Healthcare Delivery

Governors know that improving the health of citizens is not only essential to ensuring they live productive lives, but also to controlling health care costs and balancing budgets; as a result, states are leading on a wide array of health reform initiatives.

Governors are focused on finding ways to pay for and deliver care that will lead to improved quality, better outcomes and lower costs in their states. To support these priorities, NGA provides information, research synthesis, policy analysis, technical assistance, special projects, and resources to Governors and their staff on healthcare delivery topics including: Healthcare workforce; Long-term care and older adults; Healthcare and pharmaceutical cost and coverage; Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and trauma informed care; Health equity. NGA also provides special opportunities for states to engage in more in-depth technical assistance such as through policy academies, learning collaboratives, workshops, and roundtables on these topics.

Services Available

Strategic planning facilitation and best practice guidance on healthcare delivery topics or initiatives
Strategic guidance, feedback and meeting facilitation support to Governor-appointed healthcare workforce, health equity, trauma, and insurance boards or commissions
Annual HHS Advisors Institute for state leaders on emerging healthcare delivery issues
Regular communications and briefings to health policy advisors on healthcare delivery topics
Customized research briefs and best practice presentations upon request

Program Contact:

Anna Heard, Senior Policy Analyst, Health

Focus Areas

Featured Projects

Next Generation of the Healthcare Workforce Project Year 3 – Policy Academy and Knowledge Exchange Network

NGA launched the Next Generation of the Healthcare Workforce project in 2022 with support from HRSA. The project supports Governors’ offices and other senior state officials in implementing strategies to strengthen and grow the next generation of the healthcare workforce. Year three of this project will focus on a policy academy and learning network to lay the foundation for new initiatives, funding opportunities, or administrative policies for improving healthcare workforce.

Health Equity Learning Network

In 2023, the NGA Center convened states to discuss approaches and communication strategies regarding health equity. In 2024, the NGA Center will facilitate a learning network of states and territories interested in advancing their health equity goals.

Healthcare Delivery Library

Wrap Up Meeting for the Policy Academy on State Strategies to Improve Care for Stimulant and Polysubstance Use

On September 19-20, 2022, the National Governors Association hosted the Wrap Up Meeting for the Policy Academy on State Strategies to Improve Care for Stimulant and Polysubstance Use in Los ...

Modernizing the U.S. public health system

Public Health infrastructure is the system that supports the planning, delivery and evaluation of the 10 public health essential services. The COVID-19 pandemic emphasized the importance of a robust public ...

National Recovery Month – 2022

National Recovery Month, which started in 1989, is a national observance held every September to promote and support new evidence-based treatment and recovery practices, the nation’s strong and proud recovery ...

Supporting and Sustaining Access to Harm Reduction Services for People Who Use Drugs

Harm reduction approaches are focused on minimizing the health, social and economic effects of drug use, including infectious disease spread and overdose with humility and compassion toward people who use ...

Behavioral Health Equity for All Communities: Policy Solutions to Advance Equity Across the Crisis Continuum

As a point of interception, equitable crisis response provides an opportunity to disrupt a cycle that has perpetuated longstanding challenges in underserved communities. (Download) Introduction The COVID-19 pandemic called widespread ...

Expanding Access to Medications for Opioid Use Disorder Treatment for Justice-Involved Populations Under Community Supervision: Best Practices from Four States

States discovered a variety of policy and programmatic approaches to improve the MOUD landscape. States were able to pilot interagency collaborations, launch training and education curricula and explore innovative solutions ...