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HVAC discusses recruiting lived‑experience experts, compensation and flexible participation
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Summary
The Home Visiting Advisory Committee debated how to define and recruit "lived‑experience experts," favored program graduates or former participants over current clients, discussed compensating participants and flexible meeting roles, and agreed to a July planning session to develop recruitment and structure.
Neli (Moderator) led a conversation about how HVAC should define and recruit lived‑experience experts for membership and advising. Members said they prefer recruiting former program participants or graduates, people who navigated systems such as foster care, or community partners who see families that do and do not participate in home visiting.
"I think it's really difficult when you're currently receiving services, and then we're talking about those services and how to fund them," Marilyn said, explaining why the committee generally preferred former participants rather than current clients.
Participants stressed fair compensation. Memory asked whether community members would be paid for their time, noting that participation requires resources. Neli said HVAC would explore compensation via the community engagement office and that the committee already compensates some participants for interview panels and other contributions.
Members proposed flexible participation options—inviting people for topic‑specific meetings, occasional attendance rather than every meeting, and shorter time commitments—to grow engagement among clinicians and community leaders who cannot attend every session. Recruitment strategies discussed included leveraging member networks and social media; Debs Gardner suggested that the DOH experience showed broad outreach and social posts were effective.
The committee agreed to schedule a 90‑minute July meeting to draft a recruitment plan, clarify definitions, and decide how to structure small workgroups (or topical groups) for SFY27 priorities. Neli will circulate a proposed definition and calendar hold.
