Where the Magic Happens
100% County Initiatives can bring together bottom-up and top-down change. It’s where grassroots activism meets government engagement.
—Dr. Ortega Courtney, AAEI Co-director
100% County Initiatives bring together bottom-up and top-down change. County teams lead local work to assess service barriers and design solutions, while local leaders partner with state agencies to build the infrastructure needed for accessible healthcare, housing, food security, and other essential services. This approach is about securing broad buy-in so that the health, safety, and education of 100% of New Mexico’s children and students become the state’s top priority.
In public health terms, county initiatives are transforming adverse social determinants of health into positive ones, turning under-resourced areas into fully resourced communities where all families can access ten vital services. Supported by a university-based framework, each county strengthens sectors such as healthcare, education, housing, food, and transportation, making a decisive move toward empowerment rather than adversity.
The initiative’s seven steps provide a flexible, data-driven roadmap that counties adapt to their local context. All seven steps are supported by the Anna, Age Eight technical assistance team.
Seven Steps
- Step 1: Survey your county residents.
- Step 2: Review survey results and identify barriers.
- Step 3: Assess providers of the ten surviving and thriving services.
- Step 4: Ensure a county directory of ten vital services exists.
- Step 5: Identify policies and programs to fix service barriers, prioritizing one-stop service hubs.
- Step 6: Secure buy-in from local government and key stakeholders.
- Step 7: Evaluate the effectiveness of each project.
Getting it Done
Ultimately, the work requires courage, creativity, and collaboration. With seven structured steps, a shared vision, and partnerships that span residents, community mobilizers, and public and private leaders, counties are charting a new path where homes, schools, and communities across New Mexico support all children and families to thrive. For New Mexicans committed to health, safety, and education, each local initiative is a place to share your insights, expertise, and energy. Contact your local initiative through the contact pages on the websites below to get involved or contact the institute to start an initiative in your county.