Strategic Planning and Financial Management Martha Roherty, Director, Center for Workers with Disabilities and the National Association of State Medicaid Directors Robin O’Brien, Product and Marketing Developer, Leadership and Practice Development, APHSA APHSA’s Robin O’Brien led a discussion on the strategic planning process for states. In the presentation, he highlighted why it is important to understand the strategic planning process and how it is beneficial, how to make the most productive use of time throughout the grant process, and planning ahead for future cycles. The session went through the CMS logic model format and compared it to other logic models and elements not included in CMS’s version. States were challenged to start conducting an environmental scan and identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats that may impact their projects. The session also went through strategic financing and ways for states to identify new and creative funding sources for their initiatives. The final portion of the session focused on future planning and how APHSA and the Center for Workers with Disabilities can maximize effectiveness in helping states with their grants. States indicated that in addition to monthly calls, individual state TA calls are very beneficial. States also indicated that it would be helpful to walk through the process of completing some of the strategic planning worksheets on the CWD calls.