The best policy starts with listening. “Rural Voices Shaping Transformation,” a new report drafted in partnership with The SCAN Foundation and Public Policy Lab, documents our travels to rural Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota over the last year to hear directly from older adults navigating the intersection of Medicare, Medicaid, housing, food, transportation, socialization, and health. How can we go beyond data to explore what it really looks like to age in rural America today — the gaps, the workarounds, and the resilience that rarely make it into policy briefs?
Explore what they told us, why this moment is urgent, and how their stories can help reshape the systems meant to serve them. We’ll examine how centering lived experience alongside rigorous research produces insights that neither approach can achieve alone, and what that means for advocates, funders, and decision-makers working to strengthen supports for older adults with complex needs. Whether you work at the federal, state, or community level, this conversation will leave you with a clearer picture of what responsive, dignity-centered policy for rural aging can and should look like.
Recording
In this webinar, we’ll explore how your nonprofit can engage in effective advocacy as a 501(c)(3).
Speakers
Register today!
Join us for the initial launch of our new guide “Partnering for Impact: How Social Service and Community-Based Organizations Can Navigate Change in the New Medicaid Landscape.” The guide outlines how social service and community-based organizations can strengthen partnerships with state Medicaid agencies, Medicaid managed care organizations, and others.
The webinar will highlight key strategies across:
- Data and return on investment
- Payment models and service delivery
- Ooperational excellence, and
- Strategic alliances.
You will also hear from the Lutheran Services in America network leaders that are advancing health‑related social needs (HRSN) through Medicaid partnerships and a cross‑sector panel on what it will take to strengthen outcomes for people on Medicaid.
Speakers
- Stuart Butler, Scholar in Residence in Economic Studies, The Brookings Institution
- Katie Horton, Research Professor, The George Washington University
- Enrique Martinez-Vidal, VP for Quality and Operations, Association for Community Affiliated Plans
- Ji Im, System Senior Director, Community & Population Health, CommonSpirit Health
- Héctor Colón, President & CEO, Lutheran Social Services of Wisconsin and Upper Michigan
- Mark Stutrud, President & CEO, Lutheran Social Services of Illinois
Recording
Join us Feb. 7–10, 2027, for our next Summit at the Kona Kai San Diego Resort. For more information, contact Ashley Washington at awashington@lutheranservices.org.
Join the Lutheran Services in America Disability Network Aug. 4–6, 2026, for its Summer Meeting in Philadelphia.
Hotel Information
Canopy by Hilton Philadelphia
1180 Ludlow Street
Philadelphia, PA 19107
Reserve your room by July 5, 2026 using the group code 90Q.
For more information, contact Bill Kallestad.
Join us Feb. 11–12, 2027, for the Disability Network Winter Meeting at the Kona Kai San Diego Resort. For more information, contact Bill Kallestad.
For Lutheran Services in America c-suite leaders, artificial intelligence is no longer a future consideration. It is a present-day necessity for operational resilience. Yet for many organizations, the path to implementation is complicated by ethical questions, workforce skepticism, and uncertainty about where to begin.
Join generative AI firm AIEYU and Lutheran Services in America on Wednesday, March 18, at 1 p.m. ET for an executive-level deep dive into AI readiness and co-design. Led by professionals with lived experience in the systems they serve, this session moves beyond technology buzzwords to focus on practical, human-centered change management. Participants will explore how “field-informed intelligence” can help address staff shortages, protect frontline boundaries through immersive training, and establish governance structures that keep people, dignity, and trust at the center of care.
By the end of this session, attendees will be able to:
- Audit AI Readiness: Utilize a “Change Indicator” framework to evaluate their organization’s current capacity for digital transformation and identify immediate high-impact use cases.
- Establish Ethical Guardrails: Define the core components of an Ethical Governance plan, including data privacy, bias mitigation, and the “vulnerability in leadership” required to navigate emerging technology.
- Operationalize Lived Experience: Integrate “Co-Design” principles into their strategic plan, ensuring that AI tools are built for—and by—those with deep frontline, community and lived expertise.
- Enhance Workforce Retention: Leverage AI and VR/AR tools to solve the “Burnout Gap,” providing staff with automated resource navigation and immersive training on setting professional boundaries.
- Execute a “Pragmatist’s Pivot”: Participate in a live comparative activity to quantify the ROI of AI adoption for community impact and staff efficiency.
Presenters from the generative AI firm AIEYU:
- LaErik Cooper
- Shane Cupid
- Stephanie Ruiz
- Derrick Stephens
AIEYU delivers next-generation infrastructure for support, learning, and resilience, bridging humanity and technology. AIEYU develops next-generation infrastructure and AI-guided tools—such as the Pathway Navigator—to help families navigate the complexities of public health and welfare systems.
Recording
Led by Amy Pedone, this dynamic 30-minute webinar will explore how mindset impacts how we show up at work and in life. You’ll discover how your attitude can shape team culture, influence outcomes, and drive personal and professional success. Amy’s session is filled with energy, insight, and practical takeaways that will leave you feeling inspired and empowered.
In this session, we look ahead to the midterm elections in November. We will be joined by Carrie Dann, managing editor of the Cook Political Report, who will provide analysis of races in the House and Senate.
This session will not be recorded, so make sure to register and join us live!
The Lutheran Information Technology Network will host its first webinar of 2026 with a demonstration of the POM Safe application. Harry Vijayakumar, CIO at Lutheran Social Services of Illinois, will facilitate the event. Join us on January 21 at 2 p.m. ET to see how the POM Safe app is keeping teams safe at other human services organizations.
What is POM Safe?
POM Safe is a personal safety tool that operates through a discreet mobile app. The POM Safe app provides instant access to emergency support and proactive safety features, allowing employees to remain focused on the important work they do with greater confidence and peace of mind.
With a quick tap users can:
- Instantly connect with POM safe 24/7 Response Center (live dispatchers), and those dispatchers relay vital information to local emergency responders
- Send discreet alerts to designated supervisors
- Share real-time location details
- Enable audio connection during distress events supporting faster assessments and response.
- Access on-demand de-escalation and support tools such as:
- “Fake call” feature (to create a plausible exit or interruption if a situation feels unsafe
- Audio capability (microphone/speaker) can also support de-escalation because it enables real-time assessment/communication during an incident.
- One-tap texting/auto-texting to pre-set contacts (e.g., supervisor, safety lead) to discreetly request help without escalating the situation.
- The POM Safe App fills critical gaps in traditional safety protocols and empowers staff to act quickly in urgent or uncertain situations.
