High-quality child care results in both significantly improved life outcomes for children as well as greater economic output at the state-level. However, child care providers in New Hampshire face a number of challenges that disrupt their ability to provide high-quality care, including high staff turnover and difficulties with staff training…
The lack of accessible housing for people with disabilities is a wide-ranging and under-addressed issue. These challenges are exacerbated in the Upper Valley region, which includes municipalities in New Hampshire and Vermont, due to its uniquely rural and aging demographics, as well as its lack of government infrastructure to address…
Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1s) are a group of medications effective at treating obesity, type-2 diabetes, and other conditions. GLP-1s are a desirable treatment option for many Americans, but they are costly. Spending from Medicaid and private payers on GLP-1s is rising at an unprecedented rate. Federal stipulations require Medicaid…
Usage of electric vehicles (EVs) has risen in states across the country. This trend, coupled with the increasing fuel efficiency standards of gas cars, means that states are suffering from the resulting decline in revenues from gas taxes, which are intended to pay for the maintenance of roads and transportation…
In 2011, the New Hampshire legislature eliminated funding for Guardian ad Litem (GAL) services for indigent families in divorce and parenting cases, creating a two-tiered system where only those who could afford GAL services had access to them. Based on extensive interviews with key stakeholders, including GALs, judges, legislators, and…
Those involved in criminal proceedings in the United States must be "competent to stand trial," meaning they must understand their charges, the consequences of the charges, legal processes and participants, and opportunities to participate in their own defense. Individuals deemed "incompetent" to stand trial have: 1) a potential mental disorder/cognitive…
As New Hampshire grapples with dwindling landfill capacity alongside rising waste generation, it is critical to explore sustainable waste management strategies that emphasize solid waste reduction, practical and environmental management, while protecting economic profitability. This report examines current solid waste practices in New Hampshire and provides recommendations based on successful…
Vermont's Global Warming Solutions Act sets significant emissions reduction mandates by 2025, 2030, and 2050. Reducing emissions in Vermont's thermal sector is one component for reaching these goals. We consider the impacts of household adoption of weatherization, cold climate heat pumps, biofuels, and natural gas on Vermont's climate goals. We…
As climate change transforms global weather patterns, extreme weather events, especially flooding, will increase in severity. Following the July 2023 flooding event, Vermont suffered catastrophic physical, monetary, and social losses. The state had previously implemented some flood resilience measures following Hurricane Irene in 2011, but Vermont state and local governments…
Expanding nuclear energy production is increasingly considered crucial to attaining a dependable, large-scale, low-carbon energy future. In the last 30 years, however, only one reactor in the U.S. has successfully been licensed, constructed, and made operational. Advanced nuclear technology offers a variety of innovative approaches to address some of the…