Updates from the NGA Membership Team for November 2022. For more about the programs below and a list of upcoming events please email us at: membership@nga.org.
Seminar for New Governors & Transition Resources
NGA Hosts Seminar for New Governors, Provides Transition Resources
NGA will welcome a class of new Governors at the 2022 Seminar for New Governors (SNG). SNG is scheduled to be held in Charleston, South Carolina, from November 17-19.
SNG is the first opportunity for Governors-elect and First Spouses to get to know their colleagues. The seminar also provides Governors-elect and First Spouses with essential information to establish a smooth transition and maximize the success of the initial months in office. Topics of discussion include, but are not limited to: developing the executive budget, hiring the best and the brightest cabinet officials and senior staff members, shaping a vision for the administration and strategic scheduling, communications and legislative relations.
Gubernatorial Elections Resource
NGA Gubernatorial Elections Webpage
NGA maintains an informational webpage providing facts about the 2022 gubernatorial elections in the states and territories. This resource also provides information about past gubernatorial elections.
In 2022, gubernatorial elections will be held in 36 states and three territories, with 31 incumbent Governors eligible to run for re-election and eight Governors not eligible or not seeking reelection.
The resource also provides information about past gubernatorial elections.
Chair’s Initiative
First Chair’s Initiative Roundtable Held in Salt Lake City
Last month, NGA Chair New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy and NGA Vice Chair Utah Governor Spencer Cox met in Salt Lake City, Utah, with those on the frontlines of youth mental health challenges to advance the NGA Chair’s Initiative: Strengthening Youth Mental Health.
In response to rising rates of mental health distress among young people, Governor Murphy introduced his NGA Chair’s Initiative in July. Through the Strengthening Youth Mental Health initiative, Governors from across the nation are collaborating to develop bipartisan solutions.
During the two-day roundtable event, Governors Murphy and Cox held discussions with parents, physicians, pediatric psychologists, educators, policymakers and other mental health experts. Conversations focused on challenges and solutions connected to prevention, early intervention and resilience building.
The Utah event is the first of four roundtable discussions Governors will convene in multiple states in support of the Strengthening Youth Mental Health initiative.
First Spouses participate in Chair’s Initiative
New Jersey First Lady Tammy Murphy and Utah First Lady Abby Cox also spoke at the Utah roundtable, highlighting holistic efforts to support children and parents – including Mrs. Murphy’s initiative focused on maternal and infant health.
The First Spouses also visited the Sacred Circle Healthcare Center in Salt Lake City to highlight the importance of maternal and infant health care.
NGA Releases Commentary about First Chair’s Initiative Roundtable
NGA released the commentary Urgent Need For Consolidated Action On Youth Mental Health to provide an overview of the recent roundtable NGA Chair New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy and NGA Vice Chair Utah Governor Spencer Cox held regarding the 2022-2023 NGA Chair’s Initiative: Strengthening Youth Mental Health.
In addition to providing a recap of the meeting, the commentary explores ways Governors and their offices can support youth mental health through different policies, programs and initiatives.
Youth Mental Health & Maternal and infant Health insights
In support of Governor Phil Murphy’s NGA Chair’s Initiative, and to assist Governors and their staff with strengthening youth mental health and improving maternal and infant health, NGA has collated a variety of resources from stakeholders to provide insights to assist with delivering specific program areas and cross-program tools and best practices.
This page will continually be updated with timely and actionable resources leveraging the expertise of NGA’s partners.
Government Relations
Governors Send Letter to Congress Urging Support for Afghan Humanitarian Parolees
Thirteen Governors sent a letter to House and Senate leadership in support of providing thousands of Afghan humanitarian parolees the opportunity to apply for permanent legal residency.
In the letter, Governors noted that they are encouraged by the bipartisan and bicameral Afghan Adjustment Act legislation that has been introduced.
Governors have played a key role in assisting and supporting Afghan humanitarian parolees over the past year, and the letter requested that these local efforts be matched by Congressional action.
NGA Hosts Briefing with HHS on Mental Health Funding in BSCA
NGA and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recently hosted a briefing on additional investments in mental health, including opportunities for states to expand access to Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics, included in the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA).
U.S. Senators Debbie Stabenow and Roy Blunt participated in the meeting and discussed the importance of the program and how states can take advantage of the funding opportunity included in the BSCA.
Communications Spotlight
Governors Murphy, Cox Write Op-Ed on Youth Mental Health
NGA Chair New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy and Vice Chair Utah Governor Spencer Cox have written the opinion pieceA Wake-Up Call for Youth Mental Health.
Published in The Hill, the Governors write about the country’s youth mental health crisis, focusing on ways states are leading policy initiatives and work to tackle the crisis.
NGA Activities
Infrastructure Workforce Resources
Workforce development is a key issue for Governors as they continue to invest in improving the country’s aging infrastructure.
To support these efforts, NGA has developed an Infrastructure Workforce Resource Mapping Tool that highlights prospective pathways into critical infrastructure careers and identifies funding opportunities that can be tapped to support training for individuals to enter those careers.
K-12 Education Webinar
NGA has released a new webinar, Strategies For Addressing The Comprehensive Needs Of Students And Families Through Community Schools And Wraparound Supports, featuring national experts on the topics of community schools and integrated student supports.
Panelists explain the research in this field, discuss how community schools and integrated student supports can be a model for collaborative leadership and parent, family, and community engagement, and offer recommendations for Governors and other state policy leaders. Additional related resources can be found on the webinar page.
This webinar is part of the Reflect and Redesign series that covers K-12 education topics such as state education budgets, student re-engagement, afterschool and summer learning, supporting students with unique needs, family-school engagement and more.
6 States Awarded Grant Funding to Boost Workforce Participation, Economic Mobility
NGA and Walmart recently announced that Arkansas, Colorado, Indiana, North Dakota, Virginia and Washington will receive grant funding to execute demonstration projects to implement and accelerate state skills-based practices.
The Institute convened 27 Governors’ policy advisors and state officials. The convening featured speakers and experts focused on discussion topics ranging from K-12 academic recovery to student and staff well-being to educator recruitment and retention.
NGA Releases Commentary on Improving College Completion
NGA has released the commentary Governors Leading On Improving College Completion.
The projects aim to help create new career pathways for unemployed and underemployed skilled workers.
The funding is the next phase of NGA’s Skills-Driven Community of Practice – a program launched in April to support states in preparing their employers, education and workforce systems, data systems and policies to implement skills-driven practices – including digital wallet and Learning and Employment Record (LER) systems.
NGA Releases Commentary on EV Summit
NGA released the commentary Electric and Alternative Vehicle Infrastructure Summit regarding the Electric and Alternative Fuel Vehicle Infrastructure Summit held last month in Greenville, South Carolina. NGA hosted the event in partnership with the Office of South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster, and Governor McMaster spoke at the event.
The Summit brought together leaders from 30 states and territories, federal partners and private sector practitioners to discuss electric and alternative fuel vehicle infrastructure siting and delivery, federal funding opportunities and state/territory best practices.
Membership Programs
NGA Holds Fall Reception
Former NGA Chairman Maryland Governor Larry Hogan and First Lady Yumi Hogan joined a Fall Networking Reception NGA recently hosted for Governors’ State-Federal Affairs Representatives, Partners and guests from Capitol Hill and the Administration.
November in Focus
NGA routinely shares photos of Governors at work through the organization’s social media channels. A sampling of this past month’s photo highlights follows.
