Policy
-
Solitary Confinement of Adolescents: A Mental Health Crisis
Madison Polay, BS '19
Though an Obama-era executive order prohibits solitary confinement of juveniles in the federal prison system, in part because of negative mental health implications, state prison systems not subject to federal regulation continue to isolate minors. Michigan Public Health graduate Madison Polay explores the issue and the need for critical policy change. Read more
-
Tracking a Killer: Disease Behavior and Epidemiology's Detective Tools
Betsy Foxman
You don't have to know an organism to track its effects. This fundamental insight into the relationship between humans and pathogens helps public health professionals act even when they have only imperfect information. Just as importantly, says Betsy Foxman, is the will to act—for the benefit of everyone in the community—when good science tells us the time is now. Read more
-
Bridging the Gap: Connecting Public Health and Public Schools to Support Students
Laura Hollander, MPH '19
Many Michigan public schools are under pressure to improve student grades and test scores. But currently the connection between student grades and student health is under-recognized. To improve student health, schools should include public health programs about mental and behavioral health in classrooms. Read more
-
The Drug Overdose Epidemic
Ali Safawi, BA '19
Recently, the “opioid epidemic” or “opioid crisis” has been on the minds of journalists, politicians, public health professionals, and the public. While opioids continue to contribute the lion’s share of overdose deaths nationally, a deeper look into available data suggests that the United States is facing not only an “opioid epidemic” but a “drug overdose epidemic.” Read more
-
Making Family Planning a Household Name: The Legacy of Title X
Chloe Bakst
Title X provides for a diverse array of services, including medical care like contraception, training for nurses and other care providers, and systematic data collection. Despite fifty years of shrinking financial support, can it continue to be successful? Read more
-
One Family, Three Disciplines: An Intergenerational Conversation on Public Health
Michael Boehnke, Betsy Foxman, and Kevin Foxman Boehnke
We asked a family of public health researchers about big-picture changes in the field, how they decide which questions to pursue, and what they make of specialization in the sciences. Their conversation both lifts up and itself embodies the interdisciplinary nature of public health. Read more
