Governor's Summit on Pathways to Economic Stability

On Monday, April 6, more than 130 people including legislators, educators, state and business leaders, community advocates, and non-profit agency representatives, participated in the Governor's Summit on Pathways to Economic Stability at the State House.

Summit Outcomes

Read the Summit Press Release

View media coverage of the event

Notes from the Workgroups

Governor's Summit - Letter to Participants

Governor's Summit - Final Report

Vermont received a grant through the National Governors Association to host the Governor's Summit on Pathways to Economic Stability.

Summit Goals

The goals of the summit included:

1. Harnessing existing public programs, private partnerships, and community initiatives to address the issue of poverty in Vermont - a problem affecting about 10% of the state's population; and
2. Prioritizing recommendations for action pulled from the following five reports:
   • The Vermont Child Poverty Council's Report "Improving the Odds for Kids"
   • The Governor's Hunger Task Force Report "Hunger in Vermont: An Action Plan for Change"
   • The 2008 Report to the Governor from the Vermont Interagency Council on Homelessness
   • The 2008 Goals and Measures Report from the Next Generation Workforce Leadership Committee
   • Work Supports in Vermont: An Analysis of the Effectiveness of State Policies Supporting Work

The Day of the Summit (Read the agenda)

Opening Address - Governor Jim Douglas

In his introductory address, Douglas said that while Vermont has made tangible progress in many areas and developed action plans in others, it was time to synthesize our thinking and prepare to move forward. He asked participants to spend the day focusing on the most important concrete steps we could take now, as well as additional steps we could take as we emerge from this economic downturn.

Plenary Session

During the morning plenary session, participants heard presentations from Government, Business and Industry, and Community:

• Presentation by Senator Doug Racine and Representative Ann Pugh - the Vermont Child Poverty Council
• Presentation by the National Center for Children in Poverty - Work Supports in Vermont: An Analysis of the Effectiveness of State Policies Supporting Work (also known as the Cliff Study).
• Presentation by Rhino Foods, Fletcher Allen Health Care, and the United Way of Chittenden County - the Working Bridges Program.
• Presentation by NeighborKeepers - the Circles of Support Program.

Afternoon Workgroups

In the afternoon, participants were broken down into workgroups and tasked with prioritizing recommendations for action pulled from the five reports listed above. Participants were provided with copies of a document summarizing these recommendations. Read the Recommendations Matrix.

Wrap Up - Linda Hoffman, Senior Policy Analyst, National Governors Association

Lind Hoffman presented some of the key findings coming out of the day's small group discussions:

1. One of the most frequently-identified areas the state could address, both in the short-term and long-term, is the issue of benefits "cliffs". The interplay between various benefits such as child care, housing assistance, welfare cash assistance and others often can create a disincentive for individuals to keep working. The state should undertake a comprehensive examination of the issue of benefits cliffs to determine where benefits could be potentially reconfigured reduce barriers to employment.
2. Another issue resonating today is increasing systems of work supports. Individuals who are working need easy access to a variety of supports to continue working and move up in the labor market. Work supports are not just an issue for the state to address, but also need the support of neighborhood/community programs and employers.
3. A third issue that many of the groups identified as a priority is to better prepare youth for work. Approximately 30 % of Vermont teenagers do not become engaged in either work or education, which only adds to the issue of poverty. The state should identify key activities to help prepare youth for the workplace and to engage children at an early age.
4. A related issue that was discussed among many of the small groups was access to higher education. This is often a barrier many adults face when trying to get ahead and earn higher salaries. The state should examine issues around access to higher education so that more Vermonters can increase their knowledge and skills through education.
5. The small groups also discussed a host of short-term priorities that could help address poverty. Housing, including preventing homelessness and transitional housing, is a key issue which needs to be addressed in order to combat poverty. Food assistance is another key issue - families and children need a stable supply of nutritious foods available throughout the entire year. Affordable child care is another key support system that families need in order to be able to move out of poverty.

Linda concluded the wrap by saying, "All of the conversations and notes from the break-out discussions will be presented to Governor Douglas for his review. Thanks again for all your hard work and dedication throughout today's event. I'd now like to invite Governor Douglas to make closing remarks. Thank you."

Closing Remarks - Governor Jim Douglas

During the final address of the day, Governor Douglas said that it was clear from every work group that the state needs to take action on the so-called benefits cliff¹. In recognition of this priority, Governor Douglas asked AHS Secretary Rob Hofmann and DCF Commissioner Steve Dale to convene a work group, representing a broad group of stakeholders, to perform a thorough analysis of the current system, identify the biggest challenges, and recommend the best strategies for moving the system forward. The analysis is to be completed by January of 2010.

¹ A benefit cliff happens when a small increase in income leads to the termination of a benefit such as child care financial assistance, public health insurance, and Reach Up cash assistance. The result is that families with parents who work and earn more may end up worse off than they were before.

Vermont received a grant through the National Governors Association to host the Governor's Summit on Pathways to Economic Stability.