NCDHHS' Chief Deputy Secretary for Opportunity and Well-Being, Susan Gale Perry, recently spoke to human services leaders from across the country at the American Public Health Services Association (APHSA) National Health and Human Services 2022 Summit. Perry shared her personal journey with human services and celebrated NCDHHS’ accomplishments during a TED-style talk as part of a session on “Advancing Economic and Social Mobility.”
Perry told attendees how concrete supports like Medicaid, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), job assistance, child care and strong schools helped her family navigate challenges and provided opportunities to thrive. She challenged human services leaders to think bigger and bolder, especially in the wake of the pandemic and rising inequities. She also implored leaders to bring love and hope into their work.
“We know love is happening between the case worker and parent seeking help getting food for their family, the job coach and person with a disability gaining skills and new independence in a job, and the staff person determining eligibility for Medicaid and unlocking access to health care for a child,” Perry said. “Our work every day is an act of love, and we need to get better at telling that story.”
For the national audience, Perry elevated the innovative work happening across NCDHHS, including standing up Healthier Together, creating the Division of Child & Family Well-Being and leading cross-sector work on child welfare and family well-being transformation.
APHSA is a bipartisan national membership association representing state and local health and human services agencies and the subject matter experts that help execute their mission to improve outcomes for people nationwide.