On March 26, Results for America and the National Governors Association hosted a virtual What Works Bootcamp for senior gubernatorial staff from selected states. At this third Bootcamp, state leaders discussed how their governments are responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as learning about the information available on the National Governors Association and Results for America COVID-19 resource hubs. Building on discussions at the October Bootcamp, participants also learned from national data experts about how to apply an equity and ethics lens to the sharing, integration, and use of data. With 11 participants from 8 states, the interactive Bootcamp was a robust peer learning session.
The Bootcamp kicked off with a welcome from Jed Herrmann, Results for America’s Vice President for State and Federal Policy Implementation. Then Tim Blute, Director of the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices, provided opening remarks about the importance of data and evidence in state governments’ crisis responses, like the on-going COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, he emphasized the importance of using data and evidence through an equity lens, as the COVID-19 pandemic has and will continue to impact communities disproportionately, with especially large impacts for those that are already underserved and underrepresented.
A panel of the nation’s leading data experts spoke with participants. The panel, “Sharing and Using Data Effectively, Ethically, and Equitably,” featured speakers Della Jenkins, Executive Director of the Actionable Intelligence for Social Policy; Richard Gold, Former Deputy Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare Office of Children, Youth, and Families; and Tyler Kleykamp, Director of the State Chief Data Officers Network. The conversation was moderated by Chris Kingsley, Senior Associate at The Annie E. Casey Foundation. Following the panel discussion, participants joined these speakers for peer coaching sessions to address a variety of problems of practice they are facing in their states.
The day concluded with an extended conversation of state responses to COVID-19.