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Technical Assistance in Your State
TECHNICAL
ASSISTANCE
IN YOUR
STATE
CSG Center of Innovation provides hands-on expertise in workforce, health and elections policies
Why do some families fail to utilize nutrition benefits that they already qualify for? How can states reduce unnecessary barriers to the labor market? How can election officials improve the voting process for uniformed and overseas voters?
These are just a few of the practical questions on which The Council of State Governments can offer expertise. Through its Center of Innovation (COI), CSG provides technical assistance to the states by means of a variety of grant partnerships. With a growing number of grants, the Center of Innovation draws
on CSG’s extensive resources, applying them to issues of shared importance among the states.
Workforce policy, health and human services policy and elections policy are just three of the critical areas in which CSG provides technical assistance, offering state leaders valuable opportunities to learn more and to take advantage of CSG resources.
20 ISSUE 1 2020 | CAPITOL IDEAS WORKFORCE POLICY
YOUTH EMPLOYMENT POLICY CENTER Through a grant awarded by the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Disability Employment Policy, CSG is establishing an innovative center to help develop and disseminate resources to offer solutions to challenges facing youth and youth with disabilities who are seeking employment. This center will work to increase the number and quality of employment opportunities for youth with disabilities. The project is in partnership with the Yang-Tan Institute on Employment and Disability at Cornell University and the Transition to Adulthood Center for Research at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. This policy development center will work with states to identify the needs of workforce systems, to conduct research and policy analysis to address these needs, to provide state level partners with technical assistance and to develop and disseminate resources to policymakers and partners, offering solutions to challenges in finding employment for youth and youth with disabilities. The center will also focus on three primary subject areas: strategic partnerships and systems coordination, career pathways and work-based learning, and professional development.
How to get involved This national center seeks to improve employment outcomes for youth and young adults with disabilities by helping states build capacity in their youth service delivery and workforce systems. For information, training or technical assistance contact CSG Policy Analyst Sydney Geiger at sgeiger@csg.org.
STATE EXCHANGE ON EMPLOYMENT AND DISABILITY (SEED) As states strive to promote workforce inclusion, people with disabilities — including veterans with service-connected disabilities — are a key part of the solution. Recognizing this, the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Disability Employment Policy launched the State Exchange on Employment and Disability (SEED). SEED is a collaborative effort of state intermediary organizations, including the National Conference of State Legislatures, The Council of State Governments and Women in Government, to help state legislators effectively address policy barriers that may hinder the employment of people with disabilities. Through these partnerships, the SEED collaborative is dedicated to ensuring that state policymakers have the tools and resources they need to develop and disseminate meaningful policies related to disability-inclusive workforce development. Through SEED funding, CSG convened The National Future of the Workforce Task Force in 2019 to explore an urgent intersection of issues in disability employment. Over the course of its discussions, the task force found that in the years ahead, state policymakers have the opportunity to leverage social and technological innovations to vastly improve the lives of their constituents. Whether increasing access to employment services through universally designed programming, working with the technology industry to promote accessibility in product development or ensuring that workforce policy protects the most vulnerable populations, states are the natural place to test a wide range of ideas that can serve as models for potential replication.
How to get involved To request information on disability employment within your state or to access any of the services the SEED team can provide, contact CSG Program Manager Dina Klimkina at dklimlkina@csg.org.
OCCUPATIONAL LICENSURE The Occupational Licensure team at The Council of State Governments, with support from the U.S. Department of Labor, provides states with both planned and on-demand technical assistance. The Occupational Licensure associates assist states by improving their understanding of occupational licensure issues, identifying best practices across the country, highlighting and discussing existing licensing policies in their states and identifying current policies that create unnecessary barriers to labor market entry or impede licensure portability and reciprocity. Occupational Licensure associates provide technical assistance remotely and on the ground for the states included in our consortium and any state in the U.S. seeking to review and remodel their occupational licensing frameworks. They can assist in reviewing the existing licensing frameworks and comparing select occupations with other states using our database. The team members can identify potential areas for reform and policy solutions, sometimes through new or existing interstate compacts. They also facilitate discussions between licensing stakeholders to encourage interbranch and inter-departmental coordination. Finally, the Occupational Licensure team connects peer states and subject matter experts to enhance coordination and collaboration. There are many specific services available to assist states. Associates can provide legislative testimony to support lawmakers in session. They organize in-state stakeholder convenings to present Occupational Licensure policy considerations, including compacts, and to facilitate conversations and action planning between stakeholders. Occupational Licensure associates organize quarterly webinars to share important developments with stakeholders and connect people who may not be able to join us at in-person convenings. Finally, the Occupational Licensure team is available for any specific research or technical assistance requested by states. CSG will provide these services until the grant ends on June 30, 2021.
How to get involved The Occupational Licensure team has planned for 20 state visits through June 30, 2021. The team can visit any state interested in assistance with interstate compacts or any of the other services offered. For more information, contact CSG Policy Analyst Carl Sims at csims@csg.org.
HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES POLICY
Through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, The Council of State Governments will be granting $6 million in funding to state and local agencies administering the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC). The grant funds innovative projects to enhance program eligibility and certification.
CSG will provide targeted technical assistance to state agencies interested in applying for the subgrant funding. Technical assistance will be delivered through a combination of research, resource development and dissemination. This will include ongoing communication between engaged agencies (with offerings such as video conferences, blogs and webinars), an online policy clearinghouse, development of action plans for subgrant projects, and evaluations, site visits and multiple stakeholder convenings.
By leveraging the existing networks of Innovation Grant partners, program staff will form an advisory group comprised of experienced practitioners from WIC and other family support systems, policymakers who are spearheading innovative legislation and external experts. The advisory group will build partnerships, facilitate peer-to-peer learning and exchange of best practices and empower grantees to create unique and innovative solutions to the challenges facing their community.
How to get involved Funding for innovative WIC certification projects is expected to be available this summer. CSG can provide technical assistance for proposal development to any interested state WIC agency. For more information, contact CSG Program Manager Matthew Shafer at matthew.shafer@csg.org.
ELECTIONS POLICY
The Overseas Voting Initiative (OVI) is a collaboration between The Council of State Governments and the U.S. Department of Defense through its Federal Voting Assistance Program. OVI helps state policymakers, election officials and other election community stakeholders understand the unique voting challenges faced by uniformed services personnel and other U.S. citizens overseas and helps those stakeholders develop methods for improving the voting process for these individuals.
OVI was originally formed in 2013, embarking on a four-year collaboration to improve the return rate of overseas absentee ballots from service members and U.S. citizens living abroad. OVI made significant progress in this effort, which is detailed in research reports. However, additional priorities for research were identified and are being addressed through a second cooperative agreement which began in 2018. Specific areas of focus in 2020 include improvement of the Election Administration and Voting Survey Section B data standard. Addi tionally, OVI will be working with some states to improve the data produced in this standard through process modeling and ongoing technical assistance with states. The goal of the data standard is to ease the states’ burden of completing the Election Administration and Voting Survey. It will also produce an update on advances in the development of methods for unreadable or damaged ballots since CSG last researched this topic in 2016, as well as guidance for procurement of election technology solutions designed for military and overseas voting.
Learning to LEAD With CSG
STAT E L E A D E RS D E M O NST R AT E EXTRAORDINARY DEDICATION T O T H E I R C O M M U N I T I E S , STATES AND THE NATION
One of the most important parts of the CSG MISSION is to support state leaders in their service by offering national and regional leadership development opportunities.
While leadership is an innate trait for many public servants, it is also a skill that must be continually practiced and honed. That is why CSG offers many training programs for elected and appointed state officials across the nation. WE ARE PROUD to partner with state leaders in their dedication to continual learning.
Featured Here: CHAS EBY, deputy executive director, Emergency Management Agency Maryland 2019 CSG HENRY TOLL FELLOW
FELLOWSHIP TOLL HENRY
Aug. 21–25 | Lexington, Kentucky
APPLICATION DEADLINE: May 8, 2020
Each year, the CSG Henry Toll Fellowship, named in honor of CSG founder Henry Wolcott Toll, brings together a group of rising state leaders to Lexington, Kentucky, for an intense week of leadership training. Participants are encouraged to both evaluate and adapt the way they interact with each other and the world around them— setting aside titles, politics and party lines. Designed to help state officials from all three branches take an introspective look at how they view themselves as public servants, colleagues and community members, the program provides a unique experience unlike any other in the nation. The Toll Fellowship is designed as a “graduate” level program complementing leadership development programs offered by CSG’s regional offices. It is therefore suggested, but not required, that applicants first complete their respective regional program. Elected, appointed and merit officials may all apply. The list of Toll Fellow alumni is long and distinguished. Past Toll Fellows have achieved great success including serving as governors, secretaries of state, chief justices, speakers and U.S. Congress members.
LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT CSG REGIONAL
CSG MIDWEST/MIDWESTERN LEGISLATIVE CONFERENCE
Aug. 7–11 | Minneapolis, Minnesota APPLICATION DEADLINE: April 8, 2020
Each summer, 37 lawmakers from the 11 member states of CSG Midwest and its affiliate members gather for a unique five-day educational experience, the Bowhay Institute for Legislative Leadership Development, or BILLD. Named in honor of the first director of CSG Midwest, the late James Bowhay, the Bowhay Institute is the only leadership training designed exclusively for Midwestern legislators. BILLD helps newer legislators develop the skills necessary to become effective leaders, informed decision-makers and astute policy analysts. The BILLD program is conducted by CSG Midwest in cooperation with The Center for the Study of Politics and Governance at the University of Minnesota’s Humphrey School of Public Affairs.
For more information and to apply, please visit: csgmidwest.org/BILLD/default.aspx CSG SOUTH/SOUTHERN LEGISLATIVE CONFERENCE
Center for the Advancement of Leadership Skills
Oct. 3–7 | Little Rock, Arkansas APPLICATION DEADLINE: June 30, 2020
The Center for the Advancement of Leadership Skills (CALS) seeks to create skilled, educated and confident state leaders by developing and enhancing core competencies that play a vital role in the service of public officials, in both professional and personal arenas. CALS prepares emerging and mid-career legislative, execu tive and judicial branch state leaders for their roles in state government. Through activities and instruction focusing on the leadership program’s four central components — communication, conflict resolution, consensus building and critical decisionmaking — CALS scholars have an opportunity to reinforce and refine these crucial skills.
For more information and to apply, please visit: slcatlanta.org/CALS
CSG EAST/EASTERN REGIONAL CONFERENCE
Eastern Leadership Academy
Aug. 30–Sept. 3 | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania APPLICATION DEADLINE: May 15, 2020
Named for Pennsylvania state Sen. Robert J. Thompson — a beloved state and local government leader whose 30-year career was a model of personal and professional integrity, fairness, optimism and humility — the Robert J. Thompson Eastern Leadership Academy ( ELA) annually brings together as many as 30 state and provincial officials from the 18 Eastern region member jurisdictions. This select group of state officials, from all three branches of government, receives training to enhance officials’ leadership and communication skills from a variety of experts in media, education and government. Held in partnership with the Fels Institute of Government, ELA is a unique opportunity to learn with the best and the brightest from across the region. The ELA is designed for legislators, as well as legislative staff, executive branch and judicial branch officials, primarily in the early to middle stages of their government careers.
For more information and to apply, please visit: csg-erc.org/leadership-academy CSG WEST
Western Legislative Academy
Dec. 9–12 | Colorado Springs, Colorado APPLICATION DEADLINE: April 17, 2020
Each year, CSG West brings together a distinguished national faculty to offer the West’s premier training experience for Western state legislators in their first four years of service. The goals of the Western Legislative Academy (WLA) are to help newer legislators to become more effective and to build stronger state legislative institu tions. To that end, a faculty of outstanding academics, corporate, military and public trainers work with a small class of lawmakers who come from each of our 13 Western states. Members of the academy are selected on the basis of their dedication to public service, desire to improve personal legislative effectiveness and commitment to the institution of the legislature. The WLA reinforces CSG West’s mission to provide opportunities for Western state legislators to share good ideas across state borders.
