Center for Systems Innovation
CSI leadership asked The Stephen Group (TSG) to help assess its opportunities to build on these current strengths and capabilities so it can be a major factor in implementing its Vision 2020. The new vision involves a shift in focus toward working more directly with affected populations through a five platform approach:
- Support youth leadership
- Strengthen permanent connections to caring adults
- Provide access to education and credentialing
- Building financial stability and long-term success
- Ensure systems help young people meet their basic needs
TSG was asked to help CSI leadership identify new directions in the areas of:
- Personnel capabilities development. TSG was asked specifically to develop a capabilities grid that can guide personnel assessment and development;
- Role of consultants. Specifically, how best to involve consultants in a manner that best aligns with inside staff resources;
- Alignment with Vision 2020. How best to keep professional development and performance tied to the Vision 2020 plan.
External Affairs
TSG conducted a landscape analysis of AECF EA policy initiatives that are supported by specific grant making initiatives. The landscape analysis consisted of two components: the adoption of two or more national policy initiatives and the related efforts of AECF EA grantees in promoting said initiatives. The landscape analysis for the adoption of AECF EA policy initiatives focused in the south and southwest region of the United States. The analysis focused on identifying the barriers that have precluded states from adopting the selected policies and procedures that advance the policy initiatives AECF EA has prioritized and present ways to overcome these barriers. TSG performed its assessment in three states that are representative of the region: Arkansas, South Carolina, and Texas. The landscape analysis targeted grantees and three audiences: the public, influencers (advocates, and key stakeholders), and decision makers (policymakers, agencies, regulating bodies, and legislators), in each of the identified states. The analysis reviewed the outcomes (awareness, will, and action) that have taken place in each state to assess the degree to which policies have gained traction and to identify the barriers where traction has not been gained. TSG examined the factors in each of the states to assess areas where trends may allow for better outcomes for AECF EA policy initiatives. TSG identified ways in which the conditions on the ground are stable and do not favor AECF EA policy initiatives necessitating modifications or customizations that will allow for progress towards overall goals where total success is highly unlikely. In Phase 2 of this project, AECF EA further contract TSG to provide technical assistance in two of the states to develop pathways to forward the identified policy initiatives.
Family Wellbeing Strategy Group
Review State Medicaid Services and Delivery programs that focus on reducing crisis and prevention of foster care, to include innovation in Medicaid Managed Care, Mobile Crisis and response, and wholistic wraparound services, and provide report to the FWSG staff on state best practices and models of innovation and technical assistance and support surrounding same.
Phase One to include an initial state by state review that will identify a given number of state best practices in a list provided to FWSG leadership so FWSG can identify the models and practices it wants to further obtain details on, including implementation planning, operation and outcome measures. Phase Two to include a more detailed report related to the each of the best practices that FWSG decides to focus on. Said report to include background information, planning, implementation, operation, policy and practice review, data, and outcome analysis.