The Clinton Foundation has introduced the Clinton Policy Institute (CPI), a new initiative designed to assist state and local governments in developing nonpartisan policy solutions. This initiative focuses on enhancing health outcomes, particularly for women and children, improving economic security, and strengthening democracy.
This marks the foundation’s first new initiative in over ten years. CPI has commenced work by bringing together political leaders from various parties, research experts, and affected citizens to find novel solutions to persistent issues.
“Rising costs, economic uncertainty, rapid technological change, and growing pressures on our public institutions are making it harder for families to get ahead,” former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton stated. “CPI aims to find practical, evidence-based solutions to improve lives.”
The initiative builds on the foundation’s work with New York state in the previous academic year to ban cell phones in schools, a step that showed promise and led to the expansion into CPI. This approach echoes the strategy used by the foundation when starting the Clinton Health Access Initiative in 2004.
Zayn Siddique, who previously served as principal deputy director of the Domestic Policy Council, will be the chief executive officer of CPI. Jennifer Klein, former director of the White House Gender Policy Council, will chair CPI.
In New York, CPI helped establish the Teen Tech Council, allowing students to contribute to enhancing the phone-ban program. Results from Governor Kathy Hochul’s office indicate improved classroom behavior and engagement.
“CPI is uniting policymakers, researchers, business leaders, and community organizations to identify effective solutions, build robust policy networks, and turn ideas into policies,” Hillary Clinton noted. “Our focus is on states and local communities where innovation flourishes.”
Kansas Governor Laura Kelly praised CPI’s nonpartisan approach at a recent conference on children’s welfare. Although she will step down as governor due to term limits, she highlighted the importance of bipartisan cooperation in achieving political goals.
Former U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Jerome Adams supports nonpartisan solutions, though he acknowledges the inherent political nature of health issues. He pointed to successes like the ACEs Aware initiative in California for adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) screening, showing potential for bipartisan support.
Adams co-chairs the National Leadership Council for the ACE Resource Network and aims to extend California’s successful ACEs treatment strategies to other states, demonstrating CPI’s efficacy.
The foundation continues its mission, as Hillary Clinton expressed concern over diminished faith in progress. Yet, she acknowledges the nationwide development of innovative policies that bolster families and communities, emphasizing the need to share and expand these ideas.
This initiative by the Clinton Foundation aims to provide significant contributions to nonpartisan problem-solving, potentially impacting communities broadly across various aspects of public policy and health.