Connecting Researchers, Policymakers, and Practitioners

Systems Integration Q & A | Connecting Researchers, Policymakers, and Practitioners | Systems Integration Resources

The Service Integration Network (SINET)

IRP researchers became involved in an umbrella project called the Service Integration Network (SINET) that connected systems integration researchers and evaluators with human services systems administrators and practitioners. The collaboration created a balanced exchange, in both directions, of information and ideas and experience and analysis concerning systems integration research, application, technical assistance, and evaluation.

The SINET initiative was designed to promote discussion of state flexibility afforded by devolution that was grounded in evidence, experience, and substantive inquiry. A focal strategy of the project was to facilitate communication among “lighthouse sites,” local agencies engaged in innovative programming and service delivery, and to draw lessons from those interchanges.

In pursuing these goals IRP researchers have made numerous site visits across the country, evaluating state and local systems integration efforts, providing technical assistance, and learning from practitioners about what works and what doesn’t work. They bring what they have learned back to SINET discussions and share it in IRP’s Focus newsletter, Discussion Paper series, briefings before policymakers, and other venues.

Past and present SINET members are: Institute for Research on Poverty, University of Wisconsin-Madison; Center for Best Practices, National Governors Association; Research Forum, Columbia University; Rockefeller Institute for Government, SUNY-Albany; Strategic Consulting Group, Annie E. Casey Foundation; and Welfare Policy Center, Hudson Institute.

SINET members have worked with: the State of Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development Families Forward program; the State of Michigan Jobs, Education, Training program; the State of Arkansas Transitional Employment Assistance program; the State of Minnesota and the State of California.

Connections Made by IRP Researchers

IRP researchers’ systems integration work with practitioners, policymakers and other researchers includes the following:

Federal Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) briefings (July and August 2004) – Tom Corbett, IRP, completed two briefings for HHS staff: one for staff primarily from the Administration of Children and Families (ACF) and one for staff primarily from the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation(ASPE).

NGA Policy Academy Meeting (September 2004) – This meeting, held in Denver, Colorado, was designed to provide continuing applied technical assistance to six policy academy states. The meeting agenda as well as some of the curricula drew on information gathered through this project. Jennifer Noyes, Hudson Institute, conducted a workshop on innovative financing strategies; Tom Corbett, IRP, conducted a workshop on accountability and outcome measurement. Both served as state facilitators, along with staff from the Casey Strategic Consulting Group.

WELPAN Meeting (September 2004) – During this meeting, Jennifer Noyes, Hudson Institute, and Tom Corbett, IRP, discussed the proposed Midwest Service Integration Policy Academy concept, which was subsequently redesigned based on input from WELPAN members.

SINET Working Meeting (November 2004) – This meeting, which was held in Washington, D.C., facilitated an ongoing dialogue of members of what has become known as SINNET—the Service Integration Network. During the meeting, representatives from the Hudson Institute, NGA Center for Best Practices, the Rockefeller Institute, and the Casey Strategic Consulting Group discussed the content and structure of the proposed web site as well as written products under development by members.

Salt Lake City, Utah Technical Assistance Visit (November 2004) – Tom Corbett, IRP; Jennifer Noyes, Hudson; and Susan Golonka, NGA Center for Best Practices facilitated two one-day sessions focused on improving the integration of services in the state. In addition, information was gathered relevant to the development of a case study focused on the process employed by Utah to facilitate change.

Wisconsin (March 2005) – Jennifer Noyes, IRP; Susan Golonka, NGA Center for Best Practices; and Jim Dimas, Casey Strategic Consulting Group consulted on the development of and participated in the Wisconsin Service Integration Initiative Kick Off. In addition to making the keynote presentation, they provided one-on-one technical assistance to participants.

Minnesota Service Integration Pilot Project Site Visits (April 2005) – Tom Corbett and Jennifer Noyes, IRP, completed site visits of four pilot projects in Minnesota. They also met with state staff.

Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation briefing (May 2005) – The project was one of four featured during a site visit of IRP by Dr. Michael O’Grady. Jennifer Noyes, IRP, provided on overview of the project, including its relationship to the WELPAN states, the activities completed, lessons learned to date, and the scope and nature of the continuing project agenda.

Support for various SINET initiatives was provided by the Joyce Foundation (Chicago, IL), the Annie E. Casey Foundation (Baltimore, MD), and the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE) in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, through its core grant to IRP.