Author Archive
Kaitlyn Levinson
Management
Community groups step up to help rural agencies’ disaster recovery
Organizations like long-term recovery groups can help rural agencies get housing, financial, health care and food assistance to victims of natural disasters.
- By Kaitlyn Levinson
Finance
Tips for weaving equity into opioid settlement spending
The Equity Expectation Policy framework offers state and local officials insights on how to allocate opioid settlement funds effectively and fairly across communities.
- By Kaitlyn Levinson
Management
Medicaid waivers help states pilot solutions to health, housing disparities
If approved, Nebraska’s Section 1115 Medicaid waiver would help finance two medical respite centers, or post-hospital recovery centers, for individuals experiencing homelessness.
- By Kaitlyn Levinson
Workforce
States get some help to recruit caregivers for an aging population
With a projected 9.3 million direct care jobs needing to be filled by 2031, states must find ways to fill that gap. That’s why a new program is helping states build a direct care workforce.
- By Kaitlyn Levinson
Infrastructure
Downtowns need a makeover. Resident, commercial engagement could help.
Cities are finding ways to attract residents and tourists back downtown, building small business support, community spirit and a local identity.
- By Kaitlyn Levinson
Management
One state looks to collect multiyear data to address the mental health crisis
Ohio has launched a $20 million research project to study the social and biological factors influencing mental health. Researchers hope the study will continue for two decades and deliver actionable insights for policymakers nationwide.
- By Kaitlyn Levinson
Emerging Tech
Vending machines expand scope, impact of public health initiatives
The self-serve kiosks distribute health and hygiene products for free, which experts say improves accessibility to essential services and helps an increasingly pinched public health workforce.
- By Kaitlyn Levinson
Finance
How one state has mapped out its opioid recovery plans
The Garden State is pouring more than $95 million of its opioid settlement money into harm reduction, treatment and housing as it starts to mitigate substance use disorders.
- By Kaitlyn Levinson
Emerging Tech
Policies to expand access to psychedelics could be ‘short-sighted’
While research shows psychedelics’ potential to mitigate the effects of substance use disorders, observers warn states might be better off waiting for federal guidance before legalizing their use and possession.
- By Kaitlyn Levinson
Management
Cities pay a climate penalty as air pollution worsens
Communities vulnerable to deteriorating air conditions and the resulting public health issues may find it ever more difficult to adapt to the changing environment, a new report suggests.
- By Kaitlyn Levinson
Management
Today’s real-time wildfire data helps prepare for a changing climate
Rapid response and early detection data tools are helping agencies paint a clearer picture of incoming wildfire risks.
- By Kaitlyn Levinson
Digital Government
Deepfake porn: The ugly side of generative AI, and what states can do about it
Policymakers are scrambling to rein in runaway deepfake content featuring nonconsenting victims in explicit images and videos.
- By Kaitlyn Levinson
Finance
States’ prescription boards tackle high drug costs
At least 11 states are developing drug cost review boards to identify and address costs of expensive medications.
- By Kaitlyn Levinson
Management
Prevention pays off: Wellness programs help states care for an aging population
There are ways to stave off the health and financial challenges that come with an older population, experts say.
- By Kaitlyn Levinson
Digital Government
One state takes on youth mental health by streamlining access to services
For some families, it can take more than a decade to connect children to appropriate mental health resources once they show symptoms. Amid a growing youth mental health crisis, one state is developing an online portal to shave that wait time down.
- By Kaitlyn Levinson
Management
To put a dent in opioid addiction, start with the corrections system
Pilot programs have offered incarcerated individuals medications for opioid use disorder, but now it’s time to start expanding those programs for long-term success, observers say.
- By Kaitlyn Levinson
Finance
One city’s effort to cancel $2B in residents’ medical debt
New York City joins a growing number of local governments looking to purchase and eliminate residents’ medical debt in a bid to improve communities’ health and economic outcomes.
- By Kaitlyn Levinson
Infrastructure
Easier said than done: Tips for community relocation amid a changing climate
As eroding coasts and raging wildfires drive people from their homes, a new report offers guidance for community relocation programs.
- By Kaitlyn Levinson
Finance
How state and local agencies are working together to quell the opioid crisis
Leaders at every level of government underlined the importance of collaboration to effectively leverage funding to address the nationwide opioid epidemic during a recent National Association of Counties event.
- By Kaitlyn Levinson
Finance
How governments are tackling medical debt
Medical debt can stymie communities’ economic mobility as unpaid hospital bills chip away at public dollars. That’s why local governments are looking to forgive residents’ medical debt, which experts say can be especially helpful for rural areas.
- By Kaitlyn Levinson