Introduction

Welcome to the application for the 2027 Human Services Summit Leaders Activation Lab.

This 6-month program builds on the momentum of the Summit and provides a hands-on opportunity to translate insights into action. Selected health and human services executives will join Action Teams to design, test, and shape new integrative Medicaid-related solutions across three tracks:

Cross-program coordination: Connecting Medicaid with the broader human services system to close gaps and reduce burden.
Technology and operations: Modernizing systems and workflows to improve accuracy, speed, and access.
Policy and program optimization: Redesigning rules and processes to strengthen outcomes within new constraints.

Commitment and Benefits

Participants will meet for four 90-minute virtual executive sessions, one 3.5-hour in-person session during the APHSA National Human Services Summit, and a 90-minute virtual Solutions Showcase in July, between January and July 2027. Each participant will also be placed on an Action Team with peers from across the field. Each Action Team will be self-directed, working together to define a problem and then design, test, and refine a working prototype. Participants will also receive one individual coaching and consulting session to strengthen leadership and implementation capabilities. There is no tuition fee to participate; however, participants are responsible for their own transportation, lodging, and other related personal expenses for the in-person session.

Through a combination of immersive executive learning, hands-on application, individual coaching and consulting, and peer collaboration, participants will build new leadership capabilities while developing needed solutions. They will also gain access to world-class thinkers, researchers, and practitioners; strengthen their community of peers and partners across the country; and increase resources and confidence navigating change and communicating their vision.

Application

This application will take approximately 30 minutes to complete. Your responses will help us select participants for this year’s Lab and form the Action Teams. In the following sections we’ll invite you to share the Medicaid-related challenges you would like to tackle, what you hope to achieve, your capacity to commit time and energy to the Lab, and how the Lab can strengthen your leadership and your organization’s mission. For this cohort, leaders will be selected based on their commitment to fully participate and contribute to the program; strategic alignment with one or more of the Lab’s focus areas; demonstrated collaboration; ability to participate as a small team with one or two policy or program leaders; diversity of perspective; track record of transformation; innovation mindset; ability to mobilize change; and individual strengths.

Let's Get Started!

First Name *

Last Name *

Title *

Organization *

Email *

Phone

Mailing Address

Admin's Name

Admin's Phone

Admin's Email

Interest in the Leaders Activation Lab

11. Why are you interested in participating in the Leaders Activation Lab, and what do you hope to gain from the experience?

12. Recognizing that many of these topics intersect, please indicate your level of interest (on a scale of 1-5, with 5 indicating strong interest and 1 indicating little to no interest) in exploring the following topics as part of the Leaders Activation Lab:

a. Cross-program coordination: Connecting Medicaid with the broader human services system to close gaps and reduce burden.

b. Technology and operations: Modernizing systems and workflows to improve accuracy, speed, and access.

c. Policy and program optimization: Redesigning rules and processes to strengthen outcomes within new constraints.

Other

13. Please explain your interest in the topic(s) you selected above, including any related efforts you are currently pursuing or considering pursuing.

14. Which one or two other policy or program leaders (such as your Medicaid lead and an additional program lead) would you engage in the Leaders Activation Lab to advance a more integrated approach to supporting residents through policy changes?

Additional Leader 1:

First Name

Last Name

Title

Organization

Email

 Have you confirmed this person’s interest and availability in participating in the Lab already?

Yes

No

Additional Leader 2

First Name

Last Name

Title

Organization

Email

 Have you confirmed this person’s interest and availability in participating in the Lab already?

Yes

No

If you have not yet identified specific individuals to join you in the Leaders Activation Lab, please describe your approach to solidifying your group, if selected (Open Text Box)

15. How would you assess your organization’s readiness to implement new integrative, Medicaid-related solutions? (Please consider factors such as whether you have the right team in place, sufficient resources available, and the political capital needed to do something different).

16. Describe your background and/or experience with organizational transformation.

17. Describe a success, strength, competency and/or skill that you could share with your peers.

18. Will you be able to commit 3-5 hours per month to this experience?

Yes

No

19. Will you be able to commit time to self-directed Action Team activities (e.g., meeting and communicating to define the problem you hope to solve together, collecting user insights, developing prototype ideas, and so forth)?

Yes

No

20. Are you familiar with design thinking?

Yes

No

21. Is there any additional information you would like to share?

Introduction

Commitment and Benefits

Application

Interest in the Leaders Activation Lab

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