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Health and Human Services Commission approves $4,700 for senior mental‑health study
Summary
The commission voted unanimously to fund a consultant-led deep dive into survey data on residents 60 and older, using $4,700 held in a town telehealth account. A small oversight group will work with the consultant to recommend follow-up research or programs.
The New Canaan Health and Human Services Commission voted unanimously to approve a $4,700 contract to fund additional research into mental‑health and well‑being among residents 60 and older.
The money will pay for additional analysis by Charana Consulting LLC (research lead Nina, referred to in the meeting) to re‑examine the town’s recent health and wellness survey and to supplement that work with relevant secondary studies. The commission directed a small subcommittee to oversee the consultant and to recommend any further research or program steps.
Why it matters: Commissioners said the town survey had under‑represented some older residents and that deeper analysis could help tailor programs and funding decisions. The research is meant to identify whether the survey’s senior respondents reflect the broader senior population and to surface needs that the initial survey did not capture.
What the commission approved: Jim (speaker identified by first name) moved that “the Health and Human Service Commission accept the proposal of Charana Consulting LLC to provide additional analysis on town senior citizens 60 and older studying the New Canaan health and wellness survey, supplemented by available secondary research,” and recommended formation of a small oversight group to work with the consultant. The commission approved the motion and recorded the vote as unanimous; no roll‑call vote totals or individual vote names were recorded in the meeting transcript.
Source of funds and scope: Commissioners said the $4,700 comes from a telehealth grant line in the human services budget that is available to spend on senior health‑technology or outreach projects. The consultant will first re‑analyze existing survey cross‑tabs for age cohorts, then review secondary literature (for example, AARP and related studies) and recommend whether additional qualitative work (focus groups or targeted interviews) is needed to better reach under‑represented senior subgroups.
Oversight and next steps: The commission asked for a small project group of three to four commission members to oversee the work and to present recommendations about further research or program options. The consultant is already contracted for other work through May, so commissioners said the project would begin after that scheduling constraint. Commissioners also noted the work could identify program or funding items to present to the Behavioral Health Fund or other local funders.
No legal authorities or external approvals were required for this vote. The commission did not specify a firm timeline for completion beyond the consultant’s existing scheduling constraints.
Ending: Commissioners said they expect the deeper analysis to inform program planning and budget priorities and asked interested commission members to volunteer for the oversight group.
