: Starting in 2024, YCCCH will host the annual Connecticut Symposium on Climate Change and Health, in collaboration with the Office of Climate and Health at the Connecticut Department of Public Health. The symposium provides a platform for a diverse community of stakeholders to discuss progress and share lessons on health adaptation strategies in Connecticut, and to identify future priorities and collaborations to ensure a healthy Connecticut in the face of climate change. Full recordings of previous symposia can be found on our YouTube page.

As part of its Program on Climate Change and Health in Connecticut, YCCCH produced the landmark Climate Change and Health in Connecticut 2020 Report, along with a series of issue briefs, for use by policymakers and advocates.