Today’s episode included the following speakers (in the order they appear):

Host: Luke Waldo

Experts:

• Bryan Samuels – Chapin Hall

:11-:33 - Bryan Samuels - I think at the end of the day, there are lots of folks that want change. There aren't a ton of folks that have realized that change. And for that, it often requires some of us to bring forward the best thinking so that people can take advantage of experiences that others have had, so that it might inspire and direct their efforts.

:42-4:55 – Luke Waldo – Introduction to Systems Transformation Through Community Leadership report, Bryan Samuels’ bio, and welcome.

Why is systems transformation needed today in the US? 

• Systems Transformation Through Community Leadership – Chapin Hall

4:56-6:33 - Bryan – How can we make services more effective and more equitable? How can systems change to meet the needs of diverse populations?

Chapin Hall was motivated out of a sense that there was a window of opportunity to contribute to the growth and change and direction for the country, and to bring some unique insight into how systems go about changing themselves in order to respond to the needs of a diverse population of families that they serve. 

6:34-7:01 – Luke – Can you expand on why Chapin Hall felt that our systems weren’t meeting the diverse needs of our children, families and communities?

7:02-10:54 – Bryan – How do systems take a limited amount of resource and share them equitably? Many of our most marginalized communities have received less services and resources. Over 50% of Black children are investigated by CPS. Families living in poverty are disproportionately investigated by CPS. 

Chapin Hall believes that we are living a moment where many want change, so we are providing them with some of the best thinking and tools from across the country to enact that change.

10:55-11:18 – Luke – What does Chapin Hall hope to change or accomplish with the Systems Transformation blueprint? What are some of the key components of the blueprint?

11:19-13:30 – Bryan – Connect the dots between what people were proposing and what we know works. And so we wanted to look at these questions: 

Does community engagement and engaging folks with lived experience produce better results? 

Does systems change happen when the only people making the change happen are people leading the system right? 

Do folks have the skills they need to be successful in the long term? 

Do we have the right resources at the table to enable real, meaningful long-term change to occur? 

There were lots of lessons learned. So even in failure, there were things that one could conclude about what you would do better the next time.

13:31-13:51 – Luke – Can you expand on those lessons learned?

13:52-17:51 - Bryan – Lessons learned.

1. Top-down approaches to systems change rarely work. 
2. Systems change takes time. 
3. Community engagement requires greater commitment. 
4. Skill-building for community engagement is needed. 
5. Shared leadership, decision-making and power are essential to larger change processes. 

17:52-18:47 – Luke – Can you outline those 5 key strategies for us and how you came to them?

18:48-20:48 - Bryan – Conducted focus groups and learned from system leaders to inform this process along with reviewing the research. There are 5 principles.

• Disrupt System Mindsets
• Invest in Community
• Reimagine Community Engagement
• Transform Systems with Community in the Lead
• Embed Community Leadership 

20:49-21:10 - Luke – Gratitude.

21:11-23:33 - Bryan – “Opportunity to speak to these issues are near and dear to me.” Bryan’s experience that speaks to why this work is so important to him. 

23:34-27:03 – Luke – 3 Key Takeaways 

1. “Even in failure, there were things that one could conclude about what you would do better the next time.” This is such an important reminder that we are doomed to repeat our failures if we fail to make the time to learn from them the first time.
2. “If you want to move a system, you’ve got to have people at every level of that system sharing in the goals and objectives, and committed to achieving the change that one might aspire to. The same is true for community, who should have a role in leadership and decision-making.”
3. “There are lots of folks who want change, there are not a lot of folks who have realized that change, and for that it requires some of us to bring about the best thinking so that people can take advantage of experiences that others have had so that it may inspire and direct their efforts.” May this episode and next week’s deep dive into Chapin Hall’s best thinking serve as inspiration and direction for all of us.

Closing Credits