Mason Burley, Megan Morris - July 2015

The 2014 Washington State Legislature directed the Washington State Institute for Public Policy to investigate state practices regarding different aspects of the involuntary commitment process. This paper discusses common questions related to civil commitments and includes detail on commitment laws in each state.

Matt Lemon, Annie Pennucci, Megan Morris, Catherine Nicolai - July 2015

Washington State provides funding to school districts to help underachieving students through the Learning Assistance Program (LAP). The 2013 Washington State Legislature directed the Washington State Institute for Public Policy to prepare an inventory of evidence-based and research-based effective practices, activities, and programs for use by school districts in LAP and to update the inventory each two years thereafter.

This report describes the second update to the inventory of evidence-based and research-based practices for use in LAP.

EBPI & WSIPP - July 2015

The 2012 Legislature passed E2SHB 2536 with the intention that “prevention and intervention services delivered to children and juveniles in the areas of mental health, child welfare, and juvenile justice be primarily evidence-based and research-based, and it is anticipated that such services will be provided in a manner that is culturally competent.”

The bill directs the Washington State Institute for Public Policy (WSIPP) and the University of Washington Evidence-Based Practice Institute (UW) to publish descriptive definitions and prepare an inventory of evidence-based, research-based, and promising practices and services, and to periodically update the inventory as more practices are identified. This is the fifth update to the September 30, 2012 publication. The accompanying report describes the inventory update process, as well as the ongoing technical assistance process by UW.

John Bauer, Steve Aos, Mason Burley, Noa Kay, Stephanie Lee, Matt Lemon, Megan Morris - May 2015

WSIPP’s Board of Directors authorized WSIPP to work on a joint project with the MacArthur Foundation and the Pew Charitable Trusts to extend WSIPP’s benefit-cost analysis to certain health care topics. An important goal is to determine whether there are strategies that can help states control Medicaid and other health care costs.

This report reviews evidence on five topics: “lifestyle” programs designed to prevent diabetes; behavioral interventions to reduce obesity; transitional care to prevent hospital readmissions; patient-centered medical homes to reduce health care costs; and programs to reduce avoidable emergency department visits.

Stephanie Lee, Steve Aos, Annie Pennucci - February 2015

For the last 20 years, the Washington State Institute for Public Policy (WSIPP) has conducted systematic evidence reviews and economic analysis on a variety of topics for the Washington State Legislature. Over time, we have improved and refined the methods we use to conduct this research.

When WSIPP undertakes an economic analysis at the direction of the legislature, we use a standardized set of procedures to collect and analyze research literature. We then apply consistent methods to translate the research findings to dollars and cents, asking, “What are the overall benefits and costs?” of each program or policy option. Finally, we use information about the uncertainty in the research findings and economic assumptions to compute the risk associated with each policy option.

The primary goal of this research is to provide the legislature with objective information about the long-term economic consequences of each program or policy option reviewed. In this report, we summarize our current findings.

John Bauer - January 2015

The Washington State Institute for Public Policy's (WSIPP) Board of Directors authorized WSIPP to work on a joint project with the MacArthur Foundation and the Pew Charitable Trusts to extend WSIPP’s benefit-cost analysis to certain health care topics. The Pew-MacArthur Results First Initiative identified diabetes prevention as an important health care issue for states. One important goal is to determine whether diabetes prevention policies can help states control Medicaid and other health care costs.

We reviewed credible research studies from the United States and elsewhere to determine whether lifestyle programs can achieve these results. We find that, on average, the programs have significant effects on diabetes incidence, weight loss, and certain risk factors for cardiovascular disease.

John Bauer, Mason Burley - January 2015

The Washington State Institute for Public Policy's (WSIPP) Board of Directors authorized WSIPP to work on a joint project with the MacArthur Foundation and the Pew Charitable Trusts to extend WSIPP’s benefit-cost analysis to certain health care topics. The “patient-centered medical home” (PCMH) was identified as an important health care topic for states.

This study reviews evidence on the effectiveness of patient-centered medical homes in reducing emergency department utilization, hospitalizations, and total medical costs.

John Bauer - January 2015

The Washington State Institute for Public Policy's (WSIPP) Board of Directors authorized WSIPP to work on a joint project with the MacArthur WSIPP’s Foundation and the Pew Charitable Trusts to extend WSIPP’s benefit-cost analysis to certain health care topics. The Pew-MacArthur Results First Initiative identified the goal of reducing hospital readmissions as an important health care challenge for states.

For this report, we reviewed the national and international evaluation literature to determine whether transitional care programs have been shown to reduce hospital readmissions. Components of transitional care include coaches, patient education, medication reconciliation, individualized discharge planning, enhanced provider communication, and patient follow-up after discharge.

Mason Burley, Amy Scott - January 2015

The 2014 Washington State legislature directed the Washington State Institute for Public Policy (WSIPP) to “complete a comprehensive assessment of the utilization and capacity needs of crisis mental health services” and provide “an update to statewide utilization and capacity figures for evaluation and treatment facilities, inpatient psychiatric beds, and regional support network-funded crisis facilities.” This assignment follows a 2011 WSIPP report that examined the impact of new provisions to Washington State’s involuntary treatment act on psychiatric bed utilization; to view the 2011 report, click here.

This report details the historical and current availability of psychiatric treatment beds.

Marna Miller, Danielle Fumia, Noa Kay - January 2015

The 2013 Washington State Legislature directed the Washington State Institute for Public Policy (WSIPP) to create, in consultation with the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS), University of Washington Evidence-Based Practice Institute (EBPI), University of Washington Alcohol and Drug Abuse Institute (ADAI), and the Washington Institute for Mental Health Research and Training (WIMHRT), an inventory of evidence-based, research-based, and promising practices.

The initial inventory of interventions and policies in adult mental health and chemical dependency services was published in May 2014. To view the May 2014 results, click here.

While we were not directed by the legislature to update this inventory, a WSIPP Board-approved contract with the Pew-MacArthur Results First Initiative enabled WSIPP to review four additional programs and update the literature on supported housing for chronically homeless adults.