Our Work
Advancing Dynamic Solutions contracts with a variety of organizations on projects that support healthier youth and communities.
Healthy Schools Campaign
Supported multiple national projects related systems-level support for health and wellness in schools, including health and chronic absenteeism as part of federal requirements. This included conducting in-depth interviews, compiling an evidence-based practice overview, and holding discussion groups.
"You've both been such a pleasure to work with and we're so impressed by the quality of all the work. We would love to partner with you again in the future and we will also highly recommend you to anyone that reaches out to us in need of support."
-Alex Mays, Former Senior National Program Director, Healthy Schools Campaign
Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment
Provided support for the reaccreditation process through the Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB). Efforts included developing a project plan, communication and training materials, effective processes to collect needed documentation, as well as conducting quality reviews for materials prior to submission. Developed materials to fill identified gaps, including communications and workforce development plans, as well as health promotion policy guidelines.
" Thank you for supporting the heavy lift to gather and organize our efforts for Public Health Reaccreditation. I am full of gratitude, respect and awe for your keen ability to deliver quality work (and just how much fun it's been to work alongside you both). I'm sure we'll partner again down the road."
-Leslie Akin, CDPHE Accreditation and Preventive Block Grant Manager
Children's Hospital Colorado
Worked with the Colorado Alliance for School Health to support health and education organizations in developing a common advocacy agenda to improve youth physical and behavioral health. This included meeting facilitation, program planning, and development of a "Call to Action" for the Alliance.
“AD Solutions has incredible breadth and depth of knowledge and experience. They successfully facilitated a process for the Alliance whereby the voices of nine health-related and education organizations, with differing priorities, were heard and integrated into a common advocacy agenda. This was no small feat.”
-Susan Goldenstein, Prevention Education & Outreach Manager, Children's Hospital Colorado
Colorado Department of Education
Supported the successful Project AWARE federal grant submission, as well as an effort to synthesize promising practices in behavioral health. This included in-depth interviews with participating school districts and development of a guidance document to inform other districts about best practices.
"You two are amazing, wonderful, awesome, and smart. Not only are you pleasant and professional, but so helpful and devoted. You make it all look easy...which I know it's not."
-Sarah Mathew, Former Director, Health & Wellness Unit, Colorado Department of Education
Resilient Lake County
Supported18 organizations in Lake County to assess their practices and policies related to health equity and addressing trauma. Customized assessments and environmental scans were developed that allowed organizations to receive individualized reports of their practices and create data-driven improvement plans. As part of evaluation, we also developed annual surveys for participating organizations to measure changes. This work also included supporting implementation of action plans and utilizing systems to determine training needs and supports for each organization.
"Bringing Advancing Dynamic Solutions into our project strengthened the whole process from planning, implementation, evaluation, to outcomes. Over three years, they managed a large cohort of organizations with grace, meeting individual needs while moving the collective work forward. Their ability to keep folks engaged and excited--even through the pandemic--was an exercise in masterful facilitation."
-Noah Sosin, Executive Director, Lake County Build a Generation
Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment
Facilitated the development of the statewide public health and environment improvement plan. This included supporting the state Advisory Committee and Navigation Team, developing and designing a public health data assessment summary, and supporting a prioritization and planning process with partners across the state. This plan meets the requirements of the Colorado Public Health Act and for reaccreditation from the Public Health Accreditation Board.
"Working with AD Solutions had an unquestionable return on investment. In our work with various groups in public health, they demonstrated a unique ability to engage multiple voices from across many sectors. They have a solid understanding and commitment to address equity in their work, and combining this with their humble, open style of continually learning was critical to our projects' impact."
-Deborah Monaghan, Former Director, CDPHE Local Public Health Partnerships (now with Colorado Department of Human Services)
Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment
Supported the development of the Colorado Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias (ADRD) State Plan. This included conducting Key Informant Interviews, guiding Community Engagement Sessions, facilitating Advisory Committee Members to prioritize actions for the plan, and designing the final product.
"Thank you so much for your hard work and partnership over the last year, it has been a pleasure working with you two! I've greatly admired your efficiency, resourcefulness, adaptability, and dedication to equity. This is a high quality plan and it wouldn't have been possible without your efforts."
-Joanna Espinoza, Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias (ADRD) State Coordinator
Colorado Education Initiative
Supported the content population and launch of Colorado's Healthy Schools Successful Students Hub. The Hub is an interactive website intended to build community, share resources, and connect organizations around physical, social, emotional, and mental health in schools. This work included working with numerous partners to obtain resources to post on the Hub, reviewing and tagging all materials, and uploading nearly 300 resources, programs , and events onto the online resource.
"AD Solutions was a critical partner to us just when we needed it. They worked with us collaboratively and with such expertise and professionalism, we were able to launch the Healthy Schools Successful Students Hub successfully. We appreciated their attention to detail and their willingness to be self-directed when that was the right move; a thought partner when that was what we needed. They were great to work with!”
-Finessa Ferrell, Social Emotional Learning Specialist, Colorado Education Initiative
Developed multiple communications resources to promote COVID-19 prevention, as well as Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) to address opioid and alcohol misuse. Materials were developed in English and Spanish and included a one-page overview, business card, radio script, newspaper advertisements, and webpage updates.
"Working with Advancing Dynamic Solutions to produce materials for our community was a wonderful decision! Their entire team is incredibly talented, full of integrity and dedicated to creating quality materials. Their vision and public health knowledge made the project easy and fun. From start to finish, Amy and Amy exceeded our expectations and we look forward to working with them again!"
-Kim Gonzales, Executive Director, Las Animas-Huerfano Counties District Health Department
Lake County Better Out of School Time (BOOST)
Consulted with Get Outdoors Leadville! and a group of seven organizations on their Better Out of School Time (BOOST) efforts. This included facilitating monthly meetings to develop group operating agreements, group structures, as well as an initial workplan based on in-depth interviews and data collected from the team.
“Amy and Amy really helped to launch our working group. They helped us set a positive group culture, produced some terrific work tools, and struck the right balance of guiding and listening. They ultimately set up our team to thrive well beyond their facilitation, which is priceless. We are many leaps beyond where we would have been without them.”
-Cisco Tharp, Former Healthy Kids Director, Get Outdoors Leadville!, Lake County Public Health
Random Acts of Kindness
Worked on mapping to the new Random Acts of Kindness curriculum lesson plans to social emotional learning, academic, technology, and health education standards. This included reviewing all lessons, identifying knowledge and skills in each lesson, and identifying the appropriate standards in a consistent format. A detailed report of the mapping project was shared to outline the process and next steps.
“Advancing Dynamic Solutions was incredible to work with; they went above and beyond what was asked of them and offered us insights on our curriculum that we hadn’t even considered! They are meticulous and thoughtful in everything they do."
-Karina Delaney, Former Director of Strategic Partnerships, Random Acts of Kindness
Rocky Mountain Public Health Training Center
Co-facilitated professional development opportunities regarding facilitation and in-person and virtual engagement practices. Sessions focused on the engagement challenges of competing priorities, power dynamics, and unequal participation. Specific tools and engagement strategies addressing inclusion and power were shared and discussed with participants from across the Colorado and the nation.
“AD Solutions has outstanding facilitation and training skills. The energy and enthusiasm they bring to workshops and meetings is infectious. This expertise is complemented by their thoughtful strategies that ensure an effective engagement and learning experience for participants."
-Sarah Davis, Associate Director, Rocky Mountain Public Health Training Center
Wellness Training Specialists
Facilitated two professional development events, focused on policy and systems efforts for health and wellness in schools. Colorado Healthy Schools Coordinators and Physical Education Coordinators participated in workshops that addressed the federal Every Student Succeeds Act, Local Wellness Policy, and other policies that can sustain and elevate health and wellness efforts.
"Amy and Amy are two of the most knowledgeable individuals when it comes to school health and policy out there. It is great to work with them on the Healthy Schools Coordinator meeting and the Colorado Physical Education Leadership Conference. They have amazing expertise and skill in working with educators."
-Terry Jones, President, Wellness Training Specialists
Full Circle of Lake County
Facilitated a retreat with the Board of Directors at Full Circle, a non-profit organization that focuses on positive youth development, health equity, and providing a safe and supportive environment for Lake County, Colorado youth & families. This included developing an action plan addressing board governance, finance, fundraising, and program offerings.
"Thanks to Advancing Dynamic Solutions for facilitating our annual board retreat - it was incredibly engaging, fun, and productive! It often feels difficult to spend funds on facilitation, and after this fantastic session, it is now a priority for our organization. Thanks again for keeping us focused, on track, and goal-oriented!"
-Stephanie Cole, Executive Director, Full Circle
Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment
Worked with a group of partners to identify the needs for staffing and next steps for youth and school health data collection efforts across Colorado. This included in-depth interviews, data gathering and synthesis, meeting facilitation, and development of documents outlining processes and procedures for the youth-related data collection efforts.
“Amy and Amy were wonderful to work with...they listened thoughtfully, and catered their approach to fit our needs, as well as the needs of our group. They are passionate about the work they do and it is consistently demonstrated through their intentional approach for finding sustainable solutions in the places that felt most challenging."
-Audra Bishop, Section Manager, Maternal and Child Health Workforce Development, Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment
Douglas County School District
Supported the District Health Advisory Committee (DHAC) to review local health data, assess and update local wellness policy, and develop resources to support effective skills-based health education. Updated guidelines for addressing health education were developed outlining best practices and relevant legislation and policy.
“Both of you have done an amazing job leading the groups, creating safe spaces, being very professional and truly wonderful. I am happy to help and provide the highest rating for Advancing Dynamic Solutions. Thank you for your leadership for the last three years of my time in the DHAC. DCSD is lucky to have organizations like yours to work with."
-DHAC Community Member