What’s foremost on the mind of forward leaning and resolute leaders is igniting the vision and mission for a generative future – one in which services and solutions not only address the complex root causes and barriers to better health and human services outcomes, but also invest in community-driven innovation in order to build the social and economic mobility that help individuals and families to flourish.

This level of purpose, passion, and impact for the future requires courageous leadership. It is imperative for health and human services officials to not only leverage the bold innovations, disruptive business models, and radical breakthroughs that lead to new and better solutions, but also embed the technology, tools, and cultural attributes which lead to creativity, agility, and adaptability. And urgently, leaders must address challenges and opportunities that can make or break progress including: How do we intentionally put the “person at the center” of human services? How will we strive to achieve equity in opportunity and outcomes? How can we invest “upstream” and “downstream” via the social determinants of health and two-generation solutions?

To help leaders answer these questions and chart a path for the future, Leadership for a Networked World and Accenture, in collaboration with the American Public Human Services Association, convened senior-most leaders for the 2019 Health and Human Services Summit: Purpose, Passion and Impact for the Future held at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The Summit provided an unparalleled opportunity to collaborate, learn and network with the world’s foremost health and human services practitioners, Harvard faculty and researchers, and select industry experts. Summit participants gained also membership to a community of peers and experts and left the Summit with actionable steps to build generative solutions that achieve better outcomes and more equitably for the individuals, families and communities they serve.