March 19-20, 2018 | New Brunswick, NJ
Two-generation strategies seek to promote children’s learning and healthy development while simultaneously promoting the parents’ success as both caregivers and breadwinners. The National Governors Association Center for Best Practices (NGA Center) and its partner, the Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP), have selected five states to participate in the Parents And Children Thriving Together: Two-Generation State Policy Network (PACTT Network), which is a technical assistance opportunity to create two-generation strategies for systems change.
Through governors’ offices and participating state agencies, state PACTT teams are working to ensure that programs and services better support low-income families. For the past seventeen months, selected states have been developing and implementing two-generation state plan to achieve statewide systems change across a range of policy areas, including workforce development, human services, education, health, child care and early childhood education. On March 19–20, 2018, the NGA Center, CLASP and Ascend at the Aspen Institute brought together cross-agency teams from Colorado, Georgia, Minnesota, New Jersey and Oregon for the Midpoint Convening of the PACTT Network. The meeting took place in New Brunswick, New Jersey at The Heldrich Center.
Goals of the convening included: sharing accomplishments and lessons learned from the first year of state policy efforts across the PACTT network, provide a forum for PACTT states to give and receive advice to move two-generation work forward, deepen relationships across the PACTT network states and supporting organizations, energize states for the remaining months of implementation, engage states in thinking around sustaining momentum going forward. State teams engaged in 1.5 days of workshops, plenary discussions, dedicated state “team time”, and peer-to-peer advising session to continue refining intended outcomes and action plans to drive forward implementation of their two-generation strategies for the rest of the calendar year and beyond.
Agenda
Presentations
March 19, 2018
Welcome And Opening Remarks
Speakers:
- Alex Cawthorne, program director, Human Services Programs, Economic Opportunity Division, NGA Center
- Hannah Matthews, director, Child Care and Early Education, Center for Law and Social Policy
- Carole Johnson, acting commissioner, New Jersey Department of Human Services
Grounding The Work In Family And Community
Moderator:
- Marjorie Sims, managing director, Ascend at the Aspen Institute
Parent Speakers:
- Melba Henao
- Clifton Prewitt
- Leslie Reyes
State Agency Speakers:
- Andrea Breitwieser, manager of special projects, Division of Family Development, New Jersey Department of Human Services
- Maria Duryea, lead analyst, Research & Analytics Unit, Office of Business Intelligence, Oregon Department of Human Services
- Daniela Guarda, manager of early childhood systems quality improvement, Office of Early Childhood Services, New Jersey Department of Children and Families
Applying An Equity Lens To State Policy And Systems Change With Minnesota And New Jersey
Facilitator:
- Loretta Goodwin, American Youth Policy Forum
State PACTT Team Participants:
- Minnesota PACTT team
- New Jersey PACTT team
Applying An Equity Lens To State Policy And Systems Change With Colorado, Georgia And Oregon
Facilitator:
- Loretta Goodwin, American Youth Policy Forum
State PACTT Team Participants:
- Colorado PACTT team
- Georgia PACTT team
- Oregon PACTT team
Learning, Evaluating and Scaling: Drawing On Local Learnings To Inform A Two-Generation Strategy
Moderator:
- Nia West-Bey, Center for Law And Social Policy
Speakers:
- Kristin Bernhard, deputy commissioner for system reform, Georgia Department of Early Care And Learning
- Jane Tigan, two-generation project manager, Minnesota Management and Budget
Culture Change In State Systems
Presenter:
- Alicia Koné, owner and president, Koné Consulting LLC
Wrap Up And Closing Comments
- Alex Cawthorne, program director, Human Services Programs, Economic Opportunity Division, NGA Center
- Hannah Matthews, director, Child Care and Early Education, Center for Law and Social Policy
March 20, 2018
Introduction To The Day
- Martin Simon, interim director, Economic Opportunity Division, NGA Center
- Hannah Matthews, director, Child Care and Early Education, Center for Law and Social Policy
PACTT Network State Peer Advising
Moderator:
- Akeiisa Coleman, senior policy analyst, Behavioral Health Programs, Health Division, NGA Center
Sustaining Momentum For A PACTT State Strategy Amidst Leadership Transition And Beyond The Project Period
Moderator:
- Martin Simon, interim director, Economic Opportunity Division, NGA Center
Speakers:
- Natasha Johnson, director, Division of Family Development, New Jersey Department of Human Services
- Tara Smith, state two-generation coordinator, Office of the Governor of Colorado
- Roxane White, morgridge family economic security innovator in residence, Ascend at the Aspen Institute
Wrap Up And Closing Comments
- Kimberley Meinert, senior policy analyst, Human Services Programs, Economic Opportunity Division, NGA Center
- Hannah Matthews, director, Child Care and Early Education, Center for Law and Social Policy
