Policy & Practice | Summer 2026

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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Summer 2026 Policy & Practice