The Connecticut Early Childhood Alliance has presented state Rep. Diana Urban, D-North Stonington, with its 2016 Children’s Champion award.

CECA is a statewide organization that advocates for the needs of children ages birth to 8.

The award is given to legislators who the organization says support the well-being of children in the areas of healthy development, early care and education, nutrition and safety.

Urban, who co-chairs the General Assembly’s Children’s Committee, saw the legislature in 2016 pass her committee’s bill that make improvements to foster care and guardianship programs. The committee also introduced bills to combat childhood obesity and remove toxic flame retardant chemicals from children’s products.

This year a task force codified into law Urban’s bill that brought together state agencies to create a plan for meeting the mental and behavioral health needs of Connecticut children.