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 share innovations and best practices for serving the complex needs of children and families. This network serves as a monthly check-in for updates, content, peer-to-peer exchanges, and networking; this call series is the Children and Families Program’s primary space for convening policy advisors to discuss multidisciplinary policy considerations.
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 share innovations and best practices for serving the complex needs of children and families. This network serves as a monthly check-in for updates, content, peer-to-peer exchanges, and networking; this call series is the Children and Families Program’s primary space for convening policy advisors to discuss multidisciplinary policy considerations.
Members
Governors’ policy advisors with human services-related portfolios. Most commonly, this role is housed within the Governor’s office; however, personnel from state agencies such as human services, child welfare, and early childhood education may also join.
Activities
- Monthly call series
- State-specific technical assistance available on an ad hoc basis
- Consultation on NGA published materials
HSPAI Sessions
State Strategies to Support Nontraditional Hours Child Care
Background Most home- and center-based child care providers offer coverage for parents who work 9-5pm on Monday-Friday. Parents working in industries like healthcare, service, manufacturing or retail, are often left ...
Organizational Opportunities for Strengthening the Human Services Workforce
Background State human services agencies are charged with managing complex programs and designing innovative solutions to complicated social concerns. However, one of the largest challenges facing these agencies today has ...
HSPAI Call on Youth Mental Health Playbook
In July of 2023, the National Governors Association published its Youth Mental Health Playbook for Governors, which contain more than 30 bipartisan policy opportunities and dozens of state examples about ...
HSPAI Call on Summer Hunger Opportunities
Background For some children, summer is a time of play – pool days, summer camps, and a welcome break for school. However, for children facing food insecurity, summer can present ...
HSPAI Call on State Implementation of ICWA
Background In November of 2022, the United States Supreme Court heard arguments for Haaland vs. Brackeen that challenged the constitutionality of the 1978 Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA). In June ...
Supporting Youth and Families with Complex Behavioral Health Needs
Background North Carolina: The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) convened a multi-sector workgroup whose goal is to bridge and align previous and ongoing transformations aimed at ...
Please contact Jess Kirchner (jkirchner@nga.org) with any questions about the network.
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
- Eli McCabe, Policy Analyst
- Ekaan Ahmad, Policy Coordinator
NGA Resources
2023 Health and Human Services Policy Advisors Institute
The National Governors Association (NGA) was pleased to welcome Governors’ staff from 32 states and four territories to the annual Health and Human Services Policy Advisors Institute in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, ...
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
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”
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
“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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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 ...