During the COVID-19 pandemic, the federal government funded Universal School Meals (USMs) nationwide. After seeing robust benefits for students and teachers, Vermont policymakers decided to continue this program at the state level for the 2022-23 school year. However, sustaining USMs comes at a cost. This report identifies the impacts and…
Between the 1930s and 1977, chemical companies such as Monsanto manufactured electrical equipment and building materials, including caulk and light ballasts, with human-made chemicals known as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). Although PCBs were banned in 1979, a lack of removal efforts means they persist in many buildings constructed before that date…
A Medicaid coverage cliff is a situation in which beneficiaries have incomes that exceed the limit for Medicaid supplemental coverage but still do not earn enough to afford private insurance. This report identifies the scope of Medicaid cliffs in Vermont and gives the Vermont House Committee on Healthcare recommendations on…
Vermont faces numerous challenges from climate change, which have already begun to negatively impact the state's ecosystem, economy, and public health, especially affecting rural and low-income residents. While the state's greenhouse gas emissions make up only a small fraction of total United States emissions - and are small when compared…
Between 2013 and 2015, an average of 5.3 percent of all Vermont K-12 students were suspended or expelled from school.1 These adolescent mistakes that resulted in suspension or expulsion have the potential to hamper Vermont students' post-secondary pursuits if they are recorded and released to colleges and universities or employers…
The HUB, a project of the Woodstock Community Trust, facilitates in the coordination of resources and funding among local organizations to support Woodstock-area residents during times of personal and community-level crisis. This report identifies the current and future needs of Woodstock residents for The HUB, with particular attention to demand…
Lake Sunapee is the fifth largest lake located entirely in New Hampshire. It provides significant value to the state economy in the form of property, property taxes, business revenue, and water supply. The lake draws visitors and both full-time and part-time residents to the area. This valuation study attempts to…
In the legal system, incompetent individuals are deemed mentally unfit to testify or stand trial by the court. Competency restoration is the mental health treatment provided to legally incompetent defendants so that they can fully participate in judicial proceedings. The current U.S. competency restoration system prevents people from receiving effective…
This report analyzes the opportunity for Vermont to implement new improvements to their Unemployment Insurance (UI) System. This report draws on and synthesizes the key findings of the December 2021 Report of the Unemployment Insurance Study Committee, the Memorandum on the Feasibility of Changing the Unemployment Insurance Mainframe Program, the…
Mental health and substance abuse in the United States is a pressing crisis of mental health. The crisis has only been exacerbated by the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, the demand for mental health and substance abuse support resources has never been higher. Unfortunately, a nationwide labor…