Records shed light on program pairing cops with mental health professionals
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy announced that he plans to double the budget for the community-based program that dispatches a mental health counselor with a plainclothes police officer during certain mental or behavioral health calls.
Free school meals for all may reduce childhood obesity
COMMENTARY | Growing research is showing the benefits of universal free school meals for the health and well-being of children, including a slowing in the rise of childhood obesity rates.
Local news is crucial to governance, and it’s hurting
COMMENTARY | Public officials need to support it any way they can. It’s good for their communities, and it's good for them.
How to prevent ideas from getting lost in translation
Policy researchers and government administrators often seem like they’re speaking different languages. A new book aims to help experts communicate more clearly, so their ideas can have real-world impacts.
‘Tough-on-crime’ policies are back in some places that had reimagined criminal justice
Several states are considering or have already enacted legislation undoing more progressive policies.
Sunshine Week brings attention to state efforts to overhaul open records laws
As technology renders decades-old open records policies obsolete, states look to overhaul them. It is pitting government officials against good-government groups and reporters.
988 currently doesn't use geolocation services. Counties want to change that.
Counties are pushing for Congress to pass legislation that will require calls be routed based on location. Wireless carriers are already working with the federal government to start doing that.
Community groups step up to help rural agencies’ disaster recovery
Organizations like long-term recovery groups can help rural agencies get housing, financial, health care and food assistance to victims of natural disasters.
There are 100,000 fewer Election Day polling places in 2024
A major Supreme Court decision, a pandemic and localized issues have all conspired to reduce the number of physical voting locations. Advocates say that’s bad for democracy.
School vouchers continue momentum in state legislatures
2023 was considered a landmark year for school choice. It’s a trend that is showing no sign of slowing down, as lawmakers push proposals with fewer restrictions and costly price tags.
N.Y. governor sends National Guard troops into subway to tackle the “psychology of crime”
The New York governor's supporters say the specter of National Guard troops checking bags will make New Yorkers feel safer, but activists say it’s just a militarized version of stop-and-frisk.
The 5 best movies about state or local government, part 2
Lights, camera, action! In honor of this weekend’s Oscar Awards, here are our team’s top picks.
Medicaid waivers help states pilot solutions to health, housing disparities
If approved, Nebraska’s Section 1115 Medicaid waiver would help finance two medical respite centers, or post-hospital recovery centers, for individuals experiencing homelessness.
Report shows Ohio one of many states still prosecuting ‘HIV-related’ crimes
A new report shows more than 200 cases of "HIV-related prosecutions" in Ohio between 2014 and 2020.
Fluoride in public water has slashed tooth decay, but some states may end mandates
Public health experts warn that anti-fluoridation legislation is buoyed by misinformation and junk science.
Syphilis is killing babies. The U.S. government is failing to stop the disease from spreading.
The only drug that treats syphilis during pregnancy is in short supply. Untreated, the disease can pass to newborns, killing them or leaving them with disabilities. As cases rise sharply, the government isn’t doing much to prevent shortages.
Statistical models vs. front-line workers: Who knows best how to spend opioid settlement cash?
A mathematical model designed to direct spending of opioid settlement funds is at the center of a debate over whether to invest in technology to guide long-term decisions or focus on the immediate needs of people in addiction.
Mayors, experts discuss the solution and barriers to ending homelessness
Amid a homelessness crisis nationwide, Houston and Los Angeles have housed thousands of people under a “housing first” approach.
Estimated 2.5 million people displaced by natural disasters in 2023 tell a story of recovery in America and who is vulnerable
Residents who don’t know how to find information about disaster recovery assistance or can’t take time away from work to apply for aid can have a harder time getting quick help from federal and state agencies.
As xylazine surges, some lawmakers want jail time for dealers and people who use the drug
The animal sedative is cheap, easy to get and sometimes winds up in other illicit substances.
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