Policy & Practice | Summer 2026

The Magazine of the American Public Human Services Association Summer 2026

ADVANCING SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC MOBILITY FOR LONG-TERM SUCCESS

TODAY’S EXPERTISE FOR TOMORROW’S SOLUTIONS

www.aphsa.org

contents

Vol. 84, No. 2 Summer 2026

features

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Keeping People at the Center A Conversation with Arizona SNAP Director Linda Schroeder

From Front Door to Full Pathways Advancing Economic Mobility Through Integrated Employment Supports

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The Power of Vision-Casting How It Empowered My Family to Achieve Economic Mobility After Crisis

Coordinated Health and Social Outcomes Organizing Human Services for Long-Term Social and Economic Mobility

departments

4 From Our Partners

8 Research Corner

30 Association News

Tackling the “Last Mile” in Medicaid: Keeping Eligible Members Covered Under New Rules

Minnesota Family Investment Program Teen Parent Project: Centering Young Families for a Stronger Future

APHSA Honors Award Recipients at 2026 National Human Services Summit

6 Partnering for Impact

26 Technology Speaks

33 Staff Spotlight

Advancing Upstream Solutions to Strengthen Families, Systems, and Community Well-Being

Modernizing Human Services: How Fairfax County Is Leading the Way

Michelle Massie, Senior Grant Initiative Manager

28 Technology Speaks

Automating Eligibility: Improving Accuracy and Consistency Through Data-Driven Decision Making

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Summer 2026 Policy & Practice

APHSA Executive Governing Board

Strategic Industry Partners DIAMOND

Elected Director Christine Norbut Beyer, Executive in Residence, Think Of Us Elected Director Charlie Brereton , Director, Montana Department of Public Health and

Chair Grace Hou, Deputy Governor for Health and Human Services, State of Illinois Vice Chair Kristi Putnam, Executive Policy Advisor Treasurer Sherron Rogers , Vice President, Finance, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Affinity Group Representative Karen Barber, General Counsel, Vermont Department of Mental Health Leadership Council Representative Jeffrey Cartmell, Executive Director, Oklahoma Human Services Local Council Representative Amy Swift, Director, Spotsylvania County (VA) Department of Social Services Elected Director Rodney Adams, Principal, R Adams & Associates Elected Director Derrik Anderson, Executive Director, Race Matters for Juvenile Justice

Human Services Elected Director Vannessa L. Dorantes, Managing Director, Casey Family Programs Elected Director Tracy Gruber , Executive Director, Utah Department of Health and Human Services Elected Director Eboni Washington , Director of Government and Community Relations, Action for Child Protection Immediate Past Chair Dannette R. Smith, Former Commissioner, Colorado Behavioral Health Administration and Former CEO, Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services President & CEO Reggie Bicha, President & CEO, APHSA

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Policy & Practice Summer 2026

Policy & Practice™ (ISSN 1942-6828) is published four times a year by the American Public Human Services Association, 901 North Glebe Road, Suite 210, Arlington, VA 22203. For subscription information, contact APHSA at (202) 682-0100 or visit the website at www.aphsa.org. Copyright © 2026. All rights reserved. This magazine may not be reproduced in whole or in part without written permission from the publisher. The viewpoints expressed in contributors’ materials are the authors’ own and do not necessarily reflect the policies or views of APHSA. Postmaster: Send address changes to Policy & Practice 901 North Glebe Road, Suite 210, Arlington, VA 22203

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Summer 2026 Policy & Practice

from our partners

By Jeff Burke, Hardik Machhar, Kelly Mahoney, Sri Yegnasubramanian, and Kiersten Adams

Tackling the “Last Mile” in Medicaid: Keeping Eligible Members Covered Under New Rules

S tarting January 1, 2027, Medicaid will enter a new era of admin istrative complexity. To keep their coverage, millions of members will need to regularly prove that they are working, volunteering, or otherwise meeting new community engagement requirements—putting enormous pressure on state agencies to build systems that can verify compliance, process exclusions, and keep eligible people enrolled. 1 The stakes are high. An estimated 5 to 10 million people could lose Medicaid coverage in 2027, including as many as half of those enrolled through the Affordable Care Act expansion, depending on how states implement the new rules. 2 Federal officials have already warned that the change will require major updates to state policy, operations, and technology. 3 The hardest part may be reaching the people most likely to lose coverage despite meeting eligibility require ments. Medicaid recipients with limited access to technology, housing instability, limited English proficiency, or low trust in institutions are espe cially vulnerable to falling through the cracks. For this “last-mile” popula tion, a few reminder emails or online prompts will not be enough (see Figure 1). Bridging the Last-Mile Gap Even with strong technology enable ment, many expansion members will not be verified through data checks or through standard outreach alone. California, for example, estimates that

Figure 1. Breaking down “last-mile” population challenges The “last-mile” population refers to a group of people who are difficult to reach, engage, or influence through standard communication and service-delivery channels. The barriers below highlight key reasons they are hard to reach.

automated processes could exclude or verify compliance for only about 40 percent of able-bodied, working-age adults enrolled in Medi-Cal. 4 That leaves a significant share of members in need of more targeted support to complete requirements and stay covered as community engagement policies take effect. States can address this gap through a focused five-step approach. 1. Identify impacted popula tions: Use data to proactively identify impacted populations and tailor outreach campaigns based on member profiles, track outreach effectiveness through dashboards and metrics, and enrich contact information such as addresses and phone numbers using multiple data sources.

2. Automate verification of excluded individuals and qualifying activities: Make use of real-time, synchronous, verifications to reduce worker and member burden. Use trusted data sources to auto-verify exclusions, and eligibility data for work hours and student status to clear verifi cation rules when possible. 3. Enable tech-driven outreach and engagement: Use engagement analytics to trigger targeted communi cations and enable members to easily submit exclusion, exception, and quali fying activity documentation through consent-based technologies and intel

ligent document processing. 4. Activate contact center

outreach and community engage ment: Launch an omni-channel, iterative, and automated outbound

Image via Deloitte analysis

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Policy & Practice Summer 2026

renewed automatically. Engagement analytics show that she opened an earlier email, prompting a targeted follow-up reminder and information about local resources that may help her navigate next steps. n 45 days—Initial communica tion attempts: With auto-renewal unavailable, Molly receives a renewal packet and more personal ized outreach. Based on her location and prior engagement history, a phone call is identified as the most effective next step. During that conversation, Molly shares that she is no longer working because she is the full-time caregiver for her disabled adult sister, and that infor mation is captured and added to her case. n 30 days—Approaching the renewal deadline: As the deadline nears, care coordinators and eli gibility staff focus on resolving Molly’s case and reinforce an omni channel approach to outreach and engagement. With a full view of her situation, a caseworker contacts her directly, confirms her caregiver status, and updates her file. Once the necessary information is recorded, Molly’s coverage is renewed for an additional six months. Looking Ahead States that pair automation with targeted, last-mile intervention will be better positioned to help eligible members maintain coverage as com munity engagement requirements take effect. Effective implementa tion will depend not only on efficient systems, but on the ability to reach and support members who are least likely to navigate new require ments on their own. Done well, this approach can close the last-mile gap, reduce churn and administra tive burden, and prevent avoidable coverage loss. Jeff Burke is a Principal with Deloitte Consulting LLP and serves as Deloitte’s U.S. National Health, Human Services, and Labor Leader. Hardik Machhar is a Principal with Deloitte Consulting LLP where he serves as an innovation and

contact center campaign that enables members to engage by phone, email, or chat. Track engagement and continue investing in the methods that prove most effective. Empower members to identify opportunities through embedded closed-loop referral capa bilities and provide human-in-the-loop support to review verification docu ments when needed. 5. Deploy a targeted support approach: Utilize coordination spe cialists, equipped with enriched data and AI-advised triaging methods, to engage remaining members and provide context-relevant kiosks at high-traffic sites such as Walmart and community-based organizations to provide information and real-time support. Last-Mile Intervention in Action The following example shows how last-mile intervention can work in practice. “Molly” is part of the Adult Expansion Population, i.e., Group VIII, and must meet H.R. 1 commu nity engagement requirements when renewing her Medicaid in May 2027. Living in a rural area and serving as the full-time caretaker for her disabled sister, she faces barriers that make timely, personalized outreach and support especially important. n 90+ days—Pre-renewal activi ties: As Molly’s May 2027 Medicaid renewal approaches, the state uses population analytics, socio demographic insights, and social determinants of health data that can be pulled into a central dash board to identify members who may need tailored support. Because Molly lives in a rural area and faces potential barriers to engage ment, she receives early outreach designed to raise awareness before action is required. With the insights provided in the dashboard, states can identify target populations that may benefit from earlier communi cation and create targeted outreach campaigns. n 60 days—Renewal initiation: The state initiates renewal by attempting to verify eligibility through a variety of available data sources, but Molly cannot be

modernization leader in the Human ServicesTransformation practice.

Kelly Mahoney is a Senior Manager with Deloitte Consulting LLP where she serves as a program and policy leader for state, local, and federal agencies. Sri Yegnasubramanian is a Senior Manager with Deloitte Consulting LLP where he serves as a product and innovation leader for state, local, and federal agencies. Kiersten Adams is a Manager with Deloitte Consulting LLP where she serves as a policy and regulatory leader within the Human Services Transformation practice. Reference Notes 1. Anna Mudumala et al., “The impact of H.R. 1 on two Medicaid eligibility rules,” KFF, September 22, 2025. 2. KFF, “Medicare expansion enrollment,” June 2025. RAND researchers estimate that West Virginia, Oregon, and New Mexico are on track to lose the highest percentage of Medicaid enrollees: Carl Smith, “These three states could lose the most Medicaid enrollees,” Governing, March 31, 2026. 3. Medicaid.gov, “Community engagement,” February 25, 2026. 4. “Overview of Individuals Impacted by H.R. 1 Work Requirement Policies in Medi-Cal and CalFresh,” Legislative Analyst’s Office, March 11, 2026. This communication contains general information only, and none of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited, its member firms, or their related entities (collectively, the “Deloitte network”) is, by means of this communication, rendering professional advice or services. Before making any decision or taking any action that may affect your finances or your business, you should consult a qualified professional adviser. No entity in the Deloitte network shall be responsible for any loss whatsoever sustained by any person who relies on this communication. As used in this document, “Deloitte” means Deloitte Consulting, LLP a subsidiary of Deloitte LLP. Please see www.deloitte.com/ us/about for a detailed description of our legal structure. Certain services may not be available to attest clients under the rules and regulations of public accounting.

Copyright © 2026 Deloitte Development LLC. All rights reserved.

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Summer 2026 Policy & Practice

partnering for impact

By Christine Dowdell, Natalie Williams, and Karen Walker

Advancing Upstream Solutions to Strengthen Families, Systems, and Community Well-Being

A cross the country, human services agencies are navigating growing challenges related to economic insta bility, food insecurity, workforce strain, housing pressures, and fragmented systems of support. At the same time, communities are demonstrating deep strengths, resilience, resourcefulness, and strong networks of care while calling for approaches that move beyond transactional services toward lasting pathways to stability, opportu nity, belonging, and well-being. This moment calls for more than incremental programmatic improve ment; it requires asset-based, community-centered systems trans formation that builds on existing strengths to create sustainable change. In Johnston County, North Carolina, the Johnston County Department of Social Services (JCDSS) is partnering with the American Public Human Services Association (APHSA) to advance this vision through APHSA’s Community & Social Impact (CSI) approach and the Science of Hope as a Framework for Action. Together, the partnership is strengthening leader ship alignment, workforce capacity, ecosystem collaboration, and commu nity partnership to support social and economic mobility. What began as a leadership and workforce development effort has evolved into a broader initiative to rei magine how human services systems partner with communities, align across sectors, and co-create solutions to shared challenges. At the center of this work is a shift from fragmented service delivery to coordinated, generative ecosystems

outputs, it strengthens the conditions that support long-term well-being. Key elements include: n Leadership alignment and workforce capacity n Cross-sector ecosystem coordination n Community-defined outcomes n Lived experience leadership n Shared governance n Prevention-oriented, upstream strategies n Continuous learning and adaptation n Collective ownership of outcomes For Johnston County, this aligns with its “One Johnston County” vision building a more connected, collab orative, and community-centered ecosystem. In a rapidly changing policy environ ment, JCDSS recognized the need to

designed to improve long-term well-being. Moving Beyond Programs

Toward Systems Transformation

Traditional human services systems are often organized around programs, compliance requirements, and siloed funding streams. While essential, these structures can lead to fragmented services, disconnected pathways, and workforce strain. Communities do not experience programs; they experience systems. The APHSA CSI approach supports a different model: community-centered systems transformation grounded in shared governance, collective account ability, and ecosystem alignment. Rather than focusing only on service

Illustration by Chris Campbell

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From Engagement to Shared Governance

how it can be part of a broader eco system strategy supporting family stability and well-being. The next phase includes an Impact Collaboration Lab bringing together staff, partners, residents, and individ uals with lived experience to co-design upstream solutions related to food access and SNAP navigation. A Generative Model for the Future of Human Services Johnston County’s partnership with APHSA reflects a broader evolution in human services: moving from program administration toward adaptive, learning-oriented systems that evolve with communities. The CSI approach supports this shift by strengthening leadership, workforce alignment, ecosystem coordination, shared governance, and community partnership. For Johnston County, early founda tions include: n Leadership alignment n Workforce engagement n Shared governance n Cross-sector collaboration n Community-centered planning n Innovation infrastructure n Continuous learning and adaptation n Community-defined outcomes Ultimately, this work reinforces a critical idea: public agencies are not only service providers, they are partners in co-creating the conditions for community thriving. As agencies nationwide seek more effective ways to strengthen mobility and resilience, Johnston County offers an emerging example of what is possible when systems move upstream, share power, invest in leadership, and center long-term community well-being. Christine Dowdell is the Director of Johnston County (NC) Department of Social Services. Natalie Williams is the Vice President of Community and Social Impact at APHSA. Karen Walker is the Senior Manager of Strategic Community Engagement at APHSA.

strengthen both internal alignment and external partnerships, shifting from reactive service delivery toward upstream, coordinated approaches focused on long-term impact. Through its partnership with APHSA and the Hope Research Center, JCDSS launched a multiphase CSI engagement focused on leadership development, systems thinking, and organizational transformation. Building Shared Vision, Leadership, and Workforce Alignment A key outcome of the initiative was the creation of a shared Desired Future State centered on collaboration, opportunity, innovation, hope, shared accountability, and collective impact. Through visioning exercises, eco system mapping, and collaborative dialogue, staff connected daily work to broader community outcomes. This work supported a shift: n From fragmented systems to coordi nated ecosystems n From isolated programs to aligned pathways n From transactional delivery to com munity partnership n From organizational ownership to collective impact n From compliance-driven work to adaptive systems mobility and well-being are shaped by relationships, governance structures, and ecosystem coordination, not just individual programs. Using APHSA’s CSI Leadership & Capacity Building Driver, the initiative strengthened: n Shared leadership and accountability n Workforce engagement and voice n Cross-functional coordination n Reflective learning and adaptation n Trust and relational alignment Across the human services field, this reflects a growing recognition that The Science of Hope was integrated as a systems asset, supporting resil ience, goal-setting, and adaptive capacity in complex environments. Assessment findings showed strong organizational alignment and high levels of collective hope signaling read iness for continued transformation.

A key lesson from the work is that transformation cannot occur within agency walls alone. Leaders and staff consistently emphasized the importance of lived experience leadership, community voice, and shared decision making. This reflects a broader shift in the field: designing systems with commu nities rather than for them. Under the CSI approach, commu nity engagement is not a one-time activity but core infrastructure for transformation. This includes strengthening: n Shared governance structures n Cross-sector collaboration n Community-defined outcomes n Lived experience leadership n Collective accountability n Trust and relational infrastructure In Johnston County, this means building structures that bring together public systems, community partners, and residents to co-create solutions to long-standing challenges. Advancing Upstream Solutions for Mobility and Well-Being A central focus of the work is upstream, prevention-oriented transformation. While many systems remain crisis driven, Johnston County is working to address root causes, strengthen pathways to opportunity, and align services around whole-person and whole-community well-being. This includes: n Reducing system fragmentation n Strengthening navigation pathways n Aligning around shared outcomes n Expanding collaboration n Building trust across systems and communities n Improving ecosystem coordination n Supporting community-defined solutions One emerging focus area is food security and Supplemental Assistance Nutrition Program (SNAP) access. Rather than treating SNAP solely as an eligibility program, JCDSS is exploring

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research corner

By Dr. Katie Boone and Johanna Ramussen

Minnesota Family Investment Program Teen Parent Project: Centering Young Families for a Stronger Future

T he Minnesota Family Investment Program (MFIP) is the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program in Minnesota. The MFIP policy team at the Department of Children, Youth, and Families set out with a goal to develop a frame work for services to teen parents on MFIP that considers the lived experi ences of teen parents accessing these services and the available resources that can provide further insights on opportunities for a more impactful program and services for this popula tion. An RFP (request for proposal) for phase one of a long-term project was launched to identify a potential contractor to partner with the state team in September 2024. The con tractor was brought into the project in March 2025. The multiphase project is building a vision for a statewide system where every young family experiences consistent, compassionate, and culturally responsive support that prioritizes education, stability, and overall family well-being. Engagement sessions with teen parent MFIP partici pants occurred in August 2025 to help identify the strategic priority areas of phase two of the project over the course of five years. The team is cur rently working on approving an RFP for phase two of this work. Learning from Families with Lived Experience The engagement sessions for phase one were designed as intentional,

locations selected for accessibility and comfort. The sessions were held at Connections 2 Independence in Minneapolis and Oshkiimaajitahdah in the Red Lake Nation. Engagement sessions were scheduled at times that accommodated participants’ needs. Supports included meals, on-site child care, and an honorarium that honored their time and expertise. From the outset, participants received clear communication and informed consent materials that explained the purpose of the sessions, the use of data, and the collaborative nature of the process.

trauma-informed spaces where teen parents could share their lived experiences, analyze data, and col laboratively envision improvements to the Minnesota Family Investment Program. Each session was guided by a whole family approach, 1 combining Liberatory Design principles 2 and Human-Centered Design 3 that honor community expertise, foster trust, and promote reflection and shared learning. Each teen parent participated in a six-hour in-person engagement session hosted in trusted, community-based

Illustrations by Chris Campbell

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Policy & Practice Summer 2026

communication, active listening, and shared understanding. These con nections, often described as “social capital,” are seen as essential supports that current systems do not consis tently provide. Based on these insights, the project has identified three key priorities to guide the next phase of work: strong relationships with caseworkers— relationships built on clear communication, active listening, and shared understanding. Creating a statewide learning system to better track outcomes and under stand what supports are most effective for young caregivers BUILDING SOCIAL CONNECTIONS Expanding opportunities for peer engagement and community building, co-designed with teen parents ENHANCING SERVICES Improving frontline support through training, stronger coordination across agencies, and relationship-based approaches grounded in dignity and cultural responsiveness What’s Next The project team will publish a full Summary of Learning report, which will be available on the Engagement HQ page. Looking ahead, DCYF plans Teen parents want peer communities, emotional support, and welcoming, nonjudgmental spaces. They stressed the importance of STRENGTHENING DATA AND LEARNING

to release an RFP in 2026 to bring on key partners: n A measurement and data partner to support pilot implementation and learning n A social capital partner to build sustainable peer networks and engagement infrastructure Together, this work will support a multiyear pilot aimed at creating a more connected, responsive, and effec tive system—one where teen parents across Minnesota have the support they need to thrive. Want to learn more? Visit MFIP Teen Parent Project EngagementHQ at https://min nesotadcyf.us.engagementhq.com/ mfip-teen-parent-project/. You can also learn more at the Economic Mobility & Well-Being (EMWB) Conference during our session, “Transforming Stories into Systems Change: The MFIP Teen Parent Project,” on Monday, August 24, at 11:30 a.m. Reference Notes 1. https://dcyf.mn.gov/ whole-family-approach 2. https://www.nationalequityproject.org/ frameworks/liberatory-design 3. https://dcyf.mn.gov/sites/ default/files/2025-12/eaesd.wfs_. humancentereddesign.12.1.2025.pdf 4. https://www.urban.org/sites/default/ files/2022-03/2000510-data-walks an-innovative-way-to-share-data-with communities.pdf 5. https://acf.gov/opre/report/walking participants-shoes-customer-journey mapping-tool-identify-barriers-program 6. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/ PMC12934378 7. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/ PMC12968274 8. https://www.evalacademy.com/articles/ what-you-need-to-know-about-member checking Dr. Katie Boone is the Engagement and Qualitative Research Coordinator at the Minnesota Department of Children,Youth, and Families. Johanna Ramussen is the MFIP Policy Analyst at the Minnesota Department of Children,Youth, and Families.

The engagement sessions used a variety of methodologies to engage participants, including a data walk, 4 journey mapping 5 through narra tive inquiry, 6 and sensemaking 7 to determine strategic priority recom mendations for phase two. Following the engagement sessions, virtual loopback sessions were convened to complete the learning cycle. Loopback sessions are a member-checking 8 qualitative research methodology, important for fostering trust. These 90-minute gatherings brought participants back together for collective sensemaking and learning, providing space and time for participants to review emerging findings, ensuring their voices were accurately represented, and that the resulting insights reflected the collec tive intent of the group. Participants revisited key themes, including the role of caseworkers, access to child care, communication barriers, and opportunities to build community among teen parents. They examined how the synthesized findings aligned with their lived realities and provided feedback to refine language, framing, and priorities. What We Learned Through this work, teen parents shared powerful insights about their goals and experiences. They expressed a strong commitment to their chil dren’s well-being and to building stable, successful futures. Many high lighted the importance of access to reliable child care, meaningful career pathways, and education—including financial literacy, life skills, and oppor tunities to explore entrepreneurship. The parents demonstrated strength in difficult situations, initiative in navigating a program and system that often presented barriers to the parents’ goals, and the foresight to access and form a supportive community of other parents that fostered opportunities for mentorship and entrepreneurship. Participants also emphasized the value of connection. Teen parents want peer communities, emotional support, and welcoming, nonjudgmental spaces. They stressed the importance of strong relationships with case workers—relationships built on clear

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Summer 2026 Policy & Practice

INDA SCHROEDER has spent more than 40 years serving Arizona’s human services system. As Support Operations Program Administrator for the Division of Benefits and Medical Eligibility at the Arizona Department of Economic Security, her work includes the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program, and Medicaid eligibility. Her commitment to public service has been remarkably enduring. After retiring from state service, Schroeder returned just one week later as a contractor before eventu ally rejoining the agency as a full-time employee. “That’s because I love what I do,” she said. Schroeder currently serves as Chair of the American Association of SNAP Directors (AASD), an APHSA Affinity Group, and its Executive Advisory Council. Following two terms as Chair, she will transition to the role of Immediate Past Chair in September and continue sharing her experi ence with the council. She is also a graduate of the APHSA National Leadership Academy. APHSA is deeply grateful for Schroeder’s unwavering leadership, generous partnership, and steadfast commit ment to the SNAP community. Her candor, wisdom, and care have strengthened AASD and supported state leaders through a period of extraordinary complexity and change. APHSA’s Brandy Whisman, Senior Associate of Policy , and Kara Williams, Policy Associate , recently sat down with Schroeder to reflect on her decades of service, her leadership of the SNAP community, and the lessons she has learned throughout her career. In this interview, Schroeder reflects on her path to public service, the responsibilities facing SNAP leaders today, and the importance of keeping people at the center of human services. The following has been edited for length and clarity. the Center A Conversation with Arizona SNAP Director Linda Schroeder L Schroeder Whisman Williams Keeping People at

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Summer 2026 Policy & Practice

Q: WHAT FIRST DREW YOU TO PUBLIC SERVICE? LINDA SCHROEDER: My dad. Growing up, I never felt like I went without, but I also saw that not everyone lived the way we did. My dad was good to everybody. He did not care what walk of life someone came from. If someone needed help, he helped them. I watched how he treated people with dignity, and those experiences made me want to make a difference. That is what brought me into social services. It was not the money, certainly, but the opportunity to serve others. Q: HOW HAS YOUR UNDERSTANDING OF SNAP CHANGED OVER THE COURSE OF YOUR CAREER? LS: I often say that I grew up in the SNAP world. I have watched the program evolve in positive ways and seen changes that concern me. What I have learned is that you must look at the whole picture. There are federal requirements we have to follow, but states also have choices about implementation. Leaders need to consider what each decision will mean for program integrity, staff, partners, and participants. When we consider a change, I ask: What will this do for our error rate and participation? How will it affect staff and customers? Do our processes and communications also need to change? A decision may appear efficient in one area but create unintended consequences somewhere else. It can become a domino effect. Leaders have to anticipate those connections. Q: WHAT IS MOST TOP OF MIND FOR YOU AND YOUR TEAM RIGHT NOW? LS: The balance between stream lining, efficiency, quality, and service. Those goals do not automatically conflict, but we must understand the risks. Moving too far in the name of streamlining can affect accuracy or make it harder for eligible people to receive assistance.

Partnership also requires honesty. We should be able to say when some thing is not working, learn from it, and adjust before decisions are final. Q: HOW DO YOU DEFINE SUCCESS BEYOND TRADITIONAL PERFORMANCE MEASURES? LS: Accuracy, timeliness, and par ticipation are important, but numbers do not tell the full story. Success also means eligible people can navigate the program, staff have the tools they need, and our processes do not create unnecessary barriers. People sometimes ask, “How many customers will this issue affect?” We may know about one household, but how many others experienced the same issue and never contacted us? How many eligible people never applied because they were confused, discouraged, or afraid? Those are the people I worry about, the ones we do not know about. A strong program looks beyond the cases that reach our desks and asks who may still be missing. Q: WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE SOMEONE BEGINNING A CAREER IN HUMAN SERVICES? LS: Understand that it is not just a job. Human services is a people business. You need to reflect on whether you truly want to serve people from every walk of life. You cannot be judgmental. Your role is not to assume someone is dishonest or to look for a way to make them ineligible. Your role is to determine whether they qualify, follow the rules, and help them navigate the process. I tell staff: You are never better than the person you are serving. That person could be your mother, brother, sister, or grandmother. Would your grandmother understand the applica tion or notice? How would you want someone to treat her? Some people use every bit of courage they have just to walk into an office or call us. They may have taken a bus with their children or used limited phone minutes to complete

States are responding to major policy and funding changes while facing intense attention on payment accuracy. We need clear information, reliable processes, and expectations that states can understand and trust. We also cannot focus so heavily on one measure that we lose sight of the program as a whole. Accuracy, par ticipation, customer service, and staff capacity all matter. Strong leadership requires us to hold those responsibili ties together. Q: HOW DO YOU HELP STAFF NAVIGATE NEW POLICY AND OPERATIONAL DEMANDS? LS: I try to make sure the people developing policies and processes remain connected to what is happening partners and public informational forums. They hear questions and concerns directly from community organizations and the people they serve. This helps staff see how an agency decision can affect the infor mation participants receive, the steps they must complete, and their ability to access benefits. Staff may recognize a challenge they had not considered and bring that lesson back to their teams. A change may make sense on paper but create a burden for eligibility workers, call center staff, partners, or customers. We need those perspectives involved early enough to identify challenges. Q: WHAT DOES MEANINGFUL PARTNERSHIP LOOK LIKE DURING A PERIOD OF CHANGE? LS: It means having the right people at the table early enough to influence the work. That includes agency staff, federal partners, advocates, food banks, legal organizations, technology teams, and people with direct experi ence navigating the program. Community partners often hear immediately when a requirement or process is creating confusion. They help agencies understand what is happening beyond the cases that formally reach us. outside their immediate work. Members of our staff attend meetings with SNAP outreach

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and family, and being at home with our two dachshunds, Archy and Slinky. Q: AS YOUR TERM AS AASD CHAIR COMES TO A CLOSE, WHAT DO YOU HOPE FELLOW SNAP LEADERS CARRY FORWARD? LS: Stay connected to one another. State SNAP directors are navigating incredibly complex responsibilities, and no one should have to do that work alone. Be willing to ask difficult questions. Challenge something respectfully when it does not make sense. Share what is working, but also be honest about what is not. We need to learn from one another’s successes and mistakes. Most important, do not allow the urgency and complexity of this moment to take the human element out of human services. There are people behind the scenes who care deeply about getting this right, even when the work is complicated and we do not get everything right the first time.

one of us could find ourselves on the other side of the desk. Q: WHAT ARE A FEW THINGS YOUR SNAP COLLEAGUES MAY NOT KNOW ABOUT YOU? LS: I was adopted at birth, and for much of my life I wanted to learn more about where I came from. I eventu ally met both my biological mother and father. My biological mother attended my wedding, met the parents who raised me, and thanked them for raising me. That was very meaningful. Learning about my biological family also helped me connect with and take pride in my Mexican heritage. My husband was adopted as well, and we have both connected with biological family members. That is one reason I love genealogy. Family is a huge part of my life. I am a mother of seven, including three children we adopted, a grandmother of eight, and a great grandmother of three. I also enjoy reading, exploring gene alogy, spending time with my husband

an interview. We need to recognize what it may have taken for someone to reach us and help that person maintain their dignity. Q: HOW HAS EXPERIENCING HUMAN SERVICES FROM THE OTHER SIDE OF THE SYSTEM SHAPED YOUR LEADERSHIP? LS: At one point, my husband and I cared for our granddaughter while my daughter worked through a difficult period. I accessed TANF and Medicaid on my granddaughter’s behalf. I knew what resources were avail able because I worked in the system. Other grandparents and relatives may not know where to begin or which questions they are required to answer. That experience showed me the gap between a service being available and a family knowing how to access it. It reinforced my belief that educa tion matters. We cannot assume people understand our language or processes simply because we work with them every day. It also reminded me that any

APHSA’s blog, The Catalyst , encourages the exchange of creative ideas and promising initiatives to strengthen the human services sector and accelerate our collective impact. Featuring content from members, partners, and staff, our blog posts focus on what it takes to build well-being from the ground up. Organized around areas of impact as well as a variety of special series, our goal is to spark new ideas and accelerate the spread of promising approaches that help realize our shared vision for thriving communities built on human potential.

Read the Latest Post, Visit https://aphsa.org/the-catalyst/

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Summer 2026 Policy & Practice

From Front Door to Full Pathways Advancing Economic Mobility Through Integrated Employment Supports

By Rachel Zietlow

cross public benefit programs, employment has long served as a cornerstone of efforts to support economic mobility. Traditionally, success has been measured through participation milestones or job placements, indicators that allow states and participants to demonstrate compliance with work‑related requirements. Today, state and local human services leaders are increasingly asking whether these measures alone reflect what program participants need to remain employed and move forward over time. When job seekers face caregiving responsibilities, transpor‑ tation gaps, health considerations, and changing work schedules, employment is an ongoing process. Supporting economic mobility begins with helping people connect to work, but it continues through sustained employment, adaptation, and progress toward greater stability. a

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on schedule, transportation, physical demands, accessibility, and language. When individuals are ready to move forward, the front door should connect to clear next steps, rather than becoming a dead end. Warm handoffs to partners, supported by confirmation and light‑touch reminders, help sustain momentum without forcing participants to navigate multiple systems on their own. At scale, trust and curation matter: opportunities verified and refreshed by local partners signal relevance, while feedback loops help states refine pathways based on what leads to sustained engagement and completion, particularly when paired with human support. Designing for Real‑World Barriers to Employment Individuals striving to meet work requirements often face inter secting barriers that shape whether an opportunity is viable over time. Transportation gaps, caregiving When individuals are ready to move forward, the front door should connect to clear next steps, rather than becoming a dead end. Warm handoffs to partners, supported by confirmation and light‑touch reminders, help sustain momentum without forcing participants to navigate multiple systems on their own.

states to adopt employment strategies rightsized to their specific contexts while drawing on proven approaches from across programs. Viewing employment as a pathway, rather than a one‑time transaction, can help align compliance, engagement, and mobility objectives. Moving From Job Boards to Opportunity Boards Traditional job boards play an impor tant role in connecting individuals to open positions, but most assume par ticipants are equally ready to search, apply, and begin work. In reality, indi viduals approach employment from very different starting points. An effective employment “front door” acknowledges this vari ability. Rather than offering a single search experience, opportunity boards organize options into guided pathways aligned to common goals and constraints—such as imme diate income, short‑term training, schedule stabilization, or reentry after an employment gap. This framing helps individuals understand what is feasible now and how choices connect over time. Choice works best when it is informed—when people can quickly see which options are realistic given their constraints, and understand what comes next. A skills‑first approach is central to this model. Opportunity boards translate lived experience—whether caregiving, military service, informal work, or prior employment—into usable skills and link them to attain able next steps. When additional preparation adds value, short‑cycle training and micro‑credentials can be presented alongside jobs, clarifying time commitment, credentials earned, and roles unlocked. Opportunity‑based approaches also recognize that progress is not limited to immediate placement. Structured volunteer and community service roles can function as experience bridges, helping individuals build recent work history, references, and routines. Barrier‑aware filtering further ensures that choice is realistic—allowing individuals to focus on opportuni ties they can start and sustain based

For program leaders, the challenge is not whether employment expectations matter, but how to design systems that meet statutory requirements while sup porting durable outcomes—at scale, within constrained resources, and in ways that reflect real‑world circum stances. Advancing economic mobility requires a shift from viewing employ ment as a transaction to supporting it as a pathway over time. A Converging Policy Landscape Across Programs This shift is relevant across the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) with long‑standing work requirements, as well as near-term Medicaid com munity engagement requirements, where implementation models must come together quickly. Although these programs operate under different rules and funding structures, they increas ingly share common objectives. SNAP and TANF bring decades of operational experience engaging individuals around employment and training. Through real‑world imple mentation at scale, states and counties have refined approaches to outreach, case management, barrier resolution, and employer engagement. Medicaid community engagement requirements introduce similar themes, though often with different approaches to compliance and member engage ment. Across all three programs, agencies are balancing the need to meet statutory requirements with broader goals such as reducing churn, supporting ongoing participation, and promoting longer‑term stability. The convergence of these policy goals presents an opportunity for

Rachel Zietlow is the Regional

Managing Director for U.S. Services at Maximus.

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The strongest employment systems

(where allowed) can reduce duplica tion, improve efficiency, and enhance the participant experience. As states assess their approach, leaders must determine the level of support needed to meet current requirements. In many cases, oppor tunity platforms curated to local labor markets can efficiently connect individ uals to qualifying activities and next steps, supporting compliance while minimizing administrative complexity. Some states may choose to build on this foundation to pursue broader goals such as reducing churn, improving retention, or supporting advancement. In these models, shared employment infrastructure can support multiple programs while targeted human support and partner coordination address specific needs. Active deadline management— tracking response windows, issuing reminders, and escalating outreach when needed—helps ensure noncom pliance is not the default outcome. Regardless of model, successful strategies are grounded in the local context. Engaging workforce partners, employers, community-based organi zations, and training providers helps ensure employment supports reflect lived experience and real labor market conditions. Flexibility remains essen tial, allowing states to adapt as policy requirements and economic condi tions change. Advancing Mobility, One Pathway at a Time Economic mobility is built through systems, not single tools. As engage ment expectations continue to evolve across SNAP, TANF, and Medicaid, state and local leaders have an oppor tunity to design approaches that meet today’s requirements while supporting longer‑term stability. tion, agencies can align compliance, engagement, and outcomes in ways that are both operationally feasible and human centered. When employment supports are designed to reflect how people actually move toward work and stability, progress becomes achievable one pathway at a time, for individuals, families, and communities alike. By treating employment as a pathway, rather than a transac

responsibilities, health considerations, digital access, and schedule variability do not affect individuals uniformly, and they can change quickly. Effective employment strategies account for this variability rather than assume linear readiness. Some individ uals benefit from streamlined access to job listings aligned to their constraints. Others require brief, targeted assis tance or short‑term preparation before employment is realistic. In some cases, more comprehensive support is neces sary to prevent repeated disruption. Opportunity boards that surface practical context, such as proximity to transportation or child care, help indi viduals quickly identify viable options without additional intervention. States can take this further through barrier aware filtering that reflects real constraints, including schedule stability, physical demands, language needs, remote or hybrid settings, and basic digital access. In some cases, short-cycle training or credentialing is the more effective next step. Leading programs also link opportunity explo ration to complementary supports that stabilize participation and improve retention over time. Understanding employment through a whole‑life lens allows agencies to intervene thoughtfully, adding complexity only where it improves outcomes. A common framing among effective programs is “job today, job tomorrow.” Immediate employment can support income and compliance, while continued engagement helps individuals adapt to change, pursue advancement, and remain connected long enough for progress to take hold. Technology and Human Support Working Together The strongest employment systems are defined not by technology or case management alone, but by how inten tionally the two work together. Digital tools expand access and flexi bility by enabling individuals to engage with volunteer, training, and employ ment options that fit their schedules and circumstances. Online platforms, text messaging, and phone‑based engagement can reduce barriers—par ticularly for rural or geographically dispersed populations—when paired

are defined not by technology or

case management alone, but by how intentionally the two work together.

with clear, plain‑language communica tion that makes requirements and next steps easier to understand. When well designed, technology also supports warm handoffs to training providers or community partners and enables light‑touch reminders that help participants follow through. At the same time, technology cannot account for every disruption. A missed shift due to a child care closure or transportation change does not nec essarily signal disengagement. Still, without timely support, these moments can quickly escalate into job loss or compliance challenges. This is where human support adds the greatest value. Skilled case workers and coaches help interpret options, troubleshoot challenges, and provide problem‑solving support when it matters most. Their role is not to replace self‑service tools, but to complement them, intervening selec tively to sustain momentum. Systems that reduce routine administrative work and surface relevant information allow staff to focus on higher‑value engagement when it matters most, strengthening both operational effi ciency and participant experience. Aligning Employment Strategies to State Context For states administering SNAP, TANF, and Medicaid, employment strategies often span programs with distinct policy and funding constraints. While these differences complicate coordination, incremental alignment

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