More information About CHAP

Welcome to the CHAP program, a project of the National Conference of State Legislatures funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Whether you are part of our network of emerging health leaders, an interested legislator or legislative staff, or a member of the larger health policy community seeking information on one or more of our issue areas (access to care; quality care for the chronically ill; addiction and addiction services; and health care workforce, with an emphasis on nursing), we are here to help you learn more.

Who is CHAP for?

CHAP serves several constituencies. Foremost is the Emerging Health Leaders Network, the successor to the Forum’s Future Leaders Corps. New CHAP Network members are appointed by the leadership of their state legislative chambers. The program offers policymakers the opportunity to develop expertise within an issue area(s) of their choosing. The curriculum will continue to be shaped by CHAP members’ interests and needs within the four critical health areas.

The information and relationships CHAP members develop through the program will strengthen them as they become leaders in their states. As leaders and legislative experts on these topics, they will introduce CHAP materials to another constituency of the program—other legislators, staff and state policymakers.

Finally, all materials prepared by our staff, as well as audioconferences, free access to State Health Notes, and recordings of our invitational meetings are also available on the web to the wider policy community. We encourage you to visit the site often, subscribe to our flagship publication, State Health Notes (please visit www.ncsl.org/shn for instructions), and watch our calendar for upcoming events.

Joining a Network

A foundation of CHAP is the four networks of legislators, each one aligned with one of the four targeted issue areas: access, quality, addiction, and workforce. Each network is comprised of a limited number of legislators so as to allow for easy, fluid discussion, and each is supported by one NCSL staff expert. Participants affirm their interest in becoming a bona fide expert on one of the four critical issue areas and make a commitment to participate in as many network-sponsored activities as possible.

For members of the CHAP networks, a set of customized and interactive learning opportunities related to the topic will be available. At least two meetings per year are planned for the entire group; one face-to-face and one web-assisted. Members also will be offered a number of issue-specific distance-learning opportunities throughout the year including web assisted and/or audio conferences. CHAP networks will stay in close contact with each other through a variety of means, including telephone conference calls and ongoing electronic “conversations” that will allow members to identify emerging issues and to learn from each other’s experiences.

Other CHAP Products

In addition to the live and virtual meetings, members of each of the four networks will have available to them:

An interactive, electronic discussion group (Listserv) related to their topic, which will provide them with a way to share urgent information such as late-breaking news and alerts, opportunities for discussion and exchange of information on areas of special interest and urgency, and continuous communication between NCSL staff and group members.
State Health Notes will lead to special web pages that will serve to organize information and resources for each of the four issue networks. For each area, these pages will carry updated information on significant state initiatives; links to the FAQs and curriculum; research materials on this topic prepared for this audience by NCSL including records of past meetings; links to other key documents and an archive of State Health Notes items. These will be generally available but may include some password-protected areas for network members only.
Direct access to NCSL staff expertise, as well as brokered links to other experts including legislators, academics and RWJF grantees.

Program Contacts

All of the CHAP program contacts are available to explain more about the program or to answer any of your questions.

Carla Curran
Quality for Chronic Conditions expert
202.624.5400
carla.curran@ncsl.org