CFP1
This project considers children who are overweight, the most common health problem facing American childeren. States, and to a lesser extent, local governments, have passed a variety of laws aimed at reducing youths’ exposure to high-calorie, low-nutrient foods and encouraging physical activity. What measures work?
Funding Date: Tue, 12/01/2009
Researching Institution: Harvard University
Researcher: Michelle Mello, J.D., Ph.D.
This project explores the nexus between criminal justice and public health. Criminal justice professionals are increasingly concerned with developing ‘evidence-based’ policy, and making sure that their efforts are targeted and effective. This is the case with the Philadelphia Police Department, which is seeking to build evidence around the contribution of foot-beat policing to reductions in urban violence, including that associated with gang and drug-related activity. This project uses a randomized controlled design to asses the impact of the foot-beat enforcement strategy.
Researching Institution: Temple University
Researcher: Jerry Ratcliffe, Ph.D.
This project will examine regional approaches to local public health service delivery in Colorado and examine challenges and barriers to the success of current approaches in the context of law. The Colorado Public Health Practice-Based Research Network will undertake: 1) a national review of state laws that directly impact regionalization and functional regional approaches in local public health; 2) a legal analysis of the Colorado Public Health Act of 2008 in terms of its impact on regionalization and regional approaches; and 3) a mapping study of regional approaches in Colorado that includes an analysis of legal instruments used to implement regional approaches, and a qualitative study of the determinants of the legal or structural barriers to regional approaches. Deliverables for this project include 1) A report on current practices, current models of regional approaches, and examples of legal instruments used, 2) Presentation and talking points for local public health directors 3) ‘Basics on public health law and systems research’ and a matrix/database of regional approaches,for public health practitioners
Researching Institution: Public Health Alliance of Colorado, Colorado School of Public Health
Researcher: Lee Thielen, M.P.A., Julie Marshall, Ph.D.
This project will study six Los Angeles neighborhoods to assess the extent to which land-use regulation affects the crime in communities. The study will explore the relationship between crime, the built environment and land-use regulation. By empirically measuring the effect of land use regulation on the built environment and crime, the project will provide policymakers with actionable evidence on ways to reduce crime and improve public health by shaping the built environment through land-use laws and regulation. Deliverables for this project include academic peer-reviewed journal articles, conference presentations, final report to be published by RAND, and a practitioner-friendly Research Brief to be submitted to the American Planning Association’s Planning magazine.
Researching Institution: RAND Corporation, University of Pennsylvania
Researcher: James Anderson, J.D., John MacDonald, Ph.D.
This project will look at the implementation of Virginia’s newly-enacted Health Care Decisions Act (HCDA) and identify the key barriers and enabling factors that will determine the law’s ultimate impact on health outcomes, safety, and quality of life for persons with severe mental illness. The study’s findings will be used to develop specific recommendations to improve the implementation and positive impact of the HCDA in Virginia and will also be disseminated nationally to inform policymaking in other states. The NCDA provides a legal mechanism for persons with chronic, disabling health conditions—including serious mental health disorders such as schizophrenia or bipolar disorder—to document, while competent, their advance consent to treatment and to authorize a healthcare proxy to make treatment decisions for them during periods of incapacity. Whether and how these types of advance directives will work in practice is unknown.
The Research Network on Mandated Community Treatment has awarded a matching grant for this research. Funded by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, the Research Network on Mandated Community Treatment seeks to elaborate a new and broader conceptual framework to encompass all forms of mandated treatment.
Funding Date: Tue, 12/01/2009
Researching Institution: University of Virginia
Researcher: Richard Bonnie, LL.B.
