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
Human Services Workforce Recruitment & Retention
Speakers: Fairfax County, Virginia Alycia Blackwell, Deputy Director of Programs & Services, Fairfax County Department of Family Services Sandi Slappey Brown, Child Welfare Assistant Division Director for Operations, Children, Youth and Families Division, Fairfax County Department of Family Services Summary: Fairfax County ...
State Discussion on Policy Priorities
Summary: During the August HSPAI monthly call, the Children and Families team welcomed Governor’s human services policy advisors for an off-the-record discussion about their current portfolios, priorities, and challenges going ...
Whole Family Well-Being: Upstream Home Visiting
Speakers Oregon: Cate Wilcox, Maternal and Child Health Section Manager and Title V Director, Public Health Division, Oregon Health Authority Ohio: Alicia Leatherman, Administrator, Early Childhood Home Visiting and Maternal and Infant Wellness, Bureau ...
Combatting Childhood Hunger in Summer 2022
Speakers Share Our Strength Bernadette Downey, Associate Director for Government Relations and Advocacy Carolyn Vega, Associate Director of Policy Analysis, Center for Best Practices Maryland Augustin Ntabaganyimana, Deputy Executive Director of Programs, Family ...
Meet Them Where They Are: Identifying and Addressing Gaps in Child Care
Speakers Kentucky: Lesa Dennis, Deputy Commissioner, Kentucky Department of Community Based Services Iowa: Liesl Seabert, Rural Community Revitalization Program Manager, Iowa Economic Development Authority Summary Kentucky: 79 of Kentucky’s 120 ...
TANF & SNAP Pipelines to Address Workforce Shortages
Speakers Wyoming: Jen Davis, Policy Advisor for Governor Gordon Katie Hogarty, CEO of CLIMB Wyoming Michigan: Algeria Wilson, Policy Advisor for Governor Whitmer Joe Billig, Division Administrator, MI Department of ...
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
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 ...
National Governors Association Welcomes 10 States to Join Children and Families Core Advisory Board
The National Governors Association today announced its new Children and Families Core Advisory Board members for 2022. Each year, a small group of governors’ human services policy advisors and agency ...
Child and Family Well-Being Learning Cohort
The Child and Family Well-Being Learning Cohort was hosted by the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices (NGA Center) and Casey Family Programs. The network joined governor’s office representatives, ...
2021 Child and Family Well-Being Governors’ Summit
The 2021 Child and Family Well-Being Governors’ Summit featured State presentations and a panel of Governors’ Policy Advisors on Governors’ plans and priorities to holistically improve the lives of children ...
State Innovation for Strengthening Families
Governors have developed ambitious initiatives to improve the lives of children and families. by Isabella Cuneo Governing a state is a bit like flying an airplane: You must know how ...
SNAP E&T Action Lab
This Action Lab focused on leveraging Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Employment and Training (SNAP E&T) to expand access to and support student success in education and training programs that lead ...
Case Study: California’s ACEs Aware Initiative
California’s ACEs Aware initiative takes an innovative, evidence-based approach to addressing adverse childhood experiences and toxic stress by educating and training health care providers who are directly interacting with the ...
Promising Practices to Reduce Maternal Mortality in New Jersey
Nurture NJ is an umbrella that breaks down silos between stakeholders, bringing them together to tackle issues related to maternal and child health. (View/Download) Background According to the Centers for ...
8 States Join Learning Network Supporting Child and Family Well-Being Throughout the Pandemic
As families and communities face continued uncertainty due to the COVID-19 pandemic, eight states have joined a network that will bring together Governors’ offices, child welfare leaders, state human services ...
NGA and NASWA Letter to Secretary of Labor Regarding Unemployment Insurance Fraud
The Honorable Marty WalshU.S. Secretary of LaborU.S. Department of Labor200 Constitution Avenue NWWashington, D.C. 20210 Dear Secretary Walsh: Congratulations on your nomination and confirmation as U.S. Secretary of Labor. Governors ...
Case Study: Building Strong Brains Tennessee
The COVID-19 pandemic may be increasing Adverse Childhood Experiences and trauma and demonstrates the importance of responding to them at the state level. (View/Download) Executive Summary Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) ...
New Relief Coming From Washington – What Does This Mean For Rental and Utility Assistance?
Through the new Emergency Rental Assistance Program, Governors and local officials are providing emergency rental and utility assistance for effected individuals and families. by Jordan Hynes and Michael Bonino-Britsch Throughout ...