Health Policy Commons^™

Developing A Stand-Alone Children’S Hospital In Southern Nevada: Improving Pediatric Care And Diversifying The Regional Economy, The Lincy Institute

Lincy Institute Events

Southern Nevada is the largest metropolitan region in the country without a stand-alone children's hospital. The absence of such a facility results in poor health outcomes for children, fragmented and inadequate specialized care, and a shortage of pediatric medical professionals. Currently ranked last in clinical care nationwide, Nevada urgently needs a centralized, academic-based children's hospital to improve health services.

The Lincy Institute hosted a community forum to release the findings of a new report conducted by Tripp Umbach detailing why Southern Nevada needs a stand-alone children’s hospital. Tripp Umbach is a recognized industry leader, with 30 years of successful partnerships …

The State Of Mental Health In The Mountain West, 2023, Ayda Atici, Freddy Nie, Jesse M. Fager-Larsen, Caitlin J. Saladino, William E. Brown Jr.

Health

This fact sheet examines the state of mental health for both youth and adults and availability of mental health care in the Mountain West states of Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah. The data are retrieved from Mental Health America’s (MHA) 2023 report, The State of Mental Health in America.

Suicide Rates Among Adolescents And Young Adults In The Mountain West, Isabelle G. Graham, Caitlin J. Saladino, William E. Brown Jr.

Health

This fact sheet shows data on suicide death rates among adolescents aged 10 to 24 years in the Mountain West:Nevada, New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado, and Utah. This fact sheet includes data from a report published by the Center for Disease Control in the National Vital Statistics Report which examines adolescent suicide in the U.S.

Nursing Homes In The Mountain West, 2023, Annie Vong, Caitlin J. Saladino, William E. Brown Jr.

Health

This fact sheet presents nursing home data in the Mountain West states of Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah. Data from a September 2023 ProPublica publication titled, “Nursing Home Inspect” are presented including the total number of nursing homes, homes with serious deficiencies, homes with infection related deficiencies, the amount nursing homes paid in penalties and the number of payment suspensions for nursing homes in the Mountain West.

Mountain West State Health System Rankings, 2023, Julia Salangsang, Ivan Sun, Caitlin J. Saladino, William E. Brown Jr.

Health

This fact sheet presents data from the “2023 Scorecard on State Health System Performance” published by The Commonwealth Fund. The original report includes data from all 50 states and measures health system performance based on health care access, quality, use of services, costs, health disparities, reproductive care and women’s health, and health outcomes.

Mental Health Care Health Professional Shortage Areas (Hpsas) In The Mountain West, Nicole Diaz Del Valle, Caitlin J. Saladino, William E. Brown Jr.

Health

Using data from the Kaiser Family Foundation’s “Mental Health Care Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs)” 2022 report, this fact sheet looks at the mental health care health professional shortage area (HPSA) designations for Mountain West states: Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah.

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (Snap) Eligibility And Access In Nevada, 2018-2020, Lana Kojoian, Annie Vong, Zachary Billot, Caitlin J. Saladino, William E. Brown Jr.

Health

This fact sheet examines data from the American Community Survey and Nevada administrative records exploring Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) eligibility and access rates for Nevada counties. The original report includes data on SNAP eligibility and access for 23 states from 2018 to 2020.

The Black Progress Index In Mountain West Metropolitan Statistical Areas (Msas), Zachary Billot, Caitlin J. Saladino, William E. Brown Jr.

Demography

This fact sheet examines data from the Brookings Institution report, “Black Progress Index: Examining Social Factors That Influence Black Well-Being” authored by Andre Perry and Jonathan Rothwell in September 2022. The Black Progress Index (BPI) score is constructed using data and social factors that impact life expectancy for Black Americans. This fact sheet compares the BPI with the actual life expectancy of Black people in Mountain West metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs). This fact sheet also examines each of the 13 variables included in the original report to present the BPI in the Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV MSA.

Household Food Security In The Mountain West, 2021, Zachary Walusek, Corryn Richardson, Issac Hernandez-Alcaraz, Annie Vong, Caitlin J. Saladino, William E. Brown Jr.

Health

This fact sheet examines data on household food security published by the United States Department of Agriculture. We examine the prevalence of household food insecurity and very low food security in Mountain West states (Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah) and the United States national average for comparative analysis.

Births In The Mountain West, 2016-2020, Corryn Richardson, Hira Ahmed, Caitlin J. Saladino, William E. Brown Jr.

Health

This fact sheet examines state-level data on births and health indicators from the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), a government health statistics unit of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This fact sheet presents data related to births in the Mountain West states of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada, and Utah.

The Evolution Of The Southern Nevada Healthcare Economy: Building The Unlv Academic Health Center, The Lincy Institute

Lincy Institute Events

With the successful launch of the Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine at UNLV and the completion of its medical education building, Southern Nevada is positioned to expand its healthcare infrastructure - and its healthcare economy - to create a comprehensive, integrated healthcare system to serve our fast-growing community. As UNLV moves forward with the development of an integrated academic health center within the Las Vegas Medical District, understanding the economic and social benefits of such a transformational project is important to stakeholders throughout the region.

The Lincy Institute hosted representatives of Tripp Umbach - the nation's leading consultant on community …

Health Rankings: Mountain West States, 2021, Hira Ahmed, Sofia Takhtadjian, Olivia K. Cheche, Elia Del Carmen Solano-Patricio, Caitlin J. Saladino, William E. Brown Jr.

Health

Using data from the United Health Foundation’s “America’s Health Rankings Annual Report 2021,” this fact sheet compares various measures of health in the Mountain West using data from 2014 to 2021. The original report includes data on the five determinants of health including social and economic factors, physical environment, clinical care, behaviors, and health outcomes. This fact sheet examines health metrics for the Mountain West states of Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah.

Covid-19 Behind Bars In The Mountain West, Dielle T. Telada, Caitlin J. Saladino, William E. Brown Jr.

Criminal Justice

Due to overcrowding, inadequate healthcare, systemic neglect, and violence in U.S. carceral (i.e. jails or prisons) and immigration detention centers, these facilities are a hot spot for the spread of COVID-19. In March 2020, the UCLA Law “Covid Behind Bars Data Project” began tracking official agency websites for self-reported data of COVID-19 across prisons, jails, and other detention facilities in the U.S. The number of COVID-19 cases, deaths, and tests performed from 50 state correctional agencies, the District of Columbia’s Department of Corrections, the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP), U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and several county jail systems …

Youth Mental Health In The Mountain West, Kristian Thymianos, Olivia K. Cheche, Kelliann Beavers, Katie M. Gilbertson, Caitlin J. Saladino, William E. Brown Jr.

Health

This fact sheet explores youth mental health metrics of Mountain West states from the Hopeful Futures Campaign’s 2022 report, America’s School Mental Health Report Card. This study provides state snapshots on school mental health policies and workforce availability for all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The Mountain West states of Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah are considered here.

Safest Cities In The Mountain West, Saha Salahi, Dielle T. Telada, Zachary Walusek, William E. Brown Jr., Caitlin J. Saladino

Cities & Metros

This fact sheet examines AdvisorSmith’s ranking list of the safest U.S. cities, drawing from the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) dataset released in September 2021. Monthly crime data are presented for violent crimes (e.g. murder, rape, robbery, assault) and property crimes (e.g. burglary, larceny, motor vehicle theft). Data for the Mountain West states of Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah are included.

The State Of Mental Health In The Mountain West, Olivia K. Cheche, Kristian Thymianos, Katie M. Gilbertson, Kelliann Beavers, Caitlin J. Saladino, William E. Brown Jr.

Health

This fact sheet explores mental health rankings of Mountain West states from Mental Health America’s (MHA) 2022 report, The State of Mental Health in America. This study offers a snapshot of U.S. mental health based on data across all 50 states and the District of Columbia. MHA is the nation’s leading community based mental health nonprofit, founded in 1909, and “dedicated to addressing the needs of those living with mental illness and promoting the overall mental health of all.” This report is a companion to MHA’s interactive data available through its website.

Senior Hunger In The Mountain West, 2019, Ally M. Beckwith, Caitlin J. Saladino, William E. Brown Jr.

Health

This fact sheet highlights data on senior hunger in the Mountain West region in 2019 as originally reported in Feeding America’s The State of Senior Hunger annual series. This report focuses on the extent of food insecurity among seniors in the United States. Seniors are defined as those who are 60 years of age or older.

Vaccine Hesitancy Within Nevada Counties, June 2021, Kelliann Beavers, Madison Frazee-Bench, William E. Brown Jr.

Health

This fact sheet highlights estimated rates of vaccine hesitancy, vaccination rates, the index of social vulnerability, and the level of concern for 17 Nevada counties as of June, 2021. The data are reported in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE) estimates.

Cdc Social Vulnerability Index (Svi): Nevada Counties, Vanessa Booth, Ally M. Beckwith, Kelliann Beavers, William E. Brown Jr.

Demography

This fact sheet highlights how Nevada counties rank on the Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) as defined by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ASTDR). Socially vulnerable populations are often disproportionately harmed during public health emergencies such as natural disasters and infectious disease outbreaks. The Geospatial Research, Analysis, and Services Program (GRASP) created the CDC/ATSDR Social Vulnerability Index (CDC/ATSDR SCI) to help public health officials and emergency response planners meet community health needs during response and recovery efforts (ATSDR, 2020).

How Did Homelessness Change During The Great Recession And Recovery?, Jenny Schuetz, Matthew Ring

Policy Briefs and Reports

Job losses from the COVID-19 pandemic have exacerbated housing insecurity among low-income renters over the past year. Federal, state, and local policymakers have created temporary measures to help reduce displacement among people who have lost their jobs, but there is considerable uncertainty about what will happen when these temporary measures end. To gain insight into how homelessness changes over macroeconomic cycles, we examine changes in homelessness rates from 2007 to 2020. Our analysis focuses on four metro areas that were particularly hard-hit by the foreclosure crisis: Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Phoenix, and Riverside. Overall homelessness rates declined in all metros …

Covid-19: Event Size Risk By Nevada County, January 2021, Olivia K. Cheche, Madison Frazee-Bench, Katie M. Gilbertson, Caitlin J. Saladino, William E. Brown Jr.

Health

This fact sheet presents data on Nevada counties, drawing from the Georgia Institute of Technology’s “COVID-19 Event Risk Assessment Planning Tool,” as of January 14th, 2021. Various risk scenarios are displayed based on event size for the rate of COVID-19 transmission in Nevada’s 17 counties.

Covid-19: Hospital Bed Capacity In Nevada Counties, January 2021, Marie A. Falcone, Madison Frazee-Bench, Caitlin J. Saladino, William E. Brown Jr.

Health

This Fact Sheet presents data on hospital bed use during the COVID-19 pandemic in Nevada for the week of January 4 - 11, 2021. The data indicate the percentage of adult inpatient and intensive care unit (ICU) beds used in each hospital and clarify what percentage of those bed occupancies are COVID-19 patients. Information is available on 45 hospitals throughout Nevada located in the following counties: Clark, Nye, Douglas, Washoe, Churchill, Humboldt, Elko, and Carson. Other Nevada counties did not report relevant statistics, or the sample size was fewer than four.

Drug Treatment Providers In Nevada, Vanessa Booth, Peter Grema, Caitlin J. Saladino, William E. Brown

Health

This fact sheet reports data from Behavioral Health Nevada’s drug treatment provider database for May 2020. The data focuses on the number of drug treatment providers in Nevada counties and municipalities, how the facilities are funded, and if the facilities accept Medicaid. A breakdown of the number of clinics, the facilities that provide adult services, and the clinics that attain above standard ratings in Clark County are also provided.

Competing For Federal Grant Dollars In Nevada, Cyndy Ortiz Gustafson, Jennifer Ouellette

Lincy Institute Reports and Briefs

Federal grant funding in Nevada accounts for 19 percent of statewide federal funding, or roughly $3.7 billion a year. Federal grant funding consists of (1) formula based aid and, (2) competitive discretionary grant dollars. In the latter category Nevada is encouraged to substantially improve its performance and secure more federal resources for its citizens.

Nevada Medicaid And Check Up Programs: Barriers To Enrollment And Utilization, The Nevada Institute For Children’S Research And Policy, Denise Tanata Ashby, Jennifer Waddoups, Tara Phebus

Nevada Institute for Children's Research and Policy Reports

This study offers only a brief look at some of the barriers Nevada children and families face with Medicaid and Nevada Check Up. Strengthening the Medicaid and Nevada Check Up programs is vital to improving children’s health care access and utilization in Nevada. By developing and implementing legislation to improve public health insurance coverage, access, and utilization in Nevada, policymakers can ensure a brighter, happier, and healthier future for Nevada’s children and families.