Policy Outsider

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)

At all levels of American government, voters were asked to weigh in on cannabis policy in last week’s election. On this episode of Policy Outsider, Rockefeller Institute of Government Director of Operations and Fellow Heather Trela breaks down the results of state ballot initiatives to legalize cannabis, local government efforts to decriminalize possession, and what a Trump presidency might mean for federal cannabis policy. Guests Heather Trela, Director of Operations and Fellow, Rockefeller Institute of Government Learn More Buds on the Ballot—Marijuana and the 2024 Election (blog) In the Weeds

Immigrant children face unique challenges in the classroom. Many are processing recent upheaval, working through academic material while learning a new language, or adjusting to new cultural norms. This episode of Policy Outsider, coordinated by the Institute on Immigrant Integration Research and Policy, explores how emotionally responsive practice can be used in the classroom to support children navigating adversity. Guests Margaret Blachly, Co-Director, Center for Emotionally Responsive Practice, Bank Street College of Education Romelle Moore, Mental Health Specialist, Center for Emotionally Responsive Practice, Bank Street College of Education Learn More Resources from the Bank Street College of Education Center for Emotionally Responsive Practice

September marks National Suicide Prevention Month and on this episode of Policy Outsider, Regional Gun Violence Research Consortium Executive Director Jaclyn Schildkraut speaks with Hannah Klein, an affiliate scholar with the Consortium and an assistant professor at Lewis University, about the role of safe firearm storage in suicide prevention. The conversation covers what safe storage really means, what we know about where people receive and want to receive safe storage education, and why safe storage is so important in reducing firearm suicides. Guests: Jaclyn Schildkraut, Executive Director, Regional Gun Violence Research Consortium Hannah Klein, Affiliate Scholar, Regional Gun Violence Research Consortium; Assistant Professor, Lewis University

As researchers advance their understanding of the causes of gun violence in the US and the contexts in which it occurs, one area under recent consideration is the relationship between firearm use and alcohol misuse. A recent report by the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions found that one in three individuals who committed a homicide with a firearm were heavily drinking at the time of the offense. Additionally, 30% of firearm homicide victims were under the influence of alcohol at the time of their death, as were 25% of gun suicide victims. On this episode of <em>Policy Outsider</em>, Senator Cory McCray of Maryland's 45th Legislative District, which covers parts of east and northeast Baltimore, joins Regional Gun Violence Research Consortium Executive Director Jaclyn Schildkraut to discuss the proactive policy action he's taken to address the dangerous intersection of alcohol misuse and gun violence in his district. Guests Honorable Cory McCray, Maryland State Senator, District 45 Jaclyn Schildkraut, Executive Director, Regional Gun Violence Research Consortium

On June 21, 2024, the United States Supreme Court issued its highly anticipated decision in the case of United States v. Rahimi. In an 8-to-1 majority, the Court upheld the federal prohibition of firearms by those subject to a domestic violence restraining order. On this episode of Policy Outsider, Jaclyn Schildkraut, executive director of the Institute’s Regional Gun Violence Research Consortium gets initial reactions to the decision from Consortium members Liz Tobin-Tyler, associate professor of health services policy and practice at the Brown University School of Public Health, and Kaitlin Sidorsky, associate professor of political science and public policy at Ramapo College of New Jersey. The conversation provides an overview of the ruling, what the concurrence and dissent opinions signal about how the court is interpreting the Second Amendment, and what comes next on the national stage for firearm and domestic violence policy. Guests: Jaclyn Schildkraut, Executive Director, Regional Gun Violence Research Consortium Liz Tobin-Tyler, Associate Professor of Health Services Policy and Practice at the Brown University School of Public Health Kaitlin Sidorsky, Associate Professor of Political Science and Public Policy at Ramapo College of New Jersey

Diya Abdo is a second-generation Palestinian refugee born and raised in Jordan and the author of the book, American Refuge: True Stories of the Refugee Experience. The book shares the stories of seven refugees from around the world who begin their American journeys in North Carolina, where Abdo is a Lincoln Financial Professor of English in the Department of English and Creative Writing at Guilford College. On this episode of Policy Outsider, the Institute on Immigrant Integration Research and Policy invited Dr. Abdo to talk about the book, myths about refugees and the refugee experience, and the intertwined cultural and policy changes that can support a more integrated immigrant experience. Guests Diya Abdo, Lincoln Financial Professor of English, Department of English and Creative Writing, Guilford College Learn More American Refuge: True Stories of the Refugee Experience (book)

Assemblymember Brian Cunningham joins Policy Outsider for the latest in the "Freshmen Perspectives" series, which invites freshmen legislators in the New York State Senate and Assembly to share what they're working on, what they've learned, and what they're excited about tackling next. Cunningham (who stretches our definition of freshman as a winner of a special election before winning his first full term in 2022), shares insights into how he approaches legislating, the unique perspective one gets working in the State Legislature, and the important work still to be done in housing, the green energy economy, and AI. Guests Honorable Brian Cunningham, New York State Assemblymember, Assembly District 43 Bob Megna, President, Rockefeller Institute

In the early 1980s, the New York State Division of the Budget released a retrospective on the executive budget process. The book, The Executive Budget in New York State: A Half-Century Perspective, describes how the executive budget process came to be, how it evolved over 50 years, and how it helped the state function through the Great Depression, World War II, the postwar period, and the 60s and 70s. Now, as we sit in view of 100 years of executive budgets in New York, the Division, in collaboration with the Rockefeller Institute, is beginning the process of telling the story of the next half-century. On this episode of Policy Outsider, Dominic Colafati, DOB’s unit head for the Expenditure/Debt unit, joins Rockefeller Institute President Bob Megna to talk about the project: what they hope to emulate, what they might do differently, and what comes next for the executive budget process. Guests Dominic Colafati, Unit Head, Expenditure/Debt Unit, New York State Division of the Budget Bob Megna, President, Rockefeller Institute of Government

For many, access to the banking system is an important component of upward mobility. Loans, savings accounts, credit cards–these are all part of a financial system that, when used strategically, can help establish financial stability or undergird entrepreneurial activity. But there are barriers to accessing the banking system for those on society's margins, including in some immigrant communities, where many are unbanked or underbanked. To explore these issues, we speak with Dr. Jay Zagorsky, clinical associate professor of markets, public policy, and law at Boston University's Questrom School of Business and Dr. Dina Refki, executive director of the Institute on Immigrant Integration Research and Policy. The conversation details the challenges and consequences of being unbanked and underbanked as an immigrant and highlights potential policy solutions for improving the financial options available to these communities. Guests Jay Zagorsky, Associate Professor of Markets, Public Policy, and Law, Questrom School of Business, Boston University Dina Refki, Executive Director, Institute on Immigrant Integration Research and Policy