Legal Interventions for Transforming (LIFT) Dane is an initiative to assist households in Dane County, Wisconsin, with civil legal barriers through a legal aid mobile application. LIFT Dane was developed through DreamUp Wisconsin, the University of Wisconsin–Madison’s implementation of The Alliance for the American Dream, a competition to pitch innovations to raise the net income of 10,000 emerging middle-class households by 10 percent. As one of the winning teams, LIFT Dane was awarded $1.1 million from Schmidt Futures. This report serves as a preliminary implementation analysis while LIFT Dane continues development of the mobile application. It examines administrative burden, a collective impact framework, implementation science best practices, and migration from paper to electronic government services. Using performance management metrics, the authors recommend tools for LIFT Dane to assess and improve performance of the application to ensure effective implementation.
Strategies to Divert Adolescents with Behavioral Health Needs from the Juvenile Justice System
Policymakers in Wisconsin and around the country are reassessing their juvenile justice systems to better meet multiple goals: fiscal responsibility, public safety, holding youth appropriately accountable, and improved outcomes for youth and their families. In …
The Effect of the Housing Crisis on the Finances of Central Cities
We analyze the impact of the boom and subsequent collapse in housing prices and the unprecedented surge in mortgage foreclosures on the finances of central cities.
Laura Bunn, MIPA
“Use your time at the La Follette School to explore options and take a variety of electives to develop and apply skills and knowledge.”
Kate Austin Stanford (MPA/MPH ’15)
“Skills that I learned and gained in graduate school, I’ve used in the private sector as well as in the public sector. That includes quantitative analysis and strong writing skills, as well as the ability to interpret data and research findings and then translate them from academia into more plain language – this makes research and learning accessible across different audiences.”
Design and Implementation Considerations for a Children’s Savings Account Program in Richland County, Wisconsin
A team of partners informed by Extension Richland County plans to establish a children’s savings account (CSA) program for children born at The Richland Hospital in Richland County, Wisconsin. These programs facilitate the creation of an account that holds funds designated for a child’s post-secondary education expenses. Extension Richland County and partners have completed several planning activities for establishing their CSA program. However, some decisions have not yet been made. Therefore, Extension Richland County asked for a report that presents design and implementation considerations for a CSA program in Richland County and similar Wisconsin communities. This report documents current planning progress for the CSA program, identifies potential next steps, and offers considerations for those next steps.
Income Maintenance Program Administration Funding in Wisconsin: A Qualitative and Quantitative Assessment
Income maintenance (IM) programs such as Medicaid and FoodShare require extensive case processing and ongoing management to ensure that low-income individuals and families receive the benefits they need. The costs of supporting a large staff, providing equipment, and paying for office space can quickly add up. This report analyzes costs and funding sources of IM program administration in Wisconsin, incorporating fiscal data collection and interviews with financial managers. Main findings from this analysis include differences in financial reporting practices across the state, trends in costs and funding sources, and several challenges of IM program administration. Based on these findings, the authors recommend improved data collection, uniform financial reporting across the state, and consolidation of funding sources.
Revitalizing Procurement: Innovative Solutions and Recommendations for Milwaukee County
Public procurement refers to the purchase of goods, services, and works by government or state-owned enterprises. The Milwaukee County Procurement Division is responsible for sustaining many of the County’s operations through the purchase or contract of supplies, materials, equipment, and contractual services—over $120 million annually. Given this critical role that the Milwaukee County Procurement Division plays, it must ensure that it is operating efficiently and utilizing public resources judiciously. This report identifies gaps between current practices of the Milwaukee County Procurement Division and industry best practices, as well as specific aspects of procurement that can be improved upon within the division’s structure. We provide recommendations for the Milwaukee County Procurement Division to increase organizational efficiency and innovate its practices to become a leader in public procurement.
Silent Dangers: Assessing the Threat of Nuclear Submarines
The Outrider Foundation works to build understanding on issues related to the environment and nuclear weapons, and nuclear submarines pose a threat to both. This report develops the first catalog of nuclear submarine failures, with roughly 500 cases by 226 individual submarines from six countries. The data indicates that newer submarine classes experienced a greater volume — and seriousness — of failures early in their service lives; that collisions had a greater impact on geopolitical security, while equipment failures, as well as cases related to fire and water, had the greatest impact on the environment; and that submarine failures generally produced two kinds of costs: chronic and acute. This report also observes a marked reduction in the number of failures after the end of the Cold War but anticipates a potential for proliferation in the number of countries with programs in the future.
Analyzing Paid Family and Medical Leave Insurance in Wisconsin: Possible Costs and Effects
The Wisconsin Chapter of 9to5, National Association of Working Women, requested an analysis of legislation regarding a state-based Paid Family and Medical Leave Insurance (PFMLI) program in Wisconsin. This planned legislation capitalizes on growing national momentum toward instituting paid family leave in the United States. Using data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey, the researchers estimated the number of eligible workers and take-up rates under the planned Wisconsin PFMLI program. They also estimate average weekly benefit payouts and recommend an employee-side payroll deduction to fund the program. In crafting its recommendations, the group examined evidence from other states with established PFMLI programs as well as potential impacts of PFMLI on individuals, businesses, and the statewide economy.