State Children's Cabinets and Councils: Elements of Success Issue 1: Structural Options

As with any organization or entity, a cabinet's ability to do its work effectively is deeply influenced by its structural characteristics. These characteristics tend to fall along a continuum of options. This issue brief delves into the benefits and challenges of certain structural options. Though the political context in some states necessitates beginning at different points on a continuum, there are lessons to be learned from the experiences of existing children's cabinets that indicate a preferred structure. Despite the different approaches to coordination, many states identified the same six components of structure that they associate with positive systemic change: Scope of the Vision and Mission, Authority, Organizational Home, Scale of Composition and Formality, Resources, and Local Connections.