Workforce Development

EXAMPLES OF THE WORK WE'VE DONE

Meeting and Conference Management

The JBS meeting management team has extensive expertise in providing well-managed, customer-focused event conferences, meetings, and exhibits that meet the needs of our clients and attendees. This expertise includes arranging speakers and presenters when needed along with all aspects of logistics and budgeting. Our meeting planning center staff includes certified meeting planners who are experienced in supporting events ranging in size from small meetings with 20 or fewer attendees to consensus panels of 18–20 topic area experts to regional training workshops with 50–100 participants to multiday national conferences with numerous concurrent workshops and 600+ attendees. Our meeting management systems include online meeting registration and automated tracking and reporting services.

Conduct Regional Meetings for Governors to Carry Out Policy Agendas in Response to the New Freedom Commission
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
SAMHSA has contracted with JBS to arrange and conduct four regional meetings to assist (1) Governors in creating State mental health system transformation policy agendas and (2) States in developing mental health system transformation agendas to improve the accountability and the effectiveness of mental health services. JBS collaborates with each Governor’s office to construct a State team of policymakers and focuses on building interagency teams in the State that can marshal the will and resources to launch effective mental health transformation strategies.

• Develop region-specific meeting plans and set detailed schedules with task plans by identifying national and region-specific issues and priorities.
  
• Provide complete logistics planning including creating a meeting database and Web page containing logistical information and an online registration system; locating, securing, and paying for lodging and meeting space; and inviting speakers and confirming their attendance.
  
• Provide postmeeting support by processing reimbursements and meeting evaluations and developing meeting reports.
  
• Results: The Center for Mental Health Services Director and the National Governors Association view this project as a critical tool in launching State-by-State transformation.

National Clearinghouse on Families & Youth (NCFY)
Department of Health and Human Services, Administration on Children, Youth and Families (ACFY), Family and Youth Services Bureau
JBS operates NCFY, a free information service to meet the needs of youth, parents, youth service providers, policymakers, and the public. JBS assists NCFY in coordinating the planning and implementation of the National Youth Summit, an annual event that brings together youth and adults from across the country to celebrate the strengths and accomplishments of young people.

• Convene conferences and special issue forums.
  
• Develop reports on meetings, such as the annual National Youth Summit, which brings together youth, parents, youth service providers, policymakers, and experts.
  
• Results: Each year NCFY’s extensive literature database, containing abstracts of more than 13,500 publications on youth and family issues, grows by 1,000 acquisitions, providing professionals interested in youth issues resources needed to effectively serve young people and their families.
  
• Awards: 2005 DHHS Contractor Award for supporting ACYF in its National Youth Summit; recognition for outstanding publications in the 2005 National Association of Government Communicators Blue Pencil Competition, the 2006 Communicator Awards, and the 2006 APEX Awards for Publication Excellence.