American Public Human Services Association - APHSA

American Public Human Services Association - APHSA APHSA supports human services agencies to advance well-being for individuals, families & communities.

APHSA is seeking proposals! We're looking for a Child Welfare Research & Data Analyst Consultant to support our Child We...
10/08/2026

APHSA is seeking proposals! We're looking for a Child Welfare Research & Data Analyst Consultant to support our Child Welfare Forward initiative. This part-time consulting opportunity will focus on analyzing stakeholder feedback, synthesizing research and data, and translating findings into actionable recommendations to help inform child welfare policy and practice reform.

đź“… Proposal deadline: October 30 at 5:00 PM ET

Interested? View the full RFP for details, qualifications, and submission instructions:https://aphsa.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/APHSARFP-000_Child-Welfare-Research-Data-Analyst_v.001.pdf

4 days at the Hilton Salt Lake City Center, 2 conferences, 4 General Sessions, 75+ breakout sessions, 4 formal networkin...
10/07/2026

4 days at the Hilton Salt Lake City Center, 2 conferences, 4 General Sessions, 75+ breakout sessions, 4 formal networking activities, and a memorable wrap to our 2026 conferences! Whether you joined us for or , we hope you are leaving with many new connections that you continue to grow, innovative ideas and strategies to put into action at home, and a renewed sense of why our work matters in training and workforce development, legal compliance and practice, and throughout all facets of the human services sector.

In his closing notes, APHSA President and CEO Reggie B***a summed it up perfectly: "Our systems should work together collaboratively and be designed with people, families, and communities—not just around federal government programs or organizational boundaries—with better services leading to meaningful results."

Thank you to all our attendees, staff, volunteers, partners, and sponsors for making this year’s conferences such a success! We look forward to seeing you again next year. Stay tuned as we announce the dates and locations for and in the coming weeks!

For the General Session, we welcomed our keynote speaker, Professor Samuel Bagenstos from University of Michigan Law S...
10/07/2026

For the General Session, we welcomed our keynote speaker, Professor Samuel Bagenstos from University of Michigan Law School, to discuss the role of government attorneys in advising public agencies, navigating leadership transitions, and helping leaders make decisions that are lawful, defensible, and practical.

As former General Counsel for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Professor Bagenstos elaborated on risk management and best practices for preserving independent legal judgment and understanding the line between legal advice, policy support, and advocacy.

We’re honored to announce Stephanie Saperstein, Deputy Division Director of the Environment, Health, and Human Services ...
10/07/2026

We’re honored to announce Stephanie Saperstein, Deputy Division Director of the Environment, Health, and Human Services Division of the Utah Attorney General's Office, as the recipient of the Beacon of Service Award!

The Beacon of Service Award recognizes an attorney whose contributions illuminate a path of progress, justice, and commitment to the public good—values Stephanie has demonstrated throughout her career. For more than three decades, Stephanie has advised Utah’s human services agencies through complex legal and policy challenges, major organizational change, and evolving needs. Just as importantly, she has invested in the attorneys around her, building a collaborative legal team and developing future leaders who will carry the work forward.

👏 Learn more about Stephanie’s leadership and lasting contributions to Utah’s human services sector:https://aphsa.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/10-6-26_Press-Release_Beacon-of-Service-Award_PHSA-2026.pdf

"What if we stopped demonizing struggle and saw it for what it is: A requirement of the human condition. What if we coul...
10/06/2026

"What if we stopped demonizing struggle and saw it for what it is: A requirement of the human condition. What if we could tap into brain hacks that refocus our energy and attention on what we CAN do, removing the countdown to a time when the struggles ease up?"

In this morning's General Session, Dr. Bridget Cooper, aka Dr. B, showed our attendees how to "Hop Off the Struggle Bus" demonstrating actionable tools to build resilience, calm, and capacity for making a difference without being trapped on the struggle bus. Learn more about Dr. B: https://drbridgetcooper.com/about-dr-b

We are pleased to recognize the Monroe County, NY Department of Human Services (DHS) LEAD Academy as the recipient of th...
10/06/2026

We are pleased to recognize the Monroe County, NY Department of Human Services (DHS) LEAD Academy as the recipient of the Quality Training Program Award! Accepting today's award was Thalia Wright, Commissioner for Monroe County DHS.

The LEAD Academy is a comprehensive training program designed to strengthen supervisory skills and support leadership growth across the organization. Through this program, Monroe County DHS has created more than a leadership training curriculum. It has built a sustainable approach to developing leaders, strengthening collaboration, and creating opportunities for continued growth in support of a stronger organization and better service to the community. Learn more:https://aphsa.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/10-6-26_Press-Release_Quality-Training-Program-Award_NSDTA-2026.pdf

Congratulations to Marty Lowrey, Director of the Child Welfare Partnership at Portland State University, as the recipien...
10/06/2026

Congratulations to Marty Lowrey, Director of the Child Welfare Partnership at Portland State University, as the recipient of the Career Achievement Award!

This award recognizes an individual who has demonstrated a career-long commitment to human services training, organizational development, workforce development, or staff development through significant leadership, innovation, education, and service to the human services sector.

Lowrey has led Portland State University’s Child Welfare Partnership for 21 of its 33 years, helping steward one of the nation’s longest-standing Title IV-E state/university partnerships through significant changes in child welfare practice, leadership, and workforce needs. Since 2021, she has also co-led the university’s Center for Improvement of Child and Family Services. Learn more:https://aphsa.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/10-6-26_Press-Release_Career-Acheivement-Award_NSDTA-2026.pdf

Session Spotlight — Closing the Gap: Strengthening Program Accuracy Through Training and Data to Support HR1 Policy Im...
10/05/2026

Session Spotlight — Closing the Gap: Strengthening Program Accuracy Through Training and Data to Support HR1 Policy Implementation

As policy changes continue to move into practice, agencies are focused on helping staff build confidence, apply policy consistently, and maintain accurate service delivery. LaTasha King, Senior Manager for the Texas Health and Human Services Commission, and Judy Gundy, Assistant Director, Local Training and Development for the The Virginia Department of Social Services, explored training strategies that can support staff during active implementation, including ways to reinforce policy understanding, address common challenges, and create sustainable learning support. Participants were able to exchange practical training ideas, challenges, and promising practices for supporting staff as H.R. 1 changes become part of daily operations.

Session Spotlight — Beyond the Burnout: Why Self-Compassion is a Critical Tool for Agency RepresentationIn juvenile co...
10/05/2026

Session Spotlight — Beyond the Burnout: Why Self-Compassion is a Critical Tool for Agency Representation

In juvenile court’s high-stakes environment, lawyers representing child protection agencies often operate under a "perfectionist’s mandate." However, the relentless pressure to be perfect often leads to secondary traumatic stress and cognitive fatigue, the very things that compromise sound legal judgment and effective client counseling. Brooke Silverthorn, Senior Director of Casey Family Programs , and Heather Kestian, Senior Attorney, American Bar Association Center for Innovation , explored the evidence-based practice of self-compassion as a critical professional competency that drives both productivity and ethical advocacy.

Session Spotlight: Leading in Turbulent TimesThe pace and scope of change in human services or maintaining your core b...
10/05/2026

Session Spotlight: Leading in Turbulent Times

The pace and scope of change in human services or maintaining your core beliefs and sustaining your program can be overwhelming. NSDTA Co-Chairs Mike Byers, Director, Pennsylvania Child Welfare Resource Center – University of Pittsburgh School of Social Work, and Tracy Davis, Director, Academy for Workforce Development – CT Department of Children and Families lead an interactive session presenting shared strategies and hard-earned lessons learned both as leaders of large organizations and as leaders of NSDTA. Attendees had the opportunity to contribute to the dialog through guided discussions and small group activities.

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