FORT WORTH, TX — Sullivan County Legislature Chairman Luis A. Alvarez joined more than 160 county leaders from across the country in Fort Worth earlier this month to examine anti-poverty initiatives and the critical role counties play in breaking multi-generational cycles of poverty. Hosted by the National Association of Counties (NACo), the Poverty Summit convened national experts and county leaders focused on exchanging best practices in combating poverty.

“It is an honor to represent Sullivan County in the critical national dialogue on poverty,” said Alvarez. “The Poverty Summit showcased how we can come together to break the cycles of poverty that plague far too many children and families across this country and Sullivan County. I look forward to continuing our efforts to expand opportunity in Sullivan County.”

Alvarez also participated in NACo’s fall board of directors meeting, which was held in conjunction with the Poverty Summit. As a new member of NACo’s board of directors, Alvarez plays a role in identifying and shaping the organization’s policy agenda on behalf the nation’s 3,069 counties.

The NACo board approved several federal legislative priorities for 2018 that are important to Sullivan County, including:

• Promoting county interests in the forthcoming federal infrastructure package

• Enhancing the ability of counties to treat mental illnesses and reducing the number of people with mental illnesses in jails

• Protecting the federal-state-local partnership for Medicaid, and

• Ensuring strong county consultation in the federal regulatory process.