Launch a three-branch initiative

• Identify an issue that should be addressed systemically.
• The issue should be compelling to all three branches and amenable to system-level change. (This could be an issue that one branch has already identified but not been able to address on its own.)
• The core, implementation and expanded teams will expand on the issue.

• With buy-in from one branch secured, reach out to the other two branches for theircommitment to participate on the core planning team (e.g., contact legislativeleadership — the speaker of the house and the senate president — to ask them tonominate members, seek out legislative staff to participate in the effort).
• The core team should include staff from each branch who understand the issue andare committed to developing, implementing and monitoring the strategic plan.
• Core team members should have decision-making authority within their branch andideally be able to remain involved throughout the initiative.
• The core team should identify a team lead to serve as the team’s point of contact(POC), be responsible for coordinating activities and remain involved throughout theinitiative.
• The core team is responsible for clearly delineating the roles and responsibilities of
  team members.
• Core team members can identify a neutral, third-party organization to facilitate
  core, implementation and extended team meetings; monitor development and
  implementation of the strategic plan; assist in conflict resolution; hold all branches
  accountable; and generally move the work forward.
• This facilitator could be from a university child and family services research or training
  program; a local foundation; a policy think tank; a local consultancy; or another wellrespected, independent entity.

• The core team identifies the desired outcomes, which should be timely and relevant
  to the state’s children and families.
• The desired outcome should be relevant to and shared by each branch and clearly
  benefit from an intentional three-branch approach.
• The outcome could be connected to emerging federal legislative and funding
  opportunities.

• The core team recruits and engages the implementation team, which can consist
  of additional members of the executive branch (human services, health, education,
  criminal justice, public safety, workforce and behavioral health), the legislative branch
  and the judicial branch; children, youth and families; CBOs; providers; practitioners;
  and frontline staff, to build a holistic understanding of the issue.
• The core and implementation team members educate themselves on the current
  system, challenges, other proposed solutions and system-reform efforts.
• The core and implementation teams identify key questions to be answered, the data
  sources for those answers and how to access and interpret the data.
• Both teams examine services across the state and map existing efforts; review existing
  policies, processes and standards; and continue to collect and share relevant data and
  findings.

• The core and implementation teams recruit and engage the extended team, which
  can consist of advocates and constituents, child welfare agency supervisors and staff,
  business leaders and other private-sector representatives, legal representation and
  members of the faith community.
• All teams identify evidence-based and promising practices, including best practices
  from other states.
• All teams convene key stakeholders (through joint legislative hearings, town hall
  meetings, roundtable discussions, regional listening sessions) to build a common
  understanding of the problem and a joint commitment to the solution.

Together, the core, implementation and extended teams create a strategic plan that
clearly articulates:

• The vision and mission of the approach.
• Clear, realistic and measurable goals and objectives.
• Actionable, high-impact strategies for achieving goals.
• Benchmarks to measure and track progress toward achieving identified goals.
• Team members responsible for implementing strategies.

• Create issue-specific work groups made up of members of the core team,
  implementation team and extended team to implement elements of the strategic
  plan.
• Throughout implementation, the core team should meet periodically to assess
  progress, address challenges and communicate needs.

• The core team closely monitors progress toward meeting benchmarks and goals
  according to the established timeline.
• Consider whether to modify the strategic plan based on recent assessments and
  unforeseen consequences.
• Commemorate small victories as benchmarks are met or obstacles are overcome.