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 (C&F) 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 opportunities and policies that support all communities, the C&F team aids Governors to advance and fulfill their vision for the children and families in their states.

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
    Senior Policy Analyst
  • Eli McCabe
    Policy Analyst
  • Ekaan Ahmad
    Policy Coordinator

Major Initiatives

Policy Academy on Strengthening Youth Mental Health  

This Policy Academy builds on last year’s Chair’s Initiative on Strengthening Youth, Led by Governor Murphy of New Jersey. NGA will support up to 6 states in intensive technical assistance and strategic planning to implement the Chair’s Initiative Playbook through 4 main policy pillars:  

  • Prevention and Resilience 
  • Increasing Awareness and Reducing Stigma 
  • Access and Affordability of Quality Treatment and Care 
  • Caregiver and Educator Training and Support 

Children & Families Core Advisors Board 

The NGA Children and Families Team established the Core Advisors Board (CAB) to provide feedback on governors’ top priorities impacting the lives of children and families. Each year, a small group of governors’ human services policy advisors and agency leaders are selected to provide critical input and feedback on the structure and content of the NGA Center’s work with the states on human services and early childhood education and care issues.  


Human Services Policy Advisor Institute 

The Human Services Policy Advisors Institute is a network of governors’ policy advisors and state leaders from social services and children and family-serving agencies that comes together on a monthly call to share innovations and best practices for serving the complex needs of children and families. This network serves as a regular check-in for updates, content, peer-to-peer exchanges, and networking for policy advisors to discuss multidisciplinary policy considerations. Recent topics include: Human Services Workforce; Integrating Eligibility Screening Systems; and Supporting Older Populations.  


Children and Families Library

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 ...
Governors Murphy, Polis Join Forces to Tackle Youth Mental Health Crisis

Governors Murphy, Polis Join Forces to Tackle Youth Mental Health Crisis

Santa Monica, Calif. – National Governors Association (NGA) Chair New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy and Colorado Governor Jared Polis held a roundtable discussion with those on the frontlines of youth ...
governors and states meet to talk prevention and resilience in youth mental health

governors and states meet to talk prevention and resilience in youth mental health

On October 18-19, 2022, in Salt Lake City, Utah, National Governors Association (NGA) Chair New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy and NGA Vice Chair Utah Governor Spencer Cox held the first ...
Governors Launch Youth Mental Health Initiative

Governors Launch Youth Mental Health Initiative

Salt Lake City – National Governors Association (NGA) Chair New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy and NGA Vice Chair Utah Governor Spencer Cox met with those on the frontlines of youth ...
States Convening to Discuss Improving Economic Mobility

States Convening to Discuss Improving Economic Mobility

From coast to coast, Governors are committed to improving economic mobility outcomes for families in their states and are investing in innovative programs—including in fields traditionally underutilized for economic security—and ...
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 ...
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, ...
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 ...
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 ...
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’ ...
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 ...
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 ...