Network Resources: State Systems

Peer Mentoring Network

Innovative Strategies

Regional Resource Centers

Quality Assurance/ Credentialing

Training

State Systems

Funding

Events

• What is a State System?
• Who is a State Leader?
• Why are State Systems Important?
• How do I Know if My State has a State System?
• State Systems Support Technical Assistance
• State Leaders Advisory Committee (SLAC)

As HFA continues to grow, many states have developed or are in the process of developing an infrastructure to support the evolution of the program. At the national office, State Systems Support staff are available to provide technical assistance to states as they develop state systems around areas such as: community planning and site development, training and technical assistance, quality assurance, administration and governance, public relations and media, public policy and advocacy, strategic planning, collaboration, public education and communication strategies.

1. What is a State System?

A state system is a network of support for HFA sites in a state. It is comprised of individuals who fill a variety of roles within HFA such as site staff, trainers, peer reviewers, state leaders, funders and evaluators who are connected to one another. State systems facilitate the sharing of resources and information, provide an environment for supportive learning, and enhance a state's ability to access funding.

States with state systems are also better able to:

Provide HFA training for staff at all sites.

Facilitate implementation of programs that meet the critical elements.

Assist established sites in preparing for HFA credentialing.

Increase public awareness and advocacy for HFA.

Identify potential funding streams for HFA.

Evaluate services and outcomes.

2. Who is a State Leader?

Within each state, there are typically individuals who are involved with HFA activities that occur at the state level and who play a critical role in the sustainability of the program. These individuals are known as state leaders.

An HFA state leader is someone who:

Is committed to supporting the growth and development of home visiting programs statewide;

Actively participates in a statewide home visiting and/or family support collaborative;

Regularly communicates with HFA sites and other state leaders in the state and with the national office;

Is supported by his/her agency in fulfilling their responsibility as a state leader and;

Is willing to serve as a resource in his/her area of expertise and provide a reasonable amount of technical assistance and support.

Research has shown that a state system facilitates the integration of components such as training, evaluation, and quality assurance to help ensure that members of the system keep abreast of emerging issues as they relate to serving families and children.

The state systems staff has developed a rationale in order to establisha research base that validates the importance of state systems.

Research Rationale for State Systems Development

4. How do I Know if my State has a State System:

HFA Primary Contacts

Within the pool of state leaders for each state, one individual is chosen by each state to facilitate the sharing of information between PCA America and the state leaders. This individual is called a Primary Contact. The Primary Contact is someone who is knowledgeable about the HFA activities in his/her state and is willing to serve as a communications point person between the national office, HFA sites and state leaders. To find your Primary Contact, click here: State Systems Primary Contacts

Self-Assessment Tool

PCA America has developed a self-assessment tool for state systems development. This tool allows states to evaluate their progress against a framework of components that have been found to support an effective state system. The assessment tool covers progress on areas such as: administration/governance, strategic planning, training and technical assistance, community planning and site development, quality assurance, public relations and media, public policy and advocacy, collaboration, public education and communication. To download the HFA state systems self-assessment tool, click here: Self Assessment Tool

5. State Systems Support Technical Assistance

State Systems Support staff is committed to supporting the development of state systems. To that end, we:

Offer links to other state leaders across the country;

Produce publications and guides that help state leaders access sustainable funding sources and advocate for home visiting in their states;

Convene a regular State Leaders' Meeting to bring together leaders from the network to discuss challenges and provide new information. In May 2006, the HFA State Leaders Meeting was held in San Diego, CA, in conjunction with the PCA America national conference. At that meeting, a panel discussion was held on advancements in HFA research. The discussion highlighted the findings from recent evaluations from the states of Florida, Arizona and New York. See the researchers' powerpoints below:

• Florida presentation
• Arizona presentation
• New York presentation

Conduct surveys and collect information that enables us to keep current on state activities pertaining to HFA and home visiting;

Hold periodic technical assistance conference calls on a variety of subjects that pertain to the needs of state leaders;

Conduct tailored workshops to explain the variety of ways in which states can develop systems;

Produce and disseminate a quarterly electronic newsletter (State Systems Scoop) that answers questions from the field, highlights news from the states and provides information on resources and new publications; and

Provide technical assistance to meet the needs of our state leaders around strategic planning, collaboration, funding, training, quality assurance, evaluation, advocacy, etc.

For more information about state systems development in your state, call your Primary Contact by clicking on your state.

6. State Leaders Advisory Committee (SLAC)

A State Leader's Advisory Committee (SLAC) helps address the challenges that states face as they work to develop state systems. This committee serves in an advisory capacity to provide guidance to State Systems Support staff around the provision of technical assistance and development of resources:

Gail Breakey, Hawaii
Hawaii Family Support institute

Deborah Callins, Alabama
National Children's Advocacy Center

Gaylord Gieseke, Illinois
Voices for Illinois Children

Natasha Johnson, New Jersey
PCA New Jersey

Carol McNally, Florida
Ounce of Prevention Fund of Florida

Becky Ruffner, Arizona
PCA Arizona

Marty Temple, Indiana
SCAN Administrative Agency