Supporting the state’s efforts to meet health care challenges
Reflections on the Institute of Health and Human Services Policy Advisors to Governors 2022
By Elijah McCabe
In the fall of 2022, the National Best Practices Association (NGA Center) Center for Governors hosted the Governors Health and Human Services Policy Advisors in Greensboro, North Carolina. The advisors, joined by government officials and subject matter experts, discussed emerging topics relevant to the health and human services policy portfolio. Sessions at this meeting included topical discussions about the health care workforce, mindful care of trauma and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), and the implications of health care coverage for relief from a public health emergency. The session topics were chosen to provide support and resources to governors and their staff in serving their constituents on these topics. NGA’s healthcare delivery team spent most of 2022 focused on these three important topics as a result.
The Healthcare Workforce: Current National Challenges and Highlights from the NGA’s Next Generation Healthcare Workforce Project
The NGA Center provided a preview of the innovative work being done by countries related to the NGA Centre The next generation healthcare workforce The project. Dr. Shelby Hockenberry, Program Director for Healthcare Delivery at the Center, provided an overview of the project and its structure. four cooperative learning The states participated in an extensive technical assistance period with the NGA that included strategic planning and goal setting, as well as monthly check-ins with NGA staff. Given the level of interest in the project, the NGA also held a meeting Knowledge exchange network Among the 16 states were able to attend a webinar series, access the NGA’s Healthcare Workforce Toolkit, and receive technical assistance to support their freelance planning. All countries participating in the project have access to the webinar series and a limited access toolkit.
Jane Davis, health and human services policy advisor Wyoming Governor’s Office, Highlight efforts in the state to support the health care workforce as part of the NGA Collaborative Learning. Davis spoke about the challenges facing the health care workforce in Wyoming and how the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated issues, including workforce shortages, burnout of health care workers, workforce pipeline and planning challenges, and specific challenges related to delivering Rural health care and specialized care. . Davis then highlighted her state’s action plan, which was developed as part of a collaborative learning process. The state project teams met later in October 2022 in Santa Barbara, California, to share the results of the first year of programming, participate in peer discussions, participate in learning sessions, and plan for the second year of the project.
Adverse childhood experiences, trauma, and resilience: Best practices from the State Trauma and Resilience Network
Another session hosted speakers from state and national perspectives. Dr. Christopher Jones, Acting Director Injury prevention and control center In the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) highlighted the agency’s efforts in both prevention and response Adverse childhood experiencesIn addition to their unique approach to Youth violence prevention. After paving the way from a national perspective, two NGA states State Trauma and Resilience Network STRN highlighted their work on this issue. Laurie Crawford, Director Virginia office of trauma and resilience policyAnd She talked about standing in the office and their goals and activities moving forward for trauma and resilience therapy and ACEs in Virginia. North Carolina highlighted its innovative state model of including individuals with live experience in statewide decision-making. Lisa Cooley, Senior Director of Children, Family and Adult Services, and Adrienne Day, Deputy Director of Child Care Practice, spoke about North Carolina Department of Social ServicesStakeholder groups: Child and Family Welfare Advisory Council, Able Youth Speaking Out, North Carolina Foster Family Coalition. Barbara Young, Family Partner of the Child Welfare Family Advisory Council, also highlighted her supportive role as a member of the council from a parent’s perspective. The State Trauma and Resilience Network will release a publication in early 2023 on state efforts related to trauma care and resilience that will update a 2021 report titled State strategies for preventing and mitigating harmful childhood experiencesAnd that highlighted best practices in NGA ACEs Learning Collaborative.
Decoding the public health emergency: implications for market coverage
To support the state’s efforts to ensure individuals continue to have access to health care coverage, the NGA hosted a session that focused on resolving a public health emergency (PHE) and the implications for insurance coverage. Moderator Clay McClure, Executive Director of State Affairs at Blue Cross Blue Shield Foundation, provided health plans’ perspective and shared the work plans are doing to be ready, including supporting states with compliant data collection and communications. Lindsey Lang, Director HealthSource RIThe Rhode Island State Market highlighted strategies that help reduce the number of uninsured Rhode Islanders as well as best practices for mitigating loss of coverage during emergency unwinding. Lang talked about Healthsource RI’s “Automatic Enrollment” program, which automatically enrolls those below 200% of the federal poverty line (FPL) into a health insurance plan. Because millions could be determined nationally to be ineligible for Medicaid when PHE ends, an innovative Rhode Island initiative is one-way states that mitigate potential loss of coverage by connecting citizens to market plans.
Looking forward to 2023
Participants left the institute after hearing from governors’ advisors, subject matter experts, and NGA partners on a variety of topics affecting governors’ health and human services priorities. The NGA Health Care Delivery team continues to focus on these important topics over the next year, with the addition of additional programs that focus on areas that governors and their staff identify as important priorities. Through educational collaboratives, webinars, meetings, feedback, and technical assistance, the NGA will remain focused on supporting the healthcare delivery needs of governors and their staff. For more information about program materials centered on health care delivery, see click here. to read about Public Health focused sessions, click here.