Policy Support

Policy support for decision makers at every level

Advancing public policies that improve the health, quality of life and wellbeing of people and communities is central to the mission of the Institute for Health and Social Policy. We are here to serve and support policy- and decision makers who wish to support evidence-based policy change.

Across disciplines, Institute researchers are proficient at translating research findings into practical policy guidance, bridging the gap between research and practice. And every day, members of our core faculty collaborate with policy professionals to discover and optimize the influence of diverse policy decisions on health. Here are just a few examples of how the Institute is unique in its dedication to driving direct health benefits via positive policy change:

• Dr. Beth McGinty  and her colleagues are partnering with the National Association of Attorneys General and the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials to study the implementation and outcomes of “pill mill” laws in Ohio and Tennessee.
• Institute director Dr. Keshia M. Pollack Porter and her colleagues conducted a study showing the positive health impacts, documented both by published evidence and experts interviewed, of relatively modest tax increases on alcohol and cigarettes. These findings were shared with legislators in the Maryland General Assembly and with policy advocates.
• Dr. Brendan Saloner and his team have proposed evidence to inform initiatives led by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to improve treatment for opioid use disorders under the Affordable Care Act.

We value and welcome the involvement of people who are out doing the real-world work in all stages of our research and activities. We are policy people—we want to change public policy for the better.

—Beth McGinty, PhD, Associate Professor

Connecting good research to good policy

From translating research findings into practical policy improvements to providing consulting services, expert testimony and other technical assistance, the Institute’s core faculty are here to advise and collaborate with policy- and decision makers at the local, state and national level on topics that include:

• Housing
• Health Care
• Addiction
• Mental Health
• Social Inequity
• Transportation
• Planning/Built Environment
• Food Policy
• Income
• Climate Change
• Health Equity
• Health in All Policies

Connecting to the policy community

The Institute also holds the Bloomberg School’s institutional membership to the Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management (APPAM). APPAM is an international nonprofit organization dedicated to improving public policy and management by fostering excellence in research, analysis and education. Institute director Keshia M. Pollack Porter is a member of APPAM’s Policy Council.