Leading Practices Academy
Fortify your state's brain injury infrastructure by joining NASHIA’s Leading Practices Academy (LPA).
NASHIA will be hosting its fifth LPA in 2027. LPA participants receive strategic and customized technical assistance to explore, develop, or implement protocol and practices aimed at improving outcomes for systems engaged individuals with brain injury. NASHIA supports goal development, creation of a tailored work plan and logistical efforts related to scheduling and partner outreach. The LPA will run the course of the 2027 calendar year and applications will be due on November 20th, 2026.
The LPA includes an orientation, three presentations by subject matter experts available only to LPA participants and partners, individual state team/lead team meetings and an end of year summit.
The LPA foundation is built on an Infrastructure Development Model. NASHIA provides the infrastructure engine to explore, implement, and sustain change. Previous participants have focused efforts across behavioral health, child welfare, criminal legal, intimate partner violence and housing insecurity systems. Select your system and let the LPA framework support you in creating goals aligned with your priorities that will lead to sustainable outcomes. In 2027 the sky is the limit!
Please reach out to Kelly Miller with any questions: kmiller@nashia.org
Deadline: November 20th
The reach of brain injury…
These nonmedical factors result in well documented health and well being imbalances among the LPA focus populations.
Research shows 40-90% of incarcerated individuals have a history of brain injury compared to 8% in the general public.
Abusive head injuries are a leading cause of child abuse deaths in children under five.
The Basics
LPA members can be at any point along the continuum of infrastructure development related to their focus population.
Cost is $10,000; can be shared among partners.
Lead state agencies and partner agencies can apply.
New and returning participants are welcome to join!
What’s Included
An all states orientation.
Three all state academies.
Individual state team/lead team meetings.
Evaluation and sustainability support.
End of year summit.
Designated time during academy sessions for facilitated discussion with states focused on the same target population.
Participants will receive strategic and customized technical assistance to explore, develop, or implement protocol and practices aimed at improving outcomes for systems engaged individuals with brain injury.
NASHIA will support goal development, create a tailored work plan and manage scheduling/outreach associated with team meetings.
Whether you have a resolution, intention, or an inkling of an idea, consider joining the LPA in 2027 to put thoughts into action!
Please reach out to kmiller@nashia.org with any questions.
Meet the Team
Kelly Miller, MSW
Kelly Miller joined NASHIA in June 2024 in the role of Senior Manager for Technical Assistance.
Kelly’s experience in the brain injury field began in 2020 as a Project Manager at MINDSOURCE, Colorado’s lead agency on brain injury. In that role Kelly supported the Colorado Advisory Council on Brain Injury, facilitated the creation of a new state plan on brain injury and managed multiple priorities related to the Administration for Community Living Brain Injury State Partnership Program Grant.
Kelly also worked in the criminal justice field for ten years as a Probation Supervisor in Colorado’s 5th Judicial District. Her areas of expertise during that time included juvenile justice, survivors rights, program quality assurance and motivational interviewing.
Kelly also brings twelve years of experience related to child welfare to her role. She began her career as a Social Worker in a residential program for adolescents in the late 1990s when people were still saying, “are we having fun yet” and “talk to the hand”. Roles that followed included Child Protection Caseworker; Youth In Transition Supervisor; Placement Services Supervisor and Executive Director of a child advocacy agency.
Kelly is motivated by meaningful work and she is a social worker at heart. She earned a masters of social work degree from the University of Wyoming. The interconnectedness of brain injury within the criminal justice and child welfare systems led to Kelly’s career shift to brain injury focused roles.
Kelly lives in the mountains in Colorado. She enjoys hiking, crafting and spending time with her family which includes a 140 pound Rottweiler who loves cheese and snuggles.
Curious about results? Check out the past accomplishments of prior Leading Practices Academy sessions.
Cohort Hubs
The below links are for current and past LPA members, and will require login information to access.
Behavioral Health and Brain Injury
Criminal Legal System and Brain Injury
Interested?
Submit an inquiry and NASHIA staff will be in touch to help with any questions you may have.