Research at Muskie
Muskie School Research Institutes
The Muskie School is increasingly recognized in Maine and the nation for applying the university's analytic and research resources to important public policy issues. The scope of research activities ranges from research and policy analysis, to training and technical assistance, to demonstration projects that design and test innovative program and policy strategies. This past year the School brought in over $32 million in grant and contract awards for research projects in every state in the nation. The majority of the School's research is centered in the research institutes of the School described below. The School is also home to four national centers.
Institute for Child and Family Policy
Kris Sahonchik, Director
The Institute for Child and Family Policy focuses on improving the quality of human service systems that preserve and strengthen families and promote the well-being of family members. The Institute houses the National Child Welfare Resource Center for Organizational Improvement (since 1985) and the Maine Child Care Training Project, as well as other projects relating to child welfare, domestic violence, early childhood development, family support, organizational development, youth and juvenile justice. The Institute's Clearinghouse publishes, manages and disseminates a catalog of books and tapes developed through its research. The Institute has extensive experience developing collaborative, community-oriented, multi-disciplinary programs.
To talk about graduate assistantships and/or capstone projects, or for an informational interview about the work done in the Institute, contact: Peter Watson, Associate Director, at (207) 228-8330 or pwatson@usm.maine.edu.
Institute for Health Policy
Andrew Coburn, Director
Julie
Fralich, Associate Director
The Institute for Health Policy conducts research on the organization, financing and delivery of health services. Areas of research emphasis and expertise include rural health (the Institute was awarded its first Rural Research Center grant in 1992), long term care, mental health, health insurance coverage, and health care access and financing for Medicaid program beneficiaries. The Institute has extensive data management and programming capacity to handle the increasingly complex tasks associated with large survey and administrative data sets and the Institute's growing data linkage and analysis activities.
To talk about graduate assistantships and/or capstone projects, or for an informational interview about the work done in the Institute, contact: Meredith Oestreicher, Human Resources Coordinator, at (207) 780-4116 or moestrei@usm.maine.edu.
Institute for Public Sector Innovation
Paul Saucier, Director
The Institute for Public Sector Innovation works collaboratively with a number of state agencies (Corrections, Education, Human Services, Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse Services, and the Judiciary) in programs such as behavioral health, child welfare, health, medical services, nutrition, public welfare and youth development. The Institute has expertise in areas such as training, professional development, organizational development, evaluation, technology, information systems, strategic planning and performance government.
To talk about graduate assistantships and/or capstone projects, or for an informational interview about the work done in the Institute, contact: Michel Lahti, Assistant Research Professor, at (207) 626-5274 or michel.lahti@maine.gov.
Muskie School National Centers
Community Partnerships for Older Adults
Elise Bolda, Director
Institute
for Health Policy
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation selected the Muskie School for an eight-year, $28-million grant program to mobilize coordinated local action on behalf of vulnerable older citizens. The School was chosen as the initiative's National Program Office due to the School's national leadership in health policy and its unique expertise with innovative public service partnerships. Community Partnerships for Older Adults develops and promotes a variety of innovative strategies to support vulnerable older adults and their caregivers at the local level. The Muskie School administers grants to a network of communities nationwide.
Maine Rural Health Research Center
David Hartley, Director
Institute for Health Policy
The Maine Rural Health Research Center was awarded $2 million from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to be one of eight national centers for rural health research. The Center focuses primarily on mental health and substance abuse in rural America, one of the highest priorities identified by national rural health experts. Research includes rural-urban differences in the availability of and access to health insurance and the adequacy of the rural safety net, studies of the supply of and access to providers and services in rural areas, studies of service delivery models, studies of rural-urban differences in health, health behavior, and health services, and studies of rural hospitals.
National Child Welfare Resource Center for Organizational Improvement
Kris Sahonchik, Director
Institute for Child and Family Policy
Since 1985, the Muskie School has housed the National Child Welfare Resource Center for Organizational Improvement, which works in all 50 states with organizations who help children and families. The Center's objectives are to achieve specific improvements in agency management systems and practices and in doing so to assure safety, permanency and child well being for the children and families they serve. The Center offers technical assistance, training, a yearly teleconference program, and a clearinghouse of print, video, and audio materials. The Center helped California formulate a strategic plan for adoption; worked with Colorado to design a managed care system; helped Mississippi develop performance outcomes for its child welfare system; and helped Pennsylvania identify kinship care programs across the United States.
New England Environmental Finance Center
Richard Barringer, Director
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency chose the Muskie School as part of a national network of 10 centers involved in programs of research, teaching and technical assistance to communities in alternative approaches to environmental regulation. The Center is focusing on land conservation strategies, and is building a systematic base of knowledge and understanding of emerging approaches and techniques of land conservation, and creating education and training programs for their use and development. The Center offers technical assistance in their application at the local, state, and federal levels throughout New England and the nation.
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