Govern with Confidence: Tools for High-Stakes Decision Making During COVID-19

Mathematica and Route Fifty held a webinar on Wednesday, October 21, from 2:00 to 3:30 p.m. ET, for a conversation with and for state and local leaders at the center of high-stakes, real-time decisions during the COVID-19 pandemic. This essential discussion shedd light on available tools, resources, and strategies to quickly make data-driven decisions. Policymakers and experts shared insights from their experiences during the pandemic focusing on synergies among three main topics:

1. Workforce planning. As states prepare to enter the next phase of their COVID-19 response, employers must take important steps to ensure the safety and efficiency of their workforce. We focused on solutions to manage workforce readiness, ensure employee access to equipment and health services, and leverage data and technology to easily assess and manage employee safety.
2. Public health equity. We examined what the pandemic reveals about the social determinants of health and racial disparities in health care and review opportunities to address inequities, collect better data, partner with the private sector, and better coordinate telehealth screenings for all families and individuals.
3. Education readiness. The full impact of 2020–2021 school closures on students remains to be seen. We focused on how school officials can use data to inform decisions about remote-learning strategies, hybrid learning models, teacher safety, and long-term planning.

Our moderated discussion allowed participants to learn from their peers and gain awareness about the latest tools, models, and systems that work for state and local leaders. Featured experts included:

• Alisha Gillis, senior editor, Route Fifty (moderator)
• Jill Constantine, senior vice president, Mathematica
• Jed Herrmann, vice president, Results for America
• E. Oscar Alleyne, chief of programs and services, National Association of County and City Health Officials
• Joshua Franzel, president and CEO, Center for State and Local Government Excellence
• Catherine Patterson, co-executive director, CityHealth
• Meghan McCann, senior policy analyst, Education Commission of the States