Law & Policy

Sarah Hooper '18 hosted a podcast from the University of California Hastings College of the Law highlighting how the law itself is a key social factor affecting health. Episodes covered implicit bias as a cause of maternal mortality, the school-to-prison pipeline, and more.

At first glance, a quick asylum process for displaced people seems beneficial for the U.S. However, Medha D. Makhlouf ’20 and Zeina Saliba ’18 noted that, while well-intentioned, it can be the hardest for those who have gone through the worst trauma. They suggest reforms, including trauma-informed practices.

Daniel Mistak ’23 offers policy guidance to both federal and state stakeholders to enhance care for people involved with the system. The Inmate Exclusion Project examines how excluding inmates restricts collaboration between health and justice systems and how Medicaid can help build safety net systems that improve access and quality, thereby reducing costs.

Carla Ventura ’17 aimed to understand and explore the health needs and barriers faced by women released from prisons in the interior of Sao Paulo, Brazil. Results indicated that socioeconomic challenges significantly impact the social reintegration process for women leaving prison. The goal is to develop new health interventions suited to the Brazilian context.