P&P April Issue 2018

president‘s memo By Tracy Wareing Evans

We Build Well-Being from the Ground Up

A t our upcoming National Health and Human Services Summit (May 6–9 in Crystal City, VA), we will officially unveil our “Strategic Playbook,” which is the guidebook for our members’ action plan for the next five years. We are energized to share the next phase of our collec- tive commitment to advancing the potential of all people in all places. Informed by our members, partners, and staff—and approved by our Executive Governing Board—the Strategic Playbook is designed to keep a laser focus on the core mission of the Association, assure our work is aligned with the desired future state of the field, connect us through common tools and language, and provide clear direction for how each of us—in our respective and collec- tive roles—can best contribute. I am excited to share some of the highlights of the new Playbook here. The Playbook is shaped by our newly adopted vision and mission statements: Mission: The American Public Human Services Association advances the well-being of all people by influencing modern approaches to sound policy, building the capacity of public agencies to enable healthy families and com- munities, and connecting leaders to accelerate learning and generate prac- tical solutions together. And, it is grounded in a core set of guiding principles for how we— individually and collectively as an organization—can be expected to behave (see What Guides Our Work, page 31). Vision: Thriving Communities Built on Human Potential

preventive and early interventions that enable all families to live healthy lives and thrive in their communities. Building on the theory of change that has emerged over the past five years, we have applied our shared learning into a dynamic “Theory of Action” that guides the steps and strategies we take daily, with and through our members and partners, to deliver on our value proposition (see above).

The Playbook illuminates the shared belief of leaders across the country that health and human services are a cor- nerstone to building a strong, dynamic, and healthy nation made up of thriving communities. Through model frame- works and common approaches, such as social determinants of health, whole family approaches, and the Human Services Value Curve, we are on a shared journey together—focused on moving the health and human services systems upstream to effective

See President’s Memo on page 31

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April 2018 Policy&Practice