The Clinton Foundation on Monday announced the launch of the Clinton Policy Institute (CPI), a new initiative designed to assist state and local governments in developing and implementing nonpartisan policy solutions. The institute will focus on improving health outcomes, particularly for women and children, enhancing economic security, and strengthening democratic institutions.
This marks the Clinton Foundation's first new initiative in over a decade. CPI has begun bringing together political leaders from across the aisle, research experts, and individuals impacted by various issues to explore innovative approaches to persistent problems.
"Rising costs, economic uncertainty, rapid technological change, and growing pressures on our public institutions are making it harder for families to get ahead," former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said in a statement. "We created CPI because we believe there are still practical, evidence-based solutions that can improve people's lives."
CPI is building on prior work, including a collaboration with New York state to ban cellphones from schools during the past academic year. Although the institute was not formally established at the time, the Clinton Foundation saw the promise in this approach and decided to expand it before the public announcement of CPI's creation. This strategy is reminiscent of how the foundation launched the Clinton Health Access Initiative in 2004.
The institute's leadership includes Zayn Siddique, former principal deputy director of the Domestic Policy Council, as CEO, and Jennifer Klein, former director of the White House Gender Policy Council, as chair.
In New York, CPI's involvement in the cellphone ban initiative led to the creation of a Teen Tech Council, where students helped refine the program. According to New York Gov. Kathy Hochul's office, educators reported a significant improvement in classroom behavior and engagement as a result.
"CPI is bringing together policymakers, researchers, business leaders, and community organizations to identify what works, build stronger policy networks, and help turn those ideas into policy," Hillary Clinton stated. "We’re taking a particular focus on states and local communities, where so much innovation is happening."
Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly, who recently attended a CPI conference on improving children's lives, described it as "the best roundtable" she had participated in as governor. Kelly, a Democrat serving in a Republican-leaning state, emphasized the necessity of bipartisan cooperation for achieving policy goals.
Kelly believes CPI can facilitate nonpartisan solutions, especially for issues concerning children and healthcare, by providing state leaders with research and support for implementation. She noted that such collaborations can lead to the passage of essential legislation, even if not always the most high-profile.
Dr. Jerome Adams, former U.S. Surgeon General under President Donald Trump, agreed that nonpartisan solutions are attainable but require intentional effort. He acknowledged that issues like healthcare access, women's health, drug policy, and firearm safety are inherently political and often become polarized in the public discourse.
Adams pointed to CPI's success in gaining bipartisan support for solutions related to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). He co-chairs the National Leadership Council for the ACE Resource Network, an effort to replicate California's ACEs Aware initiative in other states. This initiative screens for and treats ACEs, such as abuse, neglect, and household challenges, to mitigate their long-term impact and cost.
"We bring in states and say, ‘Hey, let’s look at the best evidence in terms of what works around adverse childhood experiences and state level policy and then try to implement it in your state,’" Adams explained. Republican-led states like Utah and Georgia are now considering aspects of California's ACEs work, signaling the potential for CPI's approach to be applied more broadly.
The Clinton Foundation hopes to scale successful policy models across the country. "Too many people have lost faith that progress is possible," Hillary Clinton said. "But across the country, leaders are developing innovative policies that are strengthening families and communities. Those ideas deserve to be shared and scaled."