Heartland Health Caucus

United for a

Healthier Heartland

We are bringing together top public policy decision makers across eight states to solve maternal health, mental health, and workforce shortages.

Program Mission

Convening a Forum for Action

The Caucus brings together a select group of leaders—including lawmakers and executive branch officials—to exchange new ideas in addressing pressing health issues and accelerating new and consistent policy approaches across states.

Simplify the System

Decreasing the administrative and structural complexities patients face when accessing care locally.

Advance Legislation

Developing model legislation for maternal health, mental wellness, and workforce shortages.

Economic Impact

Demonstrating how a healthier population creates a robust and thriving workforce.

The Heartland Health Caucus members are leading the way to solve for maternal health, mental wellness and workforce shortages.

Heartland Health Caucus Members

  • Kay Chandler

    Arkansas Surgeon General

  • Renee Mallory

    Secretary of Health

  • Janet Mann

    Secretary of Human Services

  • Paula Stone

    Director of Substance Abuse & Mental Health

  • Lee Johnson

    State Representative, Chair of House Public Health, Welfare and Labor Committee

  • Clarke Tucker

    State Senator

  • Lori Goss-Reaves

    State Representative, Indiana Republican Caucus, Member of the Public Health Committee, the Family, Children and Human Affairs Committee and the Insurance Committee

  • Christine Osterlund

    Deputy Secretary of Agency Integration and Medicaid

  • Drew Adkins

    Kansas Commissioner of Behavioral Health

  • Kimberly Poore Moser

    State Representative, Chair of House Standing Committee on Health Services

  • Katie Marks

    Kentucky Commissioner of Behavioral Health

  • Bobby Puckett

    Director of Washington D.C. Governor's Office

  • Coulter Minix

    Deputy Chief of Staff, Office of the Governor

  • Shelley Funke-Frommeyer

    State Senator, Member of Health Services Committee

  • Ralph Abraham

    Surgeon General

  • Karen Stubbs

    Louisiana Assistant Secretary of Behavioral Health

  • Michael Echols

    State Representative, Health & Welfare Committee, Louisiana Rural Caucus

  • Sydney Scott

    Health Care Policy Advisor to Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe

  • Valerie Huhn

    Missouri Director of Mental Health

  • Tara Peters

    State Representative, Vice-Chairman of Children & Family Committee, Member Health & Mental Health Committee

  • Jill Carter

    State Senator, Chair of Family, Seniors and Health Committee

  • Keith Reed

    Commissioner of Health

  • Cynthia Roe

    State Representative, Chair of House Conference Committee on Public Health

  • Ellyn Hefner

    State Representative, Member Conference Committee on Health & Human Services Oversight

  • Preston Stinson

    State Representative, Chair of Appropriations and Budget Health Subcommittee

  • Michael Hendrix

    Special Advisor to the Governor of Tennessee

  • Dr. John Dunn

    Commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Health

  • Marie Williams

    Tennessee Commissioner of Mental Health

  • Bo Watson

    State Senator, Member Health & Welfare Committee, Co-Chair of National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL)’s Health Innovations Task Force

  • Brock Martin

    State Representative, Member of Health Committee

Resources

Program News