BACKGROUND: In response to continuing disparity in the employment outcomes of young adults, the Administration on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities established an initiative to support state consortia to implement systems change with an explicit focus on policies, infrastructure, and collaboration across state agencies and other stakeholders. Eight states received 5 year grants under the Partnerships in Employment project. OBJECTIVE: This manuscript provides an overview of the initiative, and key lessons learned including the importance of a backbone organization, the need for a long term approach to change and capacity building, the role of data as a communication mechanism, integration across initiatives, linking local implementation and state policy, and intentional investment in communication. CONCLUSION: A holistic model for addressing systems change is offered that reflects the importance of intentional investment in relationships and connecting activities that link stakeholders across state governmental systems change, local implementation, and advocacy.

Public sentiment is everything. With public sentiment, nothing can fail; without it nothing can succeed. Consequently, he who molds public sentiment, goes deeper than he who enacts statutes or pronounces decisions.-Abraham Lincoln Frameworks for Systems Change Systems change in the social sector is a fundamental alteration in policies, processes, relationships, and power structures, as well as deeply held values and goals (Gopal & Kania, 2015). Large-scale systems change results in a new field of knowledge, action, tools, strategies, and methods, while small-scale systems change consists of changes to a societal system (Waddell, 2016). At its heart, it is social change that requires commitment across stakeholders and is adopted in policy, infrastructure, attitude, practice, and behavior. Several frameworks and indicators have emerged from research and analysis into the processes that yield systems change results-each emphasizing the need for fostering support through internal and external coalitions. For example, Gopal and Kania (2015) speak to five "simple rules" for changing systems within large-scale foundations: (a) build on existing trends and momentum in the system, (b) pay greater attention to connections and interdependence, (c) employ rigor after the strategy has been developed, (d) be systematic about measuring systems change, and (e) "be the change" by building internal adaptive capacity. The theme of connections and interdependence is fundamental to systems change. In their description of the Collective Impact approach to social change, Hanleybrown, Kania, and Kramer (2012) emphasize the importance of community leaders abandoning individual agendas in favor of a collective approach and the need for a common agenda. Kotter (1995) highlighted forming a powerful guiding coalition and empowering others. More specific to employment systems change, Wehman, Kregel, and Shafer (1989) conducted an analysis of emerging trends in one of the first national employment systems change projects, a 1987 Rehabilitation Services Administration initiative involving 27 states. In addition to 739404D PSXXX10.

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