Shining Bright at the 2024 CWDA Conference
Highlands Consulting is providing strategic communication services on the CWS-CARES project. CWS-CARES stands for Child Welfare Services – California Automated Response and Engagement System. It replaces the existing statewide 30+ year old California Child Welfare Services/Case Management System (CWS/CMS) with a Comprehensive Child Welfare Information…
Read MoreTransforming Statewide Transit
The California State Transportation Agency (CalSTA) has embarked on an ambitious project to transform transit in California. The Transit Transformation Task Force (TTTF) will develop policy recommendations to grow transit ridership, improve the transit experience, and address long-term operational needs. This effort is guided by…
Read MoreHighlands’ Summer Event – on a Train!
This month, our Highlands Consulting Team boarded the River Fox Train in West Sacramento to travel along a scenic 10-mile stretch of track through Yolo’s countryside. Despite the hot weather, we enjoyed our time in the open-air car (and the air conditioned one!), having dinner…
Read MoreLeveraging Pandemic Investments
California invested significantly in new or improved IT systems in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. These initiatives, such as deploying a statewide contact tracing platform and systems for vaccine distribution and appointment scheduling, met critical needs that existed long before the pandemic. With the worst…
Read MorePlaying a Part in “Rebuilding California”
It has been almost two years since the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) was signed. This landmark law includes federal policy direction and funding for climate action, zero-emissions vehicle deployment, social equity, and multi-modal transportation investments – all critical initiatives for our State. Highlands…
Read MoreTranslating Transportation Legislation into Action
On November 15th, 2021, President Biden signed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). This landmark law includes federal policy direction and funding for climate action, zero-emissions vehicle deployment, social equity, and multi-modal transportation investment – all critical initiatives for our State. In January 2022, the…
Read MoreThe Unsung Heroes of COVID-19
I’ve been fortunate to work with the California Department of Public Health on COVID-19 related initiatives since April 2020. Going into this, as a public sector consultant with over 15 years’ experience, I thought I knew a thing or two. But working alongside doctors, epidemiologists,…
Read MoreImpact of COVID-19 on Transportation in California
Highlands Consulting has long served State transportation clients and has been closely following the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on this area. In September, the Legislative Analyst’s Office (LAO) released a new transportation policy post on the “Impact of COVID-19 on State Transportation Revenues.” It…
Read MoreImproving Traffic Safety in California
Highlands Consulting has a long history of providing services to California’s transportation departments. Since joining the team I have worked on transportation projects and discovered a new passion for traffic safety. Most recently, we helped the Office of Traffic Safety develop their 2020-2023 Strategic Management…
Read MoreFI$Cal: A Non-IT Project?
The Financial Information System for California, known as FI$Cal, is setting records for state IT project expenditures. But from the perspective of departments transitioning to this new technology, it’s not an IT project in the traditional sense. For these departments, success depends upon their ability…
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