Mental Health Among Top Policy Priorities for the States
By Jennifer Horton and Sean Slone The Council of State Governments works to help state officials solve problems and share information with other policymakers across the U.S. As a nonpartisan
Health & Human Services
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Period Poverty: Barriers to Safe and Equitable Menstrual Hygiene
By Grace Harrison Period poverty is a term gaining worldwide traction in discussions of public health and gender equality. It refers to the general struggle that people face when they
State Approaches to Address Homelessness and Increase Affordable Housing
By Jennifer Horton The U.S. has a shortage of affordable and available rental homes for extremely low-income households — those whose incomes are at or below the poverty guideline, or
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CSG Mental Health Resource Guide for State Policymakers: Executive Summary
The COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on the nation’s mental health.Fortunately, this global pandemic has also placed a spotlight on both the long-standing challenges in providing mental health services and the programs, policies, interventions, and legal remedies that have proven most effective in addressing those challenges.
Social Isolation and Loneliness: State Policies and Interventions for the post-COVID Era
The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated what was already an epidemic of social isolation and loneliness in the United States. As the COVID-19-induced isolation recedes, state policymakers, health care providers, and other stake– holders can look to a broad array of strategies, policies, and interventions to address social isolation and loneliness issues that remain for all ages.
Maternal Mental Health: Strategies to Address Societal and Structural Challenges
Mental health disorders among pregnant and post– partum women are on the rise, yet many women do not seek or receive treatment due to numerous barriers. Those receiving care often get an inconsistent message about preventative measures or whether to continue psychiatric medications during pregnancy. Untreated mental illness among mothers can have profound consequences for succeeding generations and society and perpetuate long-in– grained detrimental drivers of health.
The Team
Carl Sims
Deputy Program Director
The Council of State Governments Center of Innovation
Carl Sims is a Special Projects Manager at The Council of State Governments Center of Innovation. Carl oversees the work of the 2021-22 CSG Healthy States National Task Force, a multi-year project focused on the improvement of state fiscal, civic, economic and workforce and human health. Carl earned his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Kentucky Wesleyan College and his Master’s of Public Administration from the University of Kentucky’s Martin School.
Dexter Horne
Leadership Development Specialist
The Council of State Governments Center of Innovation
Dexter Horne is a Leadership Development Specialist at the Council of State Governments where he works to expand the personal, professional, and emotional skillsets of CSG members. In 2016, Dexter earned his bachelor’s degree in Politics from Centre College. He earned his MPA from the Martin School of Public Policy and Administration in the spring of 2018.