The National Association of Counties (NACo) Annual Conference & Exposition is the largest meeting of county elected and appointed officials from across the country. Participants from counties of all sizes come together to shape NACo's federal policy agenda, share proven practices and strengthen knowledge networks to help improve residents’ lives and the efficiency of county government.

Across the country, people in many jurisdictions who frequently encounter criminal justice, behavioral health, and social service systems are experiencing behavioral health crises and require different levels and intensities of services. This three-part series features three Stepping Up Innovator Counties that are also MacArthur Foundation Safety and Justice Challenge sites. Representatives from these sites provide information on how to effect...

Counties are on the front lines of providing justice and public safety services, from policing to courts to jails. In this space, county leaders are constantly facing data overload, budget uncertainties, increased public expectations, lack of transparency, a pressure to close more cases and disclose evidence faster, a need to do more with less. To address these challenges, county departments, from sheriffs to prosecutor’s offices are now...

As public health officials track the surge of the Delta variant, counties are also poised to take steps to reduce transmission and protect our communities. NACo will be joined by Dr. Deborah Birx, the former White House Coronavirus Response Coordinator, who will share an update on COVID-19 and best practices to lower community outbreaks. This session will also include information on how counties can use American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to...

The NACo Cyberattack Simulation is designed for cybersecurity managers, their teams, and others in the county responsible for risk defense, protection, and recovery (including managers in HR, policy management, finance, public safety, and emergency services). Delivered through the High Performance Leadership Academy, the cyber simulation will be held the week of December 7, with December 7, 8 and 9 focused on about an hour of homework (reading...

NACo's Large Urban County Caucus (LUCC)/Rural Action Caucus (RAC) Virtual Symposium will bring together urban and rural county leaders from across the country to exchange ideas and share solutions in an informative, interactive and problem-solving virtual event. Hear the latest federal and legislative news from Washington, DC, and connect with national experts, innovators and elected leaders on topics of common interest, including supporting t...

Each year, counties invest $58 billion in federal, state and local dollars on human services while serving as the frontline social safety net. With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, counties are investing in critical public assistance services and programs to better support our residents and communities impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. With the authorization of the Coronavirus Relief Fund under the CARES Act, many counties are using these...

America’s 3.6 million county employees provide critical services to lead COVID-19 response efforts. However, the latest jobs report shows that 800,000 local government jobs were lost in April (in part due to school closures). The economic and fiscal strain of the pandemic has forced many counties to furlough or lay off county employees – up to half of the county workforce in some areas. With the help of funding from the federal Cor...

The NACo Annual Conference & Exposition is the largest meeting of county elected and appointed officials from across the country. Participants from counties of all sizes come together to shape NACo's federal policy agenda, share proven practices and strengthen knowledge networks to help improve residents’ lives and the efficiency of county government. NACo conferences are key opportunities to exchange cutting-edge best practices and...

The NACo Western Interstate Region (WIR) Conference brings together county officials from across the nation to focus on pressing issues facing counties and our residents. Each year the conference is hosted by a county within the fifteen Western states—Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawai'i, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington and Wyoming—and provides attendees with the op...