Policy & Practice | Winter 2025

Addressing Current Pain Points: Catalysts for Future Innovation The human services sector stands at a crossroads. Long-standing challenges have intensified under shrinking time margins, but they also present opportunities for bold innova tion and redesign. 1. Workforce Fatigue and Retention: Chronic stress and administrative burdens drive burnout. Solutions oritizing employee well-being as a measurable performance outcome. 2.Fragmented Systems and Data Silos: Disconnected systems slow collaboration. Interoperability, shared governance, and secure cross-sector data exchanges can unlock real-time insights for smarter decisions. 3.Access Disparities and Service Gaps: Digital divides and cultural barriers persist. Co-designing solu tions with communities ensures technology and services reach those who need it most. 4.Reactive Rather than Preventive Approaches: Too often, services begin at crisis. Predictive analytics and early intervention frameworks can help shift toward prevention and resilience. 5. Outdated Funding and Policy Frameworks: Rigid funding and programs, and outcomes-based con tracts enable experimentation and accountability. 6.Limited Cross-Sector Integration: Complex social challenges require collective action. Integrating public, private, and civic resources can produce holistic, person-centered outcomes. Viewed through an innovation lens, these pain points become invita tions to rethink how human services operate merging technology with empathy to build adaptive, resil ient systems that thrive in an age of acceleration. include workflow automation, shared service models, and pri slow policy cycles hinder inno vation. Flexible funding, pilot

Using Technology to Amplify Human Connection Government systems have often lagged behind the private sector in adopting new technologies, con strained by limited resources and risk management requirements. The result is outdated systems that frustrate both staff and residents. Today, the shift is underway. Human-centered design and itera tive development are helping agencies modernize with purpose. By grounding digital transformation in user expe rience, government can improve efficiency and deepen human connec tion. Rather than replacing empathy, technology can create space for it. Predictive analytics can guide interven tions, while engagement platforms make it easier for residents, donors, and volun teers to participate in collective action. As communities face rapid change and increasing challenges, Fairfax County’s Department of Family Services (DFS) is demonstrating how local government can drive access, innovation, and belonging through the APHSA CSI framework. Grounded in a vision where every resident can thrive, Fairfax County DFS recognizes that belonging is essential to ensuring all residents have the opportu nity to thrive. It’s not just about fairness; it’s about ensuring everyone feels valued, connected, and empowered to contribute. Belonging starts with how we treat one another and those we serve, building trust, removing barriers, and amplifying voices that have too often been unheard. The CSI framework is helping Fairfax County DFS move from ideas to action. It emphasizes measurable, meaningful change rooted in collaboration and collective impact. Success isn’t defined by how many people are served, but by how much better they are because of partnership and shared purpose. Fairfax County, Virginia: A Case Study in Action

Creating lasting impact requires working across systems with nonprofits, grassroots organizations, faith-based partners, and community members with lived experience. Collaboration and listening strengthen their efforts and align around a common goal: a thriving, connected Fairfax County DFS. Data and stories guide our accountability. Evidence shows what’s working. Lived experience reveals why it matters. Together, they tell a fuller story of progress and possibilities. Aligned with the One Fairfax vision, Fairfax County DFS is building a culture where belonging and mea surable impact drive sustainable community transformation. Because if lasting change is our goal, belonging is the soil where it grows. It’s up to all of us to keep it strong and alive. The Takeaway Shrinking time margins are inevi table. Fragmentation and burnout are not. By investing in CSI, organiza tions can transform speed into shared strength. In an age of acceleration, community is the new operating system for thriving organizations and resilient communities. More About APHSA’s CSI Model APHSA’s CSI Model provides a prac tical roadmap to: n Build cross-sector coalitions for innovation and problem solving; n Strengthen engagement through human-centered design; n Develop adaptive, data-informed strategies grounded in collabora tion; and n Translate social impact commit ments into measurable results. For organizations ready to move at the speed of change with purpose, APHSA’s CSI model turns acceleration into opportunity. To learn more, contact Natalie Williams, Vice President of Community and Social Impact at Nwilliams@ aphsa.org or visit https://aphsa.org/ community-and-social-impact/.

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Winter 2025 Policy & Practice