Our Health Policy Matters

I started writing Our Health Policy Matters three and a half years ago, right after the 2010 mid-term elections. Since then, I have written about two policy areas about which I am passionate – public health and mental health.  As I explain below, I am about to change my professional focus.  And while I will be speaking about one more than the other in the future, for me these two areas are related. Let me explain why. Mental health and public health are first and foremost about wellness.  They are about identifying risk factors for disease and eliminating or mitigating them. Many of the same environmental risk factors contribute to poor health, especially poor mental health.  These include poverty, violence, abuse, and neglect.  When we address or mitigate these risk factors, we improve our nation’s health and mental health together. We often place the burden of responsibility for maintaining one’s health squarely on the shoulders of individ...

I started writing Our Health Policy Matters three and a half years ago, right after the 2010 mid-term elections. Since then, I have written about two policy areas about which I am passionate – public health and mental health.  As I explain below, I am about to change my professional focus.  And while I will be speaking about one more than the other in the future, for me these two areas are related. Let me explain why. Mental health and public health are first and foremost about wellness.  They are about identifying risk factors for disease and eliminating or mitigating them. Many of the same environmental risk factors contribute to poor health, especially poor mental health.  These include poverty, violence, abuse, and neglect.  When we address or mitigate these risk factors, we improve our nation’s health and mental health together. We often place the burden of responsibility for maintaining one’s health squarely on the shoulders of individ...

I first heard about James McGillivray, Lloyd “Jim” Middaugh, and Paulus “Dutch” Smit about a month ago, though not by name. A tiny news crawler reported that three men were victims of a serial killer in southern California. James McGillivray’s body was found near a Placentia, CA, shopping mall on December 21 st .  53 year-old McGillivray hung out almost every day at the mall.  Regulars there called him humble, unobtrusive, and a “nice guy.”  A 17 year-old commented “I don’t know why someone would kill him.”  McGillivray was sleeping when he was attacked and stabbed to death. Jim Middaugh’s body was found along a riverbed trail in Anaheim on December 28 th .  He was also stabbed to death as he slept.  After his death, his mother – to whom Middaugh was exceptionally close – described her six foot, four inch son as a “gentle giant.” Dutch Smit was 57 years old when his body was found outside a Yorba Linda public library on December 30 th . ...

I first heard about James McGillivray, Lloyd “Jim” Middaugh, and Paulus “Dutch” Smit about a month ago, though not by name. A tiny news crawler reported that three men were victims of a serial killer in southern California. James McGillivray’s body was found near a Placentia, CA, shopping mall on December 21 st .  53 year-old McGillivray hung out almost every day at the mall.  Regulars there called him humble, unobtrusive, and a “nice guy.”  A 17 year-old commented “I don’t know why someone would kill him.”  McGillivray was sleeping when he was attacked and stabbed to death. Jim Middaugh’s body was found along a riverbed trail in Anaheim on December 28 th .  He was also stabbed to death as he slept.  After his death, his mother – to whom Middaugh was exceptionally close – described her six foot, four inch son as a “gentle giant.” Dutch Smit was 57 years old when his body was found outside a Yorba Linda public library on December 30 th . ...

When you’re headed in the wrong direction, running to the front of the crowd and yelling charge may not be the best strategy.   On Monday, Governor Rick Scott of Florida did this when he proposed his new state budget.   Like every state, Florida has struggled over the past few years as state revenues have declined.   The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities has documented just how tough that job has become – at least 21 states have already proposed budgets this year with inflation-adjusted spending below 2008 levels.   In presenting his bare-bones $66 billion budget, Governor Scott promised to bring new business principles to state government.   The problem is that he forgot an old one.   If you don’t increase the supply of a product when demand goes up, you’re going to pay an increased price.   He proposed $4 billion in cuts (over two years) from current Medicaid levels.   Medicaid is almost 30% of the state budget, and cutting it w...

When you’re headed in the wrong direction, running to the front of the crowd and yelling charge may not be the best strategy.   On Monday, Governor Rick Scott of Florida did this when he proposed his new state budget.   Like every state, Florida has struggled over the past few years as state revenues have declined.   The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities has documented just how tough that job has become – at least 21 states have already proposed budgets this year with inflation-adjusted spending below 2008 levels.   In presenting his bare-bones $66 billion budget, Governor Scott promised to bring new business principles to state government.   The problem is that he forgot an old one.   If you don’t increase the supply of a product when demand goes up, you’re going to pay an increased price.   He proposed $4 billion in cuts (over two years) from current Medicaid levels.   Medicaid is almost 30% of the state budget, and cutting it w...