Upcoming Events
May 25 Legislative Exchange
State Strategies to Support Workers’ Mental Health 
Two years into the COVID-19 pandemic the challenges associated with mental health are on full display. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), one in 5 U.S. adults experience mental illness each year, which has been exacerbated by the fear and uncertainly people have felt since March 2020.

Now that many workers are back to regular schedules, whether in-person or remote, the silver lining of the pandemic experience is the increased attention and prioritization of employee mental health by employers and states.

In recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month, CSG West, in collaboration with staff from our national office and the State Exchange on Employment & Disability (SEED), is hosting a virtual Legislative Exchange titled “State Strategies for Supporting Workers’ Mental Health.” Please join us to hear from state legislators who sponsored bills in their respective legislatures aimed at supporting workers’ mental health. You’ll also hear from our colleagues at the CSG Center for Innovation who recently released a report, Addressing the Mental Health Needs of Workers Throughout and Beyond the COVID-19 Pandemic: State Responses.  

We welcome your participation by sharing legislation or executive orders in your state that contribute to this endeavor during the discussion period! Please register to join us May 25 at 11:00 am Pacific.
75th CSG West Annual Meeting: Legislative Training Sessions
Recognized communications authority and thought leader, KNP Communications, will lead this year's legislative training sessions at the 75th CSG West Annual Meeting.

Session speakers include the authors of Compelling People: The Hidden Qualities that Make Us Influential, which has been taught at leading business schools, and of the Harvard Business Review story “Connect, Then Lead.” They also collaborated with researchers on a landmark study of nonverbal communication and leadership presence in politics. Topics for this year’s legislative training sessions include “The Art & Science of Influence” and “Executive Presence”. 
 
The CSG West Annual Meeting convenes July 19-22, 2022, in Boise, Idaho. Be sure to read about our keynote speakers, access the event schedule, and register at the links below. Attendees are encouraged to bring their families, who will enjoy access to unique daytime activities, meals, and social events. Please see our Friends and Family Program page to learn more. See you in Boise!
June 14 Legislative Exchange
Four State Approaches to Implementing Effective Cybersecurity Programs 
Building a robust cybersecurity strategy and support system across state, local, tribal, territorial (SLTTs) governments is a tall order. One of the keys to ensuring its success and sustainability is by using a Whole of State foundation. In this special event, we will feature four states with unique approaches to creating a Whole of State cybersecurity program and share best practices from each with practical steps for adoption – focusing on stakeholder engagement. Specifically, we will focus on how legislative leaders can support the effective implementation to ensure a stronger cybersecurity environment for the residents, local businesses, and governments that you represent.
 
We invite you to attend From State to State, to Make your Cybersecurity Program Great: Practical Examples of Whole of State Approaches from Four States Across the US, a virtual legislative exchange, on June 14 at 12:00 pm Pacific. Click below to register.  
Public Safety
Justice Center Study Examines How Courts Handle Juvenile Cases and Offers Recommendations
Juvenile court judges are the most important public figures in the juvenile justice system—their decisions impact whether hundreds of thousands of youth each year become court involved and for how long, whether they are involuntarily removed from their homes and communities, and the services they receive. Despite the importance of these judges, however, states and locales have generally not assessed whether and how the structure, roles, and operations of their juvenile courts support or hinder public safety and positive youth outcomes.

The CSG Justice Center and the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges (NCJFCJ) recently released Courting Judicial Excellence in Juvenile Justice: A 50-State Study, a first of its kind analysis that examines how courts in all 50 states that handle juvenile delinquency cases (“juvenile courts”) are structured and operated.

The purpose of this report is to draw attention to the critical role that juvenile court judges play and the need to treat juvenile courts as a specialty of practice. The report is structured around five key recommendations, including rationales, concrete policies and practices for states to adopt, and related state best practices and innovations for jurisdictions to consider.

States can use the report to identify gaps in their juvenile court policies and practices, identify best practices and innovations from other states, and advance a set of policy and practice recommendations for court improvement. Access the full report and additional resources at the links below.

In addition, the CSG Justice Center is hosting a live event open to the public that will bring together experts in the field to discuss findings from the study. The event will include a study presentation and panel discussion on June 2nd.  Interested participants can register here.
THE COUNCIL OF STATE GOVERNMENTS WEST www.csgwest.org
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