ADDRESS CONFIDENTIALITY PROGRAM

The following information is excerpted from

”Connecticut Secretary of the State Safe at Home Address Confidentiality Program – Summary”

WHAT IS THE ADDRESS CONFIDENTIALITY PROGRAM? The Address Confidentiality Program (ACP) is intended to help victims of family violence, sexual assault, injury or risk of injury to a minor, or stalking, to keep their new address confidential. The program offers participants two services to help keep the victim’s new location secret. One part is the participant’s use of an ACP substitute mailing address. The second part of the program prevents public access to a participant’s actual address on government records including voter registry lists and keeps marriage records confidential.

ACP SUBSTITUTE ADDRESS: The ACP assigns each program participant a substitute address. The substitute address has no relation to a participant’s actual location. The ACP address is a post office box and fictitious street address in Hartford, Connecticut. All ACP participants use the same address. The program forwards 1st class mail to each participant’s actual residential address. The Secretary of the State issues certification cards to each program participant. The cards include the program participant’s name and signature, a certification code, the program address and the certification expiration date. When a program participant presents his/her certification card, public agencies (state and municipal) must accept the ACP substitute address as though it is a person’s actual residential address. Program participants choose when to use the substitute address. They decide if and when they reveal their actual address to a government employee. When an ACP participant chooses to reveal his/her actual address, the public agency is not legally obligated to keep that information confidential. The Secretary of the State may not make any records in a program participant’s file, other than the program address, available for inspection or copying except: (1) when a written request is made by the head of a law enforcement agency or the State Elections Enforcement Commission; (2) when directed by court order to release the information; and (3) when the program participant’s certification has been cancelled.

ACP PROTECTED RECORDS: An ACP participant, may present their certification card and request that their marriage records be kept confidential; their street and house number not be listed on a voter registry list; or that an agency use their program address in lieu of their confidential address. Marriage records and voter addresses will be kept confidential and will not be made available for inspection or copying except when: requested by a law enforcement agency; directed by court order; or notified by the Secretary of the State that the program participant’s certification has been cancelled. Agencies will accept and use the program address as the program participant’s residential, work or school address, in lieu of the participant’s confidential address, unless the agency receives an exemption from the Secretary of the State.

HOW TO APPLY An applicant must be a resident of Connecticut and either victim of family violence, injury or risk of injury to a child, sexual assault or stalking, who has permanently and confidentially moved away from their abuser. Men, women and children can participate in the program. Participants complete applications through a community based domestic violence or sexual assault crisis program. These programs are located throughout the state. The application process involves meeting with an Application Assistant and receiving orientation information about the program. Application Assistants send the completed applications to the ACP office. The ACP office reviews the applications then assigns the ACP substitute address, certification code and creates an ACP Certification Card.

TO FIND PROVIDERS IN CONNECTICUT'S COMMUNITY RESOURCES DATABASE: Search by program name: Address Confidentiality Program (ACP)

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SOURCE: Connecticut Secretary of the State Safe at Home Address Confidentiality Program - Summary
PREPARED BY: 211/kq
CONTENT LAST REVIEWED: January2013