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Filtered by: Public Administration & International Affairs Department

Under the Same Umbrella: Public Health Insurance Expansions and the Uniformity of Insurance for Families

Sarah Hamersma, Daniel Grossman, Sebastian Tello-Trillo

Co-authored by Sarah Hamersma, associate professor of public administration and international affairs, the article was published in the Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization.

April 16, 2026

Wanting Children: Family-Planning Policies and the Engineering of America’s Population

Leonard M. Lopoo

Leonard M. Lopoo, professor and chair of public administration and international affairs, has written Wanting Children: Family-Planning Policies and the Engineering of America’s Population (University of Chicago Press, 2026). The book traces how America’s first reproductive policies were shaped by eugenicists focused on limiting births among lower-income and minority populations. 

April 1, 2026

Policy Design Complexity and Policy Outputs: Theory and Methods

Brandon Charles, Saba Siddiki, Matia Vannoni, Christopher Frantz, Nicholas Oesterling

The article, co-authored by Saba Siddiki, professor of public administration and international affairs, and Maxwell Ph.D. students Brandon Charles and Nicholas Oesterling, was published in Policy Design and Practice.

March 24, 2026

US State Policy Contexts and Mental Health Among Working-Age Adults

Iliya Gutin, Jennifer Karas Montez, Emily Wiemers, Shannon M. Monnat, Douglas A. Wolf

The article, co-authored by Maxwell faculty members Iliya Gutin, Jennifer Karas Montez, Emily Wiemers, Shannon Monnat and Douglas Wolf, was published in The Milbank Quarterly.

March 11, 2026

Rising waters, falling taxes: The impact of Hurricane Sandy on property tax assessments in New York City

Wei Guo, Qing Miao, Yusun Kim, Yilin Hou

Co-authored by Yilin Hou, professor of public administration and international affairs, the study was published in the Journal of Environmental Economics and Management.

February 26, 2026

Why the US Must Measure Food Insecurity in Old Age

Madonna Harrington Meyer, Colleen M. Heflin

The article, co-authored by Maxwell professors Madonna Harrington Meyer and Colleen Heflin, was published in The Milbank Quarterly.

February 23, 2026

Reforming Primary Elections: Voters, Campaigns, and the Future of Congressional Politics

Robert G. Boatright, Richard Barton

Maxwell School alumnus and Assistant Teaching Professor Richard Barton ’15 M.A. (PSc) has co-edited a book that examines how primary elections have changed over the past decade and why they often yield extreme or unpopular candidates. 

February 10, 2026

Strengthening Snap’s Ability to Address Old Age Food Insecurity

Colleen Heflin, Madonna Harrington Meyer,

The article, published in Contexts, was co-authored by Colleen Heflin, professor of public administration and international affairs, and University Professor Madonna Harrington Meyer. 

January 5, 2026

Is AI Replacing Human Mental Health Professionals?

Michiko Ueda
An increasing number of Americans are turning to artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots for mental health support. A new survey of U.S. adults found that nearly 35% use AI tools more than once a week to manage mental health concerns. The findings raise important questions about whether AI is supplementing or replacing traditional mental health care.
December 16, 2025

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Can Schools Sustain the Rising Cost of Retiree Health Care?

Robert Bifulco and Iuliia Shybalkina
New York State school districts face mounting budget pressures from retiree health care benefits. Without policy changes, these costs could grow from 4.5 percent of district revenues today to over 13 percent by 2075, creating significant budget pressures for districts. 
December 10, 2025

See related: United States

Understanding Factors Associated with 911 and 988 Use in Mental Health Crises

Michiko Ueda, Colleen M. Heflin, Yanhong Liu, Qingyi Yu, Seethalakshmi Ramanathan

Co-authored by Public Administration and International Affairs professors Michiko Ueda-Ballmer and Colleen Heflin, the study was published in Community Mental Health Journal.

November 3, 2025

Suicide Deaths Among Informal Caregivers in an Aging Society: Insights From 18 Years of National Data in Japan

Michiko Ueda-Ballmer

The study, authored by Michiko Ueda-Ballmer, associate professor of public administration and international affairs, was published in Public Health.

November 3, 2025

Why Aren’t More People Calling 988 for Mental Health Crises?

Michiko Ueda, Colleen M. Heflin, Yanhong Liu, Qingyi Yu, and Seethalakshmi Ramanathan
The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline launched in 2022 is a free, confidential alternative, yet awareness remains low and misconceptions persist. This brief summarizes findings from a study that surveyed nearly 1,900 U.S. adults and found that only 22% knew about 988. Even more striking: nearly 9 in 10 people had concerns about using it, and many of those concerns are based on misconceptions.
October 29, 2025

See related: United States

Understanding International Security: Theory and Practice

Michael John Williams, James Wesley Hutto, Asli Peker Dogra

Michael Williams, associate professor of public administration and international affairs, has co-authored a new book, Understanding International Security: Theory and Practice (Cambridge University Press, 2025). The book explores the meanings and debates around international security, with chapters addressing war, terrorism, violence, cyber security, health and more. 

October 9, 2025

Community-Based Food Program Limits in Reducing Older Adult Food Insecurity

Madonna Harrington Meyer and Colleen M. Heflin
Older adults who are grappling with food insecurity may enhance their food supply through community-based programs that provide free and subsidized food. But these programs can be complex, expensive, and may be difficult for older adults to use. This final brief in our older adult food insecurity series describes the limits of community-based food programs for older adults, including access, food quality, and transportation barriers. 
October 7, 2025

See related: United States

The Limits of SNAP in Addressing Older Adult Food Insecurity

Colleen M. Heflin and Madonna Harrington Meyer
This brief describes how SNAP is currently not well designed for older adults in three respects: (1) the high levels of administrative burden associated with eligibility, certification, and benefit-determination processes, (2) the low value of SNAP benefits compared with the high costs associated with redeeming them, and (3) the high levels of state variation in SNAP policies that produce substantially different conditions for SNAP depending on where one lives.
September 30, 2025

Nonfinancial Factors Shape Food Insecurity Among U.S. Older Adults

Madonna Harrington Meyer and Colleen M. Heflin
Nonfinancial factors such as poor physical and mental health, lack of access to healthy food, and transportation challenges make it more difficult for older adults to obtain, prepare, and consume healthy food. Based on the book, Food for Thought: Understanding Older Adults Food Insecurity, this brief summarizes how nonfinancial factors function as both causes and consequences of food insecurity in old age. 
September 23, 2025

Budget Tradeoffs Shape Food Insecurity Among U.S. Older Adults

Madonna Harrington Meyer and Colleen M. Heflin
For low-income older adults, it may be difficult to meet basic needs on a fixed monthly income.  This brief summarizes how budget tradeoffs between food and other essential expenses—housing, utilities, medical care, transportation, and personal and cleaning supplies—shape food insecurity among older adults. 
September 16, 2025

See related: United States

Policy Recommendations to Reduce Old Age Food Insecurity in the United States

Colleen M. Heflin and Madonna Harrington Meyer

The current policy responses to old age food insecurity are complex, costly, and not nearly effective enough. Based on the book, Food for Thought: Understanding Older Adults Food Insecurity, this brief summarizes five policy recommendations to improve food insecurity among U.S. older adults. 

September 10, 2025

See related: United States

Food for Thought: Understanding Older Adult Food Insecurity

Colleen Heflin, Madonna Harrington Meyer

Written by Colleen Heflin, professor of public administration and international affairs, and University Professor Madonna Harrington Meyer, the book examines the issue of food insecurity among older adults in the United States. 

September 4, 2025

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