ASPIREMN

During 2025 we worked on the following goals as part of our ongoing strategic plan: Voice: To inform and influence the policies and systems that impact our members. - The 2025 Legislature passed language increasing the Medicaid outpatient mental health rate to 100% of Medicare rates - the victory is curtailed by HR1, impacts uncertain - Additional 2025 legislative successes include expansion of kinship foster care licensing flexibilities, decompression funding for the mental health collaboration hub, PRTF Working Group, expanded access to certified family peer specialist training, and more - Members worked together to establish a youth justice point of view and are emphasizing the need to build a responsive continuum - Media strategies included generation of legislative and congressionally focused content with: o Earned media o Expert contributions to story development o Editorial board meetings - Intentional partnership with state government: eg: participation in NASHP Infrastructure: To design an infrastructure to support a growing association and respond to an evolving marketplace. - Creating new pathway for Mission Partners by updating bylaws to invite new levels of participation - The AspireMN Leadership Certificate training was launched, tapping internal trainers and experts to build leadership skills in a very diverse first cohort with over graduates - Updating CORE operations by deepening engagement with CASCW - Launch of Family Social Service Child Welfare Pilot (possibility-imbued) Membership: To leverage the power of our voice and network through an inspired membership. - Welcomed new members - Catholic Charities of Saint Cloud, MN Care Services and Relate Counseling - Residential site visits were hosted across the state, including a wide diversity in service models and licensures - - Day Treatment site visits were launched - Established a Trauma Informed Care Consultation Series to support responses to highly aggressive children and build association-wide capabilities to improve care - Shifted our unemployment insurance trust relationship to First Nonprofit to deliver stronger services to members and an increased sponsorship revenue - Supporting Peer Reviews to create stronger connections between member organizations. Equity & Inclusion//Antiracism: To dismantle systems and that result in disparate outcomes, experiences of exclusion, and harm while we build a wider field that is culturally responsive and supportive of the uniqueness of every person. - Advanced public policies that address disparities and disproportionate impacts, and builds the future workforce and service that respond to community preferences including support for culturally specific services, including leadership on: o Expanding access to kinship caregivers o Supporting growth of the mental health field with peers and increasingly diverse roles o Building our continuum of services to be increasingly individualized and responsive to children and families - Focus on generational leadership at September leadership retreat, and continued commitment to leadership development to meet the moment and build skills for an increasingly diverse workforce - Innovation Summit workshops emphasized antiracism learning, including examining the intersectionality of antiracism and neurodiversity

Conducting the Getting to Yes study engaged a number of expert members, researchers and families with lived experience to compose a report that points to excellence in practice or occasions in service delivery that should be repeated to improve care for children and youth. A final report was developed over 2024 with attention to the experiences of children, families and professionals. In 2025 we anticipate the report will be published and additional guidance shared with professionals and others interested in the learning on how unique practices brought value to children during their boarding and intensive mental health services journey.