Policy Outsider

Included in one of the bills to fund the federal government and end the government shutdown was a provision closing what is known as the "hemp loophole." This gray area, created by a 2018 law, allowed an industry of hemp-derived intoxicants that were federally legal to be sold throughout the US in places where states hadn't stepped in to regulate these products. On this episode of Policy Outsider, Heather Trela, the director of operations and a fellow at the Rockefeller Institute, spells out the distinction between hemp and marijuana, details how the "hemp loophole" came to be, and explains what closing the loophole means for this industry.GuestsHeather Trela, Director of Operations and Fellow, Rockefeller Institute of Government

The Elder Economic Security Index is a tool that quantifies how much income older Americans need to meet their basic needs and age in place with dignity. On this episode of Policy Outsider, we unpack how the index works, what the latest findings tell us about economic security in later life, and how policymakers, advocates, and communities can use the index to shape better policy and programs. GuestsMaria Alvarez, Executive Director, NY Statewide Senior Action CouncilNidya Velasco Roldán, Post-Doctoral Fellow, Gerontology Institute, UMass BostonDina Refki, Executive Director, Institute on Immigrant Integration Research and PolicyLearn MoreLate-life Financial Security in New York: Evidence from the 2024 Elder Index (PDF)

The Supreme Court's interpretation of the Second Amendment has changed significantly over the last 20 years. Rulings in cases like DC v. Heller in 2008 and New York State Rifle & Pistol Association, Inc. v. Bruen in 2022 recast the "right to bear arms" in a new legal framework that makes it more challenging to create effective firearm regulations. On this episode of Policy Outsider, we speak with a New York State legislator and a political science scholar about constitutional originalism—the theory underlying aspects of these rulings—and the practical considerations of legislating in the complex legal environment created by the Court's decisions. GuestsHonorable Charles D. Lavine, New York State Assemblymember, Assembly District 13Robert J. Spitzer, Member, Regional Gun Violence Research Consortium; Distinguished Service Professor Emeritus, Political Science Department, SUNY Cortland

In the third part in our series, "A Look at Labor," Vilda Vera Mayuga, commissioner of the New York City Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP), is interviewed by Rockefeller Institute Director of Labor Policy Maria Figueroa. Their discussion covers the goals of DCWP and how they approach their work, implementing and enforcing protections for workers in the digital economy, securing restitution for retail and other workers, and the labor priorities that the next mayor will have to address.GuestsVilda Vera Mayuga, Commissioner, New York City Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP)Maria Figueroa, Director of Labor Policy, Rockefeller Institute of Government

In the second episode in our series, "A Look at Labor," Rockefeller Institute Director of Labor Policy Maria Figueroa interviews New York State Senator Jessica Ramos. Their discussion covers the priorities of Senator Ramos as chair of the Labor Committee in the senate, the impacts of federal immigration actions, funding cuts, and other federal policy changes on workers, and the labor issues at play in a transition to a decarbonized energy infrastructure.GuestsHonorable Jessica Ramos, New York State Senator, Senate District 13Maria Figueroa, Director of Labor Policy, Rockefeller Institute of Government

Sharing a language does not always mean sharing meaning. That became clear to researcher William Wical when he and community organizer Tyrique Glasgow were reviewing interviews Wical had done of Black men who'd been involved in a hospital-based violence intervention program. On this episode of Policy Outsider, we learn about how a confusion of meaning resulted in a new endeavor: the Glossary Project. The episode explores Wical and Glasgow's efforts to get academics, practitioners, victims of gun violence, and the media all speaking the same culturally competent language.GuestsWilliam Wical, Postdoctoral Fellow, Center Gun Violence Solutions, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins UniversityTyrique Glasgow, Founder, Young Chances Foundation

On this episode of Policy Outsider, the Institute on Immigrant Integration Research and Policy is joined by John Ravitz, executive vice president and COO of the Business Council of Westchester and a former New York State legislator, to discuss one of the most pressing issues facing both local and national economies: the workforce crisis. From labor shortages in healthcare and education to the vital role of Westchester’s immigrant workforce, Ravitz offers a candid and informed look at the challenges businesses face and the innovative strategies being used to adapt. The discussion, led by Institute on Immigrant Integration Deputy Director & Intergovernmental Liaison Guillermo Martinez, explores the impact of sweeping immigration policy changes, new federal laws, and the rise of minority-owned businesses, while also looking ahead to how technology and demographic shifts will shape the future of work in Westchester County.GuestsGuillermo Martinez, Deputy Director & Intergovernmental Liaison, Institute on Immigrant Integration Research and Policy John Ravitz, Executive Vice President and COO, Business Council of Westchester

New York’s Medicaid program provides health insurance to nearly seven million New Yorkers, and it is a critically important way for people to get healthcare. On this episode of Policy Outsider, we discuss why the administration of the Medicaid program—that is, how it is staffed, how it procures services, how it captures, analyzes, and acts on its data—is so important to delivering effective outcomes. The discussion also emphasizes areas of potential improvement of the program's administration and highlights why right now—in the middle of the most significant health policy reforms since the Affordable Care Act—might actually be the best time to rethink how we administer this $100 billion program.GuestsOxiris Barbot, President, The United Hospital Fund (UHF)Courtney Burke, Senior Fellow for Health Policy, Rockefeller InstituteBob Megna, President, Rockefeller InstituteChad Shearer, Senior Vice President for Policy and Program, The United Hospital Fund (UHF)Learn MoreOptions for Modernizing Medicaid Administration (blog)The Importance of Medicaid and Why Administration Matters (recorded forum)Why Administration Matters: UHF Co-Hosts Medicaid Forum (article)

The delivery industry boomed during the COVID-19 pandemic. In New York City, the engine of this expansion was app-based delivery workers, many of whom are immigrants. On this episode of Policy Outsider, Institute on Immigrant Integration Research and Policy Deputy Director & Intergovernmental Liaison Guillermo Martinez interviews Rockefeller Institute Director of Labor Policy Maria Figueroa about her research into the efforts of these workers to secure improved working conditions and compensation.GuestsGuillermo Martinez, Deputy Director & Intergovernmental Liaison, Institute on Immigrant Integration Research and PolicyMaria Figueroa, Director of Labor Policy, Rockefeller Institute of GovernmentLearn MoreView Maria's presentation at the Institute on Immigrant Integration's 2025 annual conference, "Engineering Cohesive Communities: Social Integration of Foreign-Born Americans."

Federal health policy is undergoing its most significant changes since the Affordable Care Act was signed into law more than 15 years ago. The health policy team at the Rockefeller Institute is tracking these changes closely and has written extensively on how provisions in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act and related rule-based changes may impact New York State. On this episode of Policy Outsider, we invite the authors of these recent analyses to discuss the shifting health policy landscape and share what they are keeping an eye on as the impact of these changes comes into focus.GuestsCourtney Burke, Senior Fellow for Health Policy, Rockefeller Institute of GovernmentJillian Kirby Bronner, Special Advisor to the Budget Director, New York State Division of the BudgetTroy Oechsner, Fellow, Rockefeller Institute of GovernmentLearn MoreRead our series on how federal health policy changes are impacting New York State.

This episode of Policy Outsider features a conversation between Rockefeller Institute Director of Labor Policy Maria Figueroa and Brendan Griffith, president of the New York City Central Labor Council. The discussion explores the work of the Central Labor Council, the pressing issues facing the labor movement today, and the priorities of labor under the next mayoral administration.GuestsMaria Figueroa, Director of Labor Policy, Rockefeller InstituteBrendan Griffith, President, New York City Central Labor Council

As summer winds down, the perennial question of how to create a safe and equitable environment for students is on the minds of many school leaders, administrators, and teachers. On this episode of Policy Outsider, we explore the practice of using multi-disciplinary threat assessment teams to evaluate students who are at risk and recommend holistic and programmatic pathways to make sure their needs are being met.Guests Eric Madfis, Professor, Criminal Justice and Director, Violence Prevention and Transformation Research Collaborative, School of Social Work & Criminal Justice, University of Washington-Tacoma Jaclyn Schildkraut, Executive Director, Regional Gun Violence Research Consortium, Rockefeller Institute of Government

New York City's major property tax law was enacted decades ago. On this episode of Policy Outsider, we take a deep dive into the law's limitations and challenges to reforming it. Our guests are Rockefeller Institute President Bob Megna, Carol O’Cleireacain, a Richard P. Nathan Public Policy Fellow at the Institute, and Preston Niblack, commissioner of the New York City Department of Finance.Guests Robert Megna, President, Rockefeller Institute of Government Carol O’Cleireacain, Richard P. Nathan Public Policy Fellow, Rockefeller Institute of Government Preston Niblack, Commissioner, New York City Department of Finance

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) coordinates responses to large disasters that exceed state and local capacity. In recent months, the Trump administration has floated the idea of abolishing the agency. On this episode of Policy Outsider, Rockefeller Institute President Bob Megna is joined by Jackie Bray, commissioner of the New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services, to discuss what it might mean to eliminate or drastically reduce the scope of FEMA.Guests Robert Megna, President, Rockefeller Institute of Government Jackie Bray, Commissioner, New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services

Dr. Heide Castañeda is a professor of anthropology at the University of South Florida and the author of the 2023 book, Migration and Health: Critical Perspectives, which examines how we think about migration, mobility, and borders, and how these phenomena produce health inequalities. On this episode of Policy Outsider, Dr. Castañeda is interviewed by Institute on Immigrant Integration Research and Policy Executive Director Dina Refki and Shiyue Cui, an immigrant integration fellow at the Institute. The conversation builds off the wide breadth of topics covered in the book to provide an incisive look into the complex and tangled relationship between migration and health.GuestsHeide Castañeda, Professor of Anthropology, University of South FloridaDina Refki, Executive Director, Institute on Immigrant Integration Research and PolicyShiyue Cui, Immigrant Integration Fellow, Institute on Immigrant Integration Research and PolicyLearn MoreMigration and Health: Critical Perspectives

TheDream.US is the nation’s largest college and career success program for undocumented immigrant youth. This episode of Policy Outsider features an interview with TheDream.US co-founder Don Graham, president and CEO Gaby Pacheco, and Chief Operating Officer Hyein Lee. In the recorded conversation, the TheDream.US team is interviewed by the Institute on Immigrant Integration Research and Policy's Executive Director Dina Refki and Immigrant Integration Fellow Adriana Mintarsih.GuestsDon Graham, Co-Founder, TheDream.USGaby Pacheco, President and CEO, TheDream.USHyein Lee, Chief Operating Officer, TheDream.USDina Refki, Executive Director, Institute on Immigrant Integration Research and PolicyAdriana Mintarsih, Immigrant Integration Fellow, Institute on Immigrant Integration Research and PolicyLearn MoreTheDream.US | Scholarships for Undocumented Students

Refugee resettlement organizations play a critical role in immigrant integration, providing job training programs, interpretation and translation services, and other educational programming for individuals and businesses. The indefinite pause of the refugee resettlement program by the Trump administration froze funding for many of these organizations, including those with long-established relationships with local communities, employers, and other community-based organizations. This integration infrastructure takes years to build and is often the catalyst that helps foreign-born people move from surviving to thriving.On this episode of Policy Outsider, we dive into the services provided by one of these organizations, the benefits these services have in the community, and how the organization is navigating a challenging new funding and cultural landscape. Jennifer Rizzo-Choi, the executive director of the International Institute of Buffalo, an organization whose mission is to "make Western New York a better place for, and because of, immigrants and refugees," speaks with the Institute on Immigrant Integration Research and Policy's executive director, Dina Refki, and Ken Irish-Bramble, a fellow with the Institute on Immigrant Integration. GuestsJennifer Rizzo-Choi, Executive Director, International Institute of BuffaloDina Refki, Executive Director, Institute on Immigrant Integration Research and PolicyKen Irish-Bramble, Immigrant Integration Fellow, Institute on Immigrant Integration Research and PolicyLearn MoreInternational Institute of Buffalo

With a new presidential administration come new (and dimmer) prospects for the rescheduling of cannabis. The rescheduling process, which began under President Biden, has met with legal hurdles and will now be overseen by a group of Trump appointees that view the drug less favorably. On a new episode of Policy Outsider, Rockefeller Institute director of operations, fellow, and resident cannabis policy expert, Heather Trela, provides an update on where we are in the process, the new players, and what to expect in the coming months.

You've probably heard the headline: guns and cars are the leading causes of death among children. But to understand what policymakers can actually do to bring down rates of firearm and motor vehicle fatalities, researchers are going deeper into the intersection of age, sex, race, and ethnicity in mortality rates. On this episode ofPolicy Outsider, hear from two co-authors of a recently published article on firearm and motor vehicle pediatric deaths in the journal JAMA Pediatrics how prevention efforts need to be targeted across different high-risk subgroups to be most effective in bringing down the number of children killed by cars and guns.GuestsJaclyn Schildkraut,Executive Director, Regional Gun Violence Research ConsortiumEric Fleegler,Pediatric Emergency Physician, Massachusetts General Hospital and Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Emergency Medicine, Harvard Medical SchoolLois K. Lee,Senior Associate in Pediatrics, Division of Emergency Medicine, Boston Children’s Hospital and Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Emergency Medicine, Harvard Medical SchoolLearn MoreFirearm and Motor Vehicle Pediatric Deaths—Intersections of Age, Sex, Race, and Ethnicity (JAMA Pediatrics)

Extreme Risk Protection Orders, or "red flag" laws, are a state policy tool designed to temporarily remove firearms from individuals who are behaving in a manner dangerous to themselves or to others. As state laws, they vary in their design and implementation, including who is able to petition to have firearms removed. In some states with red flag laws, physicians, pediatricians, and other clinicians are enabled by law to fill this role. On this episode of Policy Outsider, we explore why clinicians are well-suited to be ERPO petitioners and their challenges and concerns with the laws as currently constructed. Guests Nina Agrawal, Richard P. Nathan Public Policy Fellow, Rockefeller Institute Shannon Frattaroli, Professor, John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health Learn More National Extreme Risk Protection Order (ERPO) Resource Center A Critical Opportunity for Extreme Risk Protection Order Implementation (blog)