Policy & Practice April 2015

DIRECTOR’S MEMO continued from page 3

of experience around these issues are so critical.” Dreyfus, too, says the process of working across sectors toward a shared goal was beneficial. “The Alliance Engagement Team led a process that brought together a diverse group of stakeholders to create a common vision and shared principles to serve as a guide. The participants found the experience was authentic, transparent, and based on gaining consensus,” she says. “But most impor- tant, our efforts show the importance of deeper partnerships and shared goals and values across fields, sectors, and systems. I believe that if we are to achieve the bigger outcomes and popu- lation-level change we are all seeking, we must do it together in these types of deep partnerships.” improve service delivery and impact, including the ever-increasing knowl- edge of brain development and its executive functioning, as well as the growing use of behavioral economics to drive desired outcomes. We are in the process of finalizing the rest of the agenda for this year’s forum and will be sending out notices as the agenda is developed. It seems that every year we say the National Policy Forum will be the “best ever.” Having said that, I truly believe that will be the case this year. Our agenda is aimed at inspiring participants to think about the delivery of human services and to join with APHSA in working to improve the system. I hope to see you there. innovative approaches to human service delivery and impact. Š Š Science: Applying science to

in the development and implementa- tion of the project with the inclusive orientation they experienced in the planning phase. “When you live in a ‘system,’ I think it’s really critical to bring somebody in from the outside that can speak intelli- gently, that can speak with credibility, and can speak to all parties equally,” Yager explains. “If you’re talking about performance-based funding you’re talking about an immediate contract partner, relationship between state and some private entity and the courts will always be involved. So I think it’s tremendously valuable to bring that to bear upon a state that’s trying to do something like this. Also, I just think their national exposure is going to far surpass most states’ local teams. Understanding, and depth and breadth population-based health and well-being. Š Š Investing in Outcomes: Using data and predictive analytics to under- stand what works and promoting the use of evidence-informed practices and alternative ways of financing to incentivize better, sustainable outcomes for children and families. Š Š Co-Creation for Collective Impact: Understanding the art and the science of true partnerships and the notion of force multipliers. Š Š Modern Platforms: Recognizing the current role of technology, business process redesign, and overall mod- ernization and what role they will play in the transformation efforts to reach a 21st century enterprise-wide vision for interoperable and inte- grated systems. Š Š Innovation Labs: Creating oppor- tunities to test new ideas and spark

Dreyfus lauds the stakeholders’ abili- ties to come together and collaborate to benefit Michigan’s children as exem- plary of what the nonprofit sector, as a whole, should aim to achieve. “That we had shared responsibility and accountability, transparency, the ability for people to have dif- ferent opinions, and a highly inclusive process—all of those things, to me, fit beautifully with values held in the non- profit sector and within this group,” says Dreyfus. MOVING FORWARD The Alliance Engagement Team kept the project on schedule, and now Michigan is working to move forward with the plan. The work groups and task force, now known as the Child Welfare Partnership Council, continue president of the American Enterprise Institute, a leading think tank on social policies in Washington, D.C. Brooks believes America is locked in a culture. He argues that while some have tried to dismiss the “tea party” movement, it reveals much about the culture war that is underway. This year’s National Policy Forum theme is “Leading for Impact: Six Agents of Change.” The six agents of change are tools to help realize the vision of Pathways, our members’ agenda for the future of human services. Each of these agents is leading the way toward a family- centered, result-oriented, and modern system for our children and families. Š Š Integrated Policy: Increasing efforts to leverage effective programs and resources to achieve better results with a resolute focus on sustainable

FINANCING REFORM continued from page 19

“When you live in a ‘system,’ I think it’s really critical to bring somebody in from the outside that can speak intelligently, that can speak with credibility, and can speak to all parties equally.” — STEVE YAGER, DIRECTOR OF THE CHILDREN’S SERVICES ADMINISTRATION AT THE MICHIGAN DHS

April 2015   Policy&Practice 37