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 […]

For many immigrants in New Jersey, the challenge of accessing medical care is twofold: for some, health insurance is out of reach entirely; for others, having coverage does not guarantee they can afford care, find a provider, or get to an appointment. In the U.S., about 47 million immigrants (14% of the total population) live […]

Decades of research show a clear pattern that waste services are not always distributed equally amongst states, municipalities, townships, and even residents. Robert Bullard’s Dumping in Dixie first exposed the history of how landfills and waste facilities were often placed near Black communities in the U.S., not by accident, but through discriminatory zoning and political […]

New Jersey has an innovative Assisted Living Program (ALP) designed exclusively for seniors living in subsidized public housing. ALPs help older adults remain in their communities when they experience cognitive and physical decline over time, by providing hands-on assistance with personal care, medications, nursing, and social services, with the objective of preventing or delaying placement […]

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 Scientists in State Politics Database is a detailed, publicly accessible inventory of state legislators across the United States with educational or professional backgrounds in science, engineering, or healthcare, hosted by the Eagleton Institute of Politics with support from the New Jersey State Policy Lab. The database helps users identify these legislators, explore their areas […]

Emergency departments (EDs) may be the primary, and sometimes only, connection to the healthcare system for people with opioid use disorder (OUD) or opioid overdose,[1] making them important sites in the continuum of care for OUD. Emergency departments can connect people with OUD to community-based care, particularly through the provision of medications for OUD, such […]

In New Jersey, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) services are vital for supporting food security among low-income households. However, significant accessibility barriers prevent many users from benefiting fully from the available resources. The current NJ SNAP website is designed solely in English and directs non-English-speaking users to Google’s translation service. This approach falls short in […]

COVID-19 brought to light the disparities among the nursing workforce that have been simmering in our health care system and highlighted the need for nurses to access emotional well-being programs with the intention of reducing emotional distress and burnout. In recognition of National Nurses Week, researchers have published a new report examining the findings from […]

As we have discussed throughout our previous blog posts, health insurance literacy—the ability to seek, obtain, understand, and effectively use health insurance information—is crucial for improving health outcomes and reducing unnecessary healthcare costs. Additionally, for any legislative solution to bring about true change, it is imperative that we also improve the communities’ understanding of this […]

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 […]