Health and Human Services
The bipartisan, interstate and binational Midwestern Legislative Conference Health and Human Services Committee provides a forum for state and provincial legislators to exchange information and ideas on a wide range of policy issues, particularly those identified by the committee’s legislative officers and members. Activities include ongoing policy research, committee-sponsored webinars for legislators and legislative staff, and in-person meetings.
The committee is made up of legislators from the states and provinces that are part of CSG’s Midwestern Legislative Conference. Illinois Rep. Anna Moeller and South Dakota Rep. Taylor Rehfeldt serve as co-chairs; Iowa Rep. Brett Barker is the vice chair. The committee’s composition changes every biennium, with appointments made by legislative appointing authorities and leaders of the MLC. The CSG Midwest staff liaison for the committee is Tim Anderson.
Presentations, resources from 2025 MLC Annual Meeting
The HHS Committee met and led sessions on July 27 and 28 in conjunction with the 2025 MLC Annual Meeting in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.
Session on Future of Health Care Delivery
- “The Promise, Potential and Reality of Telehealth,” Dr. Jonathan Neufeld, Great Plains Telehealth Resource & Assistance Center
- Note: The presentation by Dr. Ivar Mendez of Saskatchewan’s Virtual Health Hub is not available. Learn more about the hub here.
Session on Family-Centered, Community-Based Approaches to Child Welfare
This webinar will explore the potential of state policies and investments that allow for an "upstream" approach to youth mental health and suicide prevention. This approach focuses on community-based interventions before the point of crisis, with the goals of creating safe environments and a sense of belonging for teens and preventing youth suicide. All legislators, legislative staff and other state health leaders are encouraged to participate.
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A partnership of The Council of State Governments' Midwestern Legislative Conference and the AAAS Center for Scientific Evidence in Public Issues, this webinar featured insights from leading researchers on a critical issue for state policymakers — the impacts of technologies such as smart phones and generative AI on the well-being of young people.
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A partnership of The Council of State Governments, the CSG Midwestern Legislative Conference Health & Human Services Committee, and the AAAS Center for Scientific Evidence in Public Issues, this webinar gave state legislators and other policymakers the opportunity to hear from leading experts on youth mental health and suicide prevention. This learning opportunity gave participants information on how to translate evidence-based research into tangible strategies.
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This webinar helped state leaders understand how they can prepare for uncertainty and maintain crime-victim services even if federal funding, via the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA), drops.
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As states face rising health care costs and evolving federal requirements, Medicaid is emerging as a key tool to support successful reentry for people after incarceration. This Aug. 20 webinar detailed new opportunities and policy options, and explored why now is a critical moment for state action.
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Summary of recent work and activities
The MLC’s Health and Human Services Committee is being led in 2025-2026 by Illinois Rep. Anna Moeller and South Dakota Rep. Taylor Rehfeldt, co-chairs; and Iowa Rep. Brett Barker, vice chair. Here is an overview of the work being done through the committee:
- hosting a fall 2026 policy workshop for Midwestern legislators on ideas for reimagining and improving state child welfare systems;
- meeting and leading policy sessions at the MLC Annual Meeting in 2025 in Saskatchewan and in 2026 in Saint Paul, Minn.;
- convening legislators and other state leaders for a series of web-based learning opportunities on:
- “Youth Mental Health and Technology: Connecting Leading Researchers and Policymakers”
- “Early Intervention: Evidence-Based Pathways for Youth Mental Health and Suicide Prevention”
- “Victim Services Funding: State Solutions Amid Federal VOCA Uncertainty”
- “How States Can Leverage Medicaid Funds to Reduce Recidivism and Improve Health Outcomes”
- providing a state-by-state regional analysis on the fiscal impacts of HR 1 on administration of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program; and
- providing a regional analysis on the impacts of HR 1 on state Medicaid programs.