Publications

Paid family leave is an essential social policy that provides families with economic security while bonding with a new child. The United States has no federal policy on paid leave, providing only certain eligible employees up to 12 weeks unpaid, job-protected leave for family and medical reasons. For many workers, unpaid leave is a financially untenable […]

Breast cancer is widely known as a disease that affects thousands of women within the United States and is the second leading cause of death due to cancer in New Jersey (Department of Health, 2020). Current research discovered that it disproportionately affects Black women, making them 40% more likely to die to due to breast […]

The Annie E. Casey Foundation has released its 36th Kids Count Data Book, providing updated insights into the well-being of children in New Jersey and across the nation[1]. The report assesses child well-being in all 50 states using 16 key indicators organized into four categories: Economic Well-being, Education, Health, and Family and Community. New Jersey […]

The research team is pleased to share some updates on the status of our ongoing evaluation of the enhanced child welfare certificate program. This certificate program—developed through a collaboration between Rutgers University’s Center for Research on Ending Violence and the New Jersey Department of Children and Families (DCF)—aims to strengthen the state’s child welfare response […]

A growing body of scientific evidence supports paid family leave policies for new parents: studies have demonstrated benefits to public health (increased breastfeeding, on-time vaccinations, decreased infant hospitalizations, and improved child/parent bonding), socioeconomic wellbeing of families (improved labor force participation, decreased poverty and use of public support programs, and increased ability to arrange childcare), and […]

Family violence and child abuse are deeply interconnected issues that can have lasting and severe consequences for children and families. In New Jersey, the state has taken significant steps to address these challenges through the Domestic Violence and Division of Child Protection and Permanency (DCP&P) Policy. This policy provides child welfare professionals with essential guidance […]

As the New Jersey State Policy Lab (NJSPL) reaches its fourth anniversary, it is my honor to serve as the Executive Director, working with an incredible team of dedicated professionals to better understand and investigate policy issues impacting the state. The NJSPL was created as the result of a grant from the Office of the Secretary […]

Perinatal depression is a significant public health issue in New Jersey and in the United States, with wide disparities by race and socioeconomic status. Evidence shows that perinatal depression adversely affects a range of children’s health and developmental outcomes and is correlated with negative health outcomes for mothers, yet little is known about potential policy […]

Chiamaka Nwede is a graduate student pursuing a Master of Science degree in Public Affairs and Community Development at Rutgers-Camden. I met a girl sitting inside her high school’s underfunded laboratory, staring at a robotic kit that had seen better days. She had always been fascinated by how machines worked, often tinkering with household gadgets […]

Taylor Hughes is a graduate student pursuing a Master of Public Policy degree at the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy. She serves as a research assistant with the New Jersey State Policy Lab.   Maternal mortality is a crucial indicator for assessing the quality of healthcare access and delivery for pregnant […]

Abortion, the medical termination of a pregnancy, is one of the most divisive moral, political, and cultural issues impacting the United States today. In June 2022, the Supreme Court overturned the landmark cases of Roe v. Wade (1973) and Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pennsylvania v. Casey (1992), ruling that the United States Constitution “does not […]

As a result of longstanding structural inequities, African American women endure greater trauma, socioeconomic disparities, and stress, and have less access to healthcare and social support during the perinatal period, which occurs from the beginning of pregnancy to a year after giving birth. With these factors, which can lead to poorer mental and physical health […]