Nonpartisan Public Policy Solutions

Nonpartisan

Public Policy

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2020 Policy Academy roster includes deep dives into Medicaid, cybersecurity and sustainability

The CSG Policy Academy Series provides customized training and a “deeper dig” on critical policy topics facing the states. Rather than exploring a topic for several hours only, a policy academy allows state leaders to unpack the complexities of an issue during a day-long or multi-day event. During the year, policy academies are typically invitation-only, serving members whose work is directly impacted by the issues at hand. Policy academies convened during the CSG National Conference, however, are open to all conference attendees, providing an outstanding opportunity for state leaders to broaden their knowledge of shared issues. “The CSG Policy Academy Series is leadership development through issue analysis,” said CSG Chief Advancement Officer Maggie Mick. “Through the policy academy series, CSG creates a safe space for state officials to learn from each other and among peers. We encourage policymakers to leave any partisan hats at the door and to feel comfortable asking challenging questions in a non-partisan environment. “While attending conferences featuring twohour overviews on a public policy issue remains a need and helpful to state policymakers, CSG policy academies are a full-day program or multi-day event on a single issue or focus areas in order to explore the layers of complex policy implications. Through this thorough examination, state policymakers can assess the issue and, in turn, are better equipped to return to their states and offer meaningful public policy solutions.” Past policy academy topics have included transportation, privacy and cybersecurity, Medicaid leadership, energy and environment and more. For state leaders, these opportunities provide not only in-depth information, but also a chance to share ideas with leaders from other states and to build professional networks.

To learn more about participating in a CSG Policy Academy, please contact registration@ csg.org or (800) 800-1910.

In 2020, CSG will offer three policy academies in addition to the Healthy States and The Future of Work national task force meetings. With the exception of the Medicaid Leadership Academy, all policy academies in 2020 will be held during the 2020 CSG National Conference in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and are open to all conference attendees. Register now at: web.csg.org/2020.

As citizen legislators, we are always looking for more information and training that will enable us to make well-informed decisions in our legislative duties. CSG has been a great resource for me in that respect and I have encouraged my fellow legislators to access the resources CSG provides. They are a tremendous benefit not only to us as legislators, but also to the states we serve.”

— ARIZONA STATE SEN. RICK GRAY (attended CSG’s 2020 Forecast for Legislative Leaders)

2020 Policy Academy Line Up

MEDICAID LEADERSHIP ACADEMY SEPT. 23–25 | WASHINGTON, D.C.

CSG will convene its Medicaid Leadership Academy for state legislators who serve in leadership positions on health-related committees. The program is designed for legislators who are familiar with the basics of Medicaid policy and who are interested in examining more complex issues. Attendees will have opportunities to interact with peers from around the country as well as presenters from state Medicaid agencies, federal Medicaid offices, public policy think tanks and health care provider communities about top-of-the-mind topics such as integration of physical and behavioral health; community-based, long-term support and services; dental services; substance use disorder treatment; and reducing emergency room usage. Attendees will learn about successful state Medicaid policies and practices to reduce costs, to increase access to care and to improve health outcomes. Issues of importance this year will include new developments regarding 1332 and 1115 waivers. In November 2019, Tennessee submitted a block grant proposal which significantly reshapes TennCare, its state Medicaid program. During the policy academy, state leaders will have the opportunity to discuss new developments, interact with leaders from other states and share ideas. “The thing I look forward to most in these policy academies is having the members come in and develop those strong bonds,” said CSG Policy Analyst Brandy Whisman. “People are having difficult conversations in a safe environment. People are asking hard questions. I love seeing people from very different sides of the aisle have these conversations and start talking about solutions. People can usually agree on the problem; we tend to disagree about how we got here and what we are going to do about it. That’s where these conversations are most productive.”

PRIVACY AND CYBERSECURITY CSG NATIONAL CONFERENCE DEC. 2–5 | SANTA FE, NEW MEXICO

State governments handle billions of pieces of personal data every day; securing that information is both increasingly important and difficult. Security breaches can result from something as simple as a lost laptop or as complex as a sophisticated, intentional attack from cybercriminals. Cyberattacks can lead to personal identity theft and create major disruptions in the ability of states to deliver crucial services to residents. While cybersecurity is an issue of increasing importance, states are often unprepared. This policy academy will explore state solutions to cybersecurity and privacy concerns. Faculty will consist of state chief information officers as well as experts from industry and academia. Some states are investing heavily in cybersecurity in 2020 — for instance, California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s proposed budget for 2020-21 would invest $38.8 million and create 85 new positions “to strengthen the state’s information technology security operations.” Many states, however, are faced with increasing security on a small budget. In 2020, the Privacy and Cybersecurity Policy Academy will look at low-cost options for states, as well as emerging trends and issues. Privacy is a topic of growing importance in the news. In January, Apple returned to the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas following a 28-year gap, not to talk about products, but to discuss privacy. According to CNBC, Apple Chief Privacy Officer Jane Horvath spoke on a consumer privacy panel, defending the company’s use of encryption. “Our phones are relatively small and they get lost and stolen,” Horvath said. “If we’re going to be able to rely on our health data and finance data on our devices, we need to make sure that if you misplace that device, you’re not losing your sensitive data.” Other hot topics in 2020 include facial recognition, cloud computing and edge computing, 5G network security, securing networks of connected devices known as “The Internet of Things,” deep fakes, disinformation campaigns and election security. “There are so many opportunities right now, because the threats continue to increase in number and scale,” said CSG Policy Analyst Vanessa Grossl. “I’m excited to hear from experts in the room, as well as well as state leaders who are really able to implement changes in their states.”

The Alzheimer’s Association has partnered with CSG to support numerous Medicaid policy academies over the years. CSG’s policy academies convene executive and legislative branch officials who provide oversight on select policy issues. They give state leaders an opportunity to dig into the details on a specific public policy area and engage with issue experts. Representing a nonprofit, my funds are limited and CSG’s policy academies have proven to be worthy of our additional investment.”

— JENNIFER ROSEN The Alzheimer’s Association

THE TURN TOWARD SUSTAINABILITY CSG NATIONAL CONFERENCE DEC. 2–5 | SANTA FE, NEW MEXICO

According to Forbes, many organizations are discovering that environmental sustainability efforts make good business sense. Sustainability and environmentally friendly operations can be more cost-efficient and help reduce waste. As states continue to assess their role in appropriating, regulating and containing waste impacting the climate, state leaders are seeking collaboration with industries leading on sustainability efforts. Issues of sustainability have been cropping up in both of the CSG National Task Forces (Healthy States and The Future of Work). This year, CSG will offer a policy academy specifically addressing sustainability issues in health care and the workforce, as well as public-private partnerships that can connect the dots between sustainability and business operations. Possible topics include smart government analytics regarding pollution and waste management, the use of smart data in recycling programs, the use of technology to mitigate natural hazards, sustainability engagement in the public workforce and more. “I’m looking forward to hearing state leaders talk about what the states’ role can be in collaborating with companies that have a sustainable outlook,” said CSG Policy Analyst Sierra Hatfield. “I’m excited to have conversations about sustainability as something that can boost the economy.”