Readout of ACF National Call to Action on Equity

To continue advancing racial equity and support for underserved communities through the federal government , ACF hosted a call to action highlighting advancements in equity across its programs.

The Administration for Children and Families’ (ACF) call to action on Thursday, March 21, which yielded over 800 participants, reinforced its commitment to ensure the advancement of equity within the administration and delivery of human services. The discussion, guided by ACF’s 2021 equity in action initiative, demonstrated the expansion and evolution of equity standards throughout the organization reinforcing its obligation to the children and families it serves. The event brought together leadership from across ACF to discuss ongoing efforts to address challenges, foster connections and increase collaboration to capitalize on successes, identify gaps and continue to make meaningful progress. 

In his opening remarks, ACF Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary performing the delegable duties of the Assistant Secretary for Children and Families, Jeff Hild underscored the importance of continuing to strengthen ACF’s equity initiatives to reinforce its commitment to equal opportunity for all.

“ACF strives to reduce structural barriers that inhibit the safety, health and well-being of children and families so everyone has an equal opportunity to live their lives to the fullest. Today’s event highlights the many ways we are working to advance equity through our funding opportunities, engaging people with lived experience, and through our efforts to ensure ACF content and resources are accessible.”  

Following introductory remarks, participants discussed ACF’s actions to enhance equity through improvements in policy and practice across three focus areas: system change, lived experience and accessibility. These efforts are guided by the work of multiple program offices and staff divisions contributing thought leadership, vision and innovation.

As the largest human services agency in the federal government, ACF administers more than 60 programs, including Head Start, foster care, child support, refugee assistance services and other programs that serve populations disproportionately impacted by poverty, homelessness, violence and other hardships fueled by inequity. ACF has implemented several measures to advance equity as a strategic goal that cuts across all programs, populations and priorities. Efforts include improving access and inclusion throughout the workforce, refining notice of funding opportunities and federal reviews processes, and reviewing and updating data gathering requirements.

Additionally, ACF has improved responsiveness of services by leveraging the voices of those impacted to inform program office policies, practices and design and has enhanced efforts to improve access and inclusion through technology redesign and targeted services. 

The equity in action initiative now includes an ACF-issued national call to action on racial equity and equity action statements from each program office within the organization, outlining how it develops, sustains and accounts for outcome-based strategic plans to embed equity throughout its programming.

Collectively, these activities represent ACF’s ongoing commitment to institutionalize equity, and uplift communities historically underserved, marginalized and adversely affected by persistent poverty and inequality. Building on these successes, ACF will continue prioritizing equity to promote equitable health and well-being outcomes for the diverse children, families and populations it serves.

ACF leadership called on individuals to take action — to educate, explore and embed equity. Through additional training sessions and workshops focused on exploring best practices, ACF can educate leaders at all levels and ensure fairness and justice across all processes. Intentional listening and lived experience exploration provides avenues to analyze and strengthen genuine engagement and identify prospective ways to invest time, talent and resources while breaking down barriers that impede a fair, just, and equitable system. 

Learn more details on how ACF is advancing equity by reducing structural barriers that prevent economic and social well-being.

The following individuals participated in ACF’s national call to action:

• White House Special Assistant to the President for Racial and Economic Justice, Domestic Policy Council, Amber Green
• Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary performing the delegable duties of the Assistant Secretary for Children and Families, Jeff Hild 
• Commissioner, Administration for Native Americans, Patrice H. Kunesh
• ACF Chief Equity Officer, Dia Harris 
• Commissioner, Administration on Children Youth and Families (ACYF), Rebecca Jones Gaston
• Deputy Assistant Secretary for Early Childhood Development, Katie Hamm  
• Special Advisor to the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Jermatic Chambers
• ACF Chief of Staff, Larry Sandigo 
• Associate Commissioner, Children's Bureau (CB), Aysha E. Schomburg
• Associate Commissioner, Family and Youth Services Bureau (FYSB), Kimberly Waller
• Director, Office on Trafficking in Persons (OTIP), Katherine Chon
• Director, Office of Community Services (OCS), Dr. Lanikque Howard
• Director, Office of Head Start (OHS), Khari Garvin
• Director, Office of Child Care (OCC), Ruth Friedman
• ACF Deputy Assistant Secretary for External Affairs, Debra Johnson

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