Foreword As co-chairs of The Council of State Governments’ Healthy States National Task Force, we are pleased to release this framework. It is the result of two years of intense discussion and research on the state-level policies and practices that may help advance health outcomes in the COVID-19 era and beyond. The report represents a collaborative effort of leaders from the states and territories. In this report, we highlight a number of suggested strategies and state examples to help guide government officials in each of the policy areas explored by the task force. The goal is to improve the way the public sector serves and engages its communities. While we encourage you to read and consider the full report as you seek bipartisan solutions in your state, we wish to acknowledge both the unique pressures on the health system and the fiscal pressure on state revenues during this unprecedented time. CSG is uniquely poised to highlight the leadership being exemplified by the states in the various areas explored by the Healthy States National Task Force: What’s Next? Leveraging Innovation; State Health Systems: Return on Investment; Capacity, Preparedness and Resiliency; and Interventions to Save Lives. Task force members were divided into four subcommittees that included knowledgeable stakeholders from the private sector and/or academia who shared their expertise. We wish to commend the subcommittee leaders and members of the National Task Force for your dedication to the work and for all you have accomplished. Through your efforts we have identified policy options and practices to help advance the work not only in your state but in others across the nation. Sincerely,
02
SEN. BRYAN TOWNSEND
SEN. BO WATSON
Delaware
Tennessee
CSG HE ALTHY S TATES NATIONAL TA SK FORCE
