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Help Set Priorities for Rhode Island’s Children’s Cabinet

July 1, 2026

Dear Community Members and Partners,

Over the past year, the Rhode Island Children’s Cabinet worked closely with families, community partners, providers, and state agencies to develop a five‑year Strategic Plan (2026–2030) focused on improving outcomes for children and youth across the state. We are now moving into the implementation phase, and one of the first steps is to determine which issues the Children’s Cabinet should focus on first.

To support this process, we invite you to complete a short survey [5d7vp9xab.cc.rs6.net] by July 10.

What is this survey?

This survey represents the next step in a multi‑stage process to identify priority focus areas. We first developed a broad list of potential focus areas based on community and Cabinet input, including surveys, interviews, and stakeholder engagement. That list was then refined and narrowed, combining similar ideas and removing areas that are already being addressed elsewhere. The result is a short list of 12 focus areas that reflect key challenges and opportunities for Rhode Island children and youth.

What are we asking you to do?

In this survey [forms.cloud.microsoft] [5d7vp9xab.cc.rs6.net], we ask that you:

Review the short list of 12 focus areas
Rank your top three priorities—the areas you believe the Children’s Cabinet should focus on in the coming year

How will the results be used?

Survey responses from community members and Cabinet leadership will be analyzed together and results will be shared with the Children’s Cabinet and discussed at the July meeting. The survey will serve as a key input to guide discussion, alongside other considerations such as feasibility and opportunities for cross‑agency collaboration. Following that discussion, the Cabinet will finalize a small number of priority focus areas. These focus areas will guide implementation efforts, including coordination across agencies, setting measurable goals, and tracking progress over time.

The Children’s Cabinet is designed to bring agencies together to improve outcomes for Rhode Island children and youth. Your feedback helps ensure that the Cabinet focuses on the issues that matter most to Rhode Islanders.

Thank you for taking the time to share your perspective. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to Nicole Chiello, Children’s Cabinet Coordinator, at Nicole.Chiello@dhs.ri.gov.

Upcoming Children’s Cabinet Meetings

For the 2026 calendar year, the Children’s Cabinet has a new cadence.

We will be meeting on the fourth Monday, every OTHER month at 1:30pm. Given various holidays, some dates are varied. See all proposed dates for the remainder of the year below.