Children and Families

Governors and state leaders play a critical role in the protection and support of vulnerable children, families, and individuals. The Children and Families team provides timely and individualized state-focused technical assistance to governors, their human services policy advisors, and state agency leadership, so they can improve policies and systems that will allow children, families, and communities to reach their full potential. With an emphasis on helping states develop equitable opportunities and support for all communities, the Children and Families team aids and enables governors to advance and fulfill their vision for the children and families. Issue areas include child welfare, economic mobility, housing, juvenile justice, child care, and poverty alleviation.

Our Focus Areas

  • Whole-family Approaches to Serving Children and Families
  • Early Childhood Education and Care
  • Juvenile Justice
  • Human Services Data and Delivery Systems
  • Housing and Homelessness
  • Food Insecurity and Hunger
  • Family Economic Security
  • Anti-Poverty Solutions
  • Foster Care, Kinship Care, and Adoption
  • Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment
  • Empowering Families and Communities
  • Reducing Barriers to Opportunity and Equity

Meet The Team

  • Jordan Hynes
    Program Director
  • Jess Kirchner
    Policy Analyst
  • Ekaan Ahmad
    Policy Coordinator

Children and Families Library

State and Local Leaders Urge Congress to Extend TANF Program

State and Local Leaders Urge Congress to Extend TANF Program

The Honorable Ron Wyden ChairmanSenate Committee on Finance 2221 Dirksen Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510 The Honorable Jason SmithChairmanHouse Committee on Ways and Means 1011 Longworth House Office BuildingWashington, ...
Strengthening Youth Mental Health: A Governor’s Playbook

Strengthening Youth Mental Health: A Governor’s Playbook

The Playbook is intended to serve as a tool for states to further impactful policy solutions that strengthen youth mental health. Nationally, the current state of youth mental health is often labeled ...
New Jersey First Lady Tammy Murphy Unveils “Maternal and Infant Health Initiative Playbook”

New Jersey First Lady Tammy Murphy Unveils “Maternal and Infant Health Initiative Playbook”

Atlantic City, New Jersey – In the opening session of the National Governors Association (NGA) Annual Meeting, New Jersey First Lady Tammy Snyder Murphy released the “Tackling the Maternal and ...
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy Unveils Playbook for Governors to Address Nation’s Youth Mental Health Crisis

New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy Unveils Playbook for Governors to Address Nation’s Youth Mental Health Crisis

“Strengthening Youth Mental Health: A Governor’s Playbook” Includes Four Key Pillars and 35 Nonpartisan Policy Recommendations. Atlantic City, New Jersey – During the opening session of the National Governors Association ...
Governors Murphy, Shapiro, Carney Join Forces to Strengthen Youth Mental Health

Governors Murphy, Shapiro, Carney Join Forces to Strengthen Youth Mental Health

Philadelphia – National Governors Association (NGA) Chair New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy continued his nationwide initiative on strengthening youth mental health with an event hosted in Philadelphia by Pennsylvania Governor ...
Youth Mental Health: Messaging for Success

Youth Mental Health: Messaging for Success

As part of New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy’s 2022-2023 Chair’s Initiative on Strengthening Youth Mental Health, the National Governors Association hosted a webinar in partnership with the Frameworks Institute on ...
Governors Murphy, Whitmer Hold Convening on Strengthening Youth Mental Health

Governors Murphy, Whitmer Hold Convening on Strengthening Youth Mental Health

Detroit, Mich. – National Governors Association (NGA) Chair New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy continued his nationwide listening tour on youth mental health issues with an event hosted by Michigan Governor ...
National Governors Association Welcomes 10 States to the Children and Families Core Advisory Board

National Governors Association Welcomes 10 States to the Children and Families Core Advisory Board

The National Governors Association today announced its new Children and Families Core Advisory Board members for 2023. Each year, a small group of governors’ human services policy advisors and agency ...
Governors Focus on Affordable Housing

Governors Focus on Affordable Housing

In 2023 State of the State addresses, Governors outlined efforts to increase housing availability and improve affordability. The high cost of housing and what that means for communities is top ...
State Strategies to Address the Needs of Justice-Involved Youth Impacted by Collateral Consequences

State Strategies to Address the Needs of Justice-Involved Youth Impacted by Collateral Consequences

This publication documents a series of learning calls, and a roundtable, held by NGA on collateral consequences for youth involved in the juvenile justice system and highlights key policy strategies ...
Expanding Child Care for Student Parents and Training Pathways for Early Childhood Educators

Expanding Child Care for Student Parents and Training Pathways for Early Childhood Educators

The NGA Center in partnership with Education Strategy Group held a virtual action lab focused on expanding access to and affordability of childcare for student parents and the development of ...
Governors Discuss Youth Mental Health at National Governors Association Winter Meeting

Governors Discuss Youth Mental Health at National Governors Association Winter Meeting

NGA Chair New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy Leads Discussion with U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy on Strengthening Youth Mental Health WASHINGTON – During the 115th annual Winter Meeting of the ...