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

Children and Families Library

Advancing Economic Mobility for Low-Income Families: Policy Options for Governors

Advancing Economic Mobility for Low-Income Families: Policy Options for Governors

As we look to post-pandemic recovery, it will be critical to ensure that individuals have access to resources and supports that not only help them meet basic needs but also ...
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Letter Urges Congress to provide a one-year extension of the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program

Letter Urges Congress to provide a one-year extension of the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program

The Honorable Ron Wyden ChairmanSenate Committee on Finance 219 Dirksen Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510 The Honorable Richard E. NealChairmanHouse Committee on Ways and Means 2309 Cannon Building Washington, ...
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State Efforts to Address ACEs and Trauma and Build Resilience

State Efforts to Address ACEs and Trauma and Build Resilience

States are working to prevent and mitigate ACEs and trauma, and have an opportunity to advance trauma-informed care with the implementation of the 988 hotline. By Anna Heard Adverse childhood ...
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Governors Meet with Dolly Parton at the NGA Summer Meeting

Governors Meet with Dolly Parton at the NGA Summer Meeting

Governors met with Dolly Parton for a discussion about early child literacy efforts, including Parton’s Imagination Library program that mails free books to children. Dolly Parton made a virtual appearance ...
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Governor Murphy Introduces Chair’s Initiative: Strengthening Youth Mental Health Care

Governor Murphy Introduces Chair’s Initiative: Strengthening Youth Mental Health Care

At the closing session of NGA’s Summer Meeting 2022, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy accepted the NGA Chair’s gavel from Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson and underlined the importance of Governors’ ...
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New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy Elected Chair of National Governors Association

New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy Elected Chair of National Governors Association

Utah Governor Spencer Cox Elected Vice Chair Portland, Maine – New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy was elected chair of the National Governors Association (NGA) as the bipartisan association works alongside ...
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NGA 2022 Summer Meeting

NGA 2022 Summer Meeting

The National Governors Association's 2022 Annual Summer Meeting was held was July 13-15, 2022, in Portland, Maine. Governors met to collaborate on bipartisan solutions to leading policy issues including computer ...
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Governors Urge Quick Action on the Bipartisan Keep Kids Fed Act

Governors Urge Quick Action on the Bipartisan Keep Kids Fed Act

National Governors Association’s Community Renewal Task Force Co-Chairs Governors Mike Parson and Albert Bryan, Jr. released the following statement on the bipartisan Keep Kids Fed Act, introduced by Senate Agriculture ...
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Briefing on Infant Formula Shortage

Briefing on Infant Formula Shortage

On Tuesday, May 17, 2022 NGA hosted a briefing for Governors’ offices with the White House, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ...
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Human Services Policy Advisors Institute

Human Services Policy Advisors Institute

The Human Services Policy Advisors Institute is a series of monthly calls that bring together governors’ policy advisors and state leaders from social services and children and family-serving agencies to ...
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Help Wanted: Building a Pipeline to Address the Children’s Mental Health Provider Workforce Shortage

Help Wanted: Building a Pipeline to Address the Children’s Mental Health Provider Workforce Shortage

There is no silver bullet for the mental health crisis but reducing workforce shortages of these critical providers can go a long way to solving the problem. by Jessica Kirchner ...
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Governors’ Top Priorities for Supporting Children and Families In 2022 State of the State Addresses

Governors’ Top Priorities for Supporting Children and Families In 2022 State of the State Addresses

Across states, Governors’ cited their commitment to strengthening families and communities. By Isabella Cuneo In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, Governors across the country are keenly focused on growth ...
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