P&P October 2016

Center for Employment and Economic Well-Being are APHSA’s three “col- laborative centers.” These plat- forms are creative teams of members and partners organized around the impact areas identified in our Pathways initiative to 1. develop, advance, and influence campaigns for policy change; 2. elevate innovations and solutions; 3. develop tools and guidance for the field; 4. leverage our organizational effec- tiveness practice to strengthen the drivers of general organizational readi- ness, continuous improvement, and performance; 5. shape and spread key messages

have access to tested resources and a growing network of peers across the country who share similar responsi- bilities and challenges. Based on recent feedback from the current Deputies Plus group, APHSA is hosting monthly events focused on the group’s top priority areas, including Recruitment and Retention, Technology and Data, and Practice Models. For more information or to get involved, contact Jessica Hall, Communications Manager, at jhall@aphsa.org. APHSA Launches Center for Child and Family Well-Being APHSA’s Pathways initiative calls for a stronger, more sustainable human- serving system that, like a well-built home, starts with a solid foundation and quality construction so that all children can develop and live to their full potential. Reaching this full poten- tial requires us to focus on families, communities, and the larger society and how each of these factors impacts and interacts with the others. To accomplish this, APHSA is establishing the Center for Child information-sharing, and real-time data sharing. Each of these actions advance key CECANF recommenda- tions for better data collection and data sharing across agencies. The introduction of new legisla- tion on Capitol Hill mirrors a number of commission recommendations. The Family First Prevention Services Act of 2016, passed by the House of Representatives in June (slated for Senate vote in September), includes provisions that reflect the commission’s findings and recommendations and could lead to greater reform of the child welfare system in some important areas, including delivery of more upstream prevention services and the requirement of state fatality prevention plans. On July 14, the Senate passed the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act, which now goes to the CECANF continued from page 5

and Family Well-Being , which will support and connect our members and

partners who share respon- sibility for healthy child development, preserving and supporting families, and

empowering communities. Our work also requires carefully accounting for various environmental factors that affect individuals, including Social Determinants of Health (SDOH). SDOH are the circumstances in which people are born, grow up, live, and work that affect their capacity and well-being. By considering these unique circumstances, the Center will advance strategies that support fairness across places and bound- aries, understanding that one’s life course—the biological, behavioral, psychological, and social factors that shape outcomes across a person’s life— is fundamental. The Center for Child and Family Well-Being, the National Collaborative for Integration of Health and Human Services, and the President for signature. The new act amends the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act to create specificity in infant safe care plans. Policy change is also occurring at the state and local levels. At least 21 jurisdictions are currently implementing or considering implementation of the commission’s recommendations. Areas covered include state plans to address fatalities, using data to prevent fatali- ties, responding differently to hotline calls for young children, responding to near fatalities, taking a public health approach to fatality prevention, sharing information in real time, and disclosing information about child deaths. Most recently, the National Governors Association announced an 18-month technical assistance effort to help participating states develop an integrated and comprehensive child

using framing science; and 6. test and refine emerging applications.

For more information, contact Christina Crayton, Assistant Director, Policy and Government Affairs, at ccrayton@aphsa.org.

fatality prevention plan by aligning the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of state government. Eight states are taking part in the pilot effort. In the frontispiece to their report, the CECANF wrote: “Imagine child welfare in the 21st century …where children are safe and families are strong and where prevention of child abuse and neglect deaths is a reality.” As we see the changes being implemented across the country, it is increasingly clear that this vision of a 21st century child welfare system is, indeed, within our reach.

Lexie Gruber is a policy associate for children and families at APHSA.

AmyTempleman is the director of Within Our Reach at the Alliance for Strong Families and Communities.

October 2016   Policy&Practice 33