Self-Sufficiency Standard
Connecticut
The Center for Women’s Welfare Self-Sufficiency Standard defines the income working families need to meet a minimum yet adequate level, taking into account family composition, ages of children, and geographic differences in costs. The Standard is an affordability and living wage economic security measure that provides an alternative to the official poverty measure.
Publications
The Self-Sufficiency Standard for Connecticut 2019
October 2019 | Diana Pearce
The Self-Sufficiency Standard for Connecticut 2015
September 2015 | Diana Pearce
The Self-Sufficiency Standard for Connecticut 2005
December 2005 | Diana Pearce
The Self-Sufficiency Standard for Connecticut 1998
1998 | Diana Pearce
Demographic Characteristics of Households Below Economic Self-Sufficiency in Connecticut (2019)
October 2019 | Diana Pearce
Overlooked and Undercounted: Where Connecticut Stands (2007)
June 2007 | Diana Pearce
On the Road to Economic Security: Exploring Economic Security Pathways Using The Self-Sufficiency Standard for Connecticut (2015)
September 2015 | Diana Pearce
Connecticut Healthcare Affordability Index (CHAI)
CHAI measures the impact of healthcare costs on a household’s ability to afford all basic needs, like housing, transportation, childcare, and groceries. CHAI starts with the Self-Sufficiency Standard for Connecticut and adds in additional details that influence healthcare costs such as type of insurance coverage, age, and health risk.
Connecticut Healthcare Affordability Index 2020
December 2020 | Lisa Manzer & Diana Pearce
Household Healthcare Spending Target Report for Connecticut 2021
June 2021 | Lisa Manzer
Partner

@OHS_CT | portal.ct.gov/OHS | Hartford, CT
Connecticut’s Office of Health Strategy implements comprehensive, data driven strategies that promote equal access to high quality health care, control costs and ensure better health for the people of Connecticut. Read more.
OHS uses the Standard to aid in the development of a healthcare affordability standard.

@compbraswell | osc.ct.gov | Hartford, CT
The Office of the State Comptroller provides accounting and financial services, to administer employee and retiree benefits, to develop accounting policy and exercise accounting oversight, and to prepare financial reports for state, federal and municipal governments and the public. Read more.
OSC partnered with OHS and researchers at the UW School of Social Work and UCONN AIMS to develop the Connecticut Healthcare Affordability Index.

@pcsw_ct | pcswct.org | Greenwich, CT
The PCSW provides expertise, research, resources and advocacy in order to improve the lives of women and girls in Connecticut. Read more.
How to cite
All Self-Sufficiency Standard data that has been produced by the Center for Women’s Welfare is publicly available. When using the data, please credit the Self-Sufficiency Standard at the Center for Women’s Welfare, University of Washington.
Contact cwwsss@uw.edu with any questions regarding methodology or appropriate citation.
The Standard in Use - Connecticut
Labor Union Negotiations
Labor Union Negotiations The Standard has been used in California, Connecticut, Illinois, New York, New Jersey, Hawaii, Nebraska, South Dakota, Tennessee, Virginia, and Washington State
Connecticut’s Use of the Standard
Connecticut’s Use of the Standard In Connecticut, the Self-Sufficiency Standard has been adopted at the state level since 1998. It has been used in planning
Advancing the Economic Independence of Women from Connecticut’s Permanent Commission on the Status of Women
Advancing the Economic Independence of Women from Connecticut’s Permanent Commission on the Status of Women This report card on the status of Connecticut women included