Faculty - Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis

Health-related ballot measures more likely to pass

Roger — Mon, 01 Jun 2026 20:16:10 +0000

As voters are increasingly asked to decide complex health policy questions at the ballot box, new research from the Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis finds that healthcare-related ballot measures draw more voters to the polls and are more likely to pass than other initiatives — but they’re also especially sensitive to opposition spending by special interest groups. The study, “Health Policy and Direct Democracy: Predictors of Successful Measures, 2010–2024,” forthcoming in the Journal of Health Politics, Policy and Law, analyzed 448 statewide ballot measures across 34 states, including 96 measures directly related to healthcare policy. “Our findings show that healthcare policy stands apart in direct democracy,” said Caitlin McMurtry, an assistant professor at the Brown School and senior...

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Supporting data equity in the social sector

Roger — Mon, 18 May 2026 19:40:53 +0000

A new paper published in the Harvard Data Science Review outlines complementary models for rethinking how data is used in the social sector, emphasizing that technical expertise alone is not enough to ensure fair and effective outcomes. The paper, “Learning Models and Modalities to Build Data Equity Competencies,” argues that everyone is a data person, regardless of one’s role or title, and makes the case that centering community input, ethical decision-making and collaboration is essential for equitable and effective social sector data practice. Drawing on the work of Data for Social Impact (DSI) initiative at WashU and Actionable Intelligence for Social Policy (AISP) at the University of Pennsylvania, the authors show how equity-focused, nontechnical training programs can help practitioners better understand how data practices impact...

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Faculty named to Research.com’s 2026 ‘World’s Best Scientists’ list

admin — Tue, 12 May 2026 16:15:39 +0000

More than a dozen faculty members from the �� have been named to Research.com’s “World’s Best Scientist 2026” rankings, an annual list compiled by the global academic platform. In the “Best Psychology Scientists 2026” category, honorees include Melissa Jonson-Reid, Ralph and Muriel Pumphrey Professor of Social Work and associate dean for educational programs; Nancy Morrow-Howell, Betty Bofinger Brown Distinguished Professor of Social Policy; and Paz Galupo, Audre Lorde Distinguished Professor of Sexual Health and Education. Faculty recognized in the “Best Social Sciences and Humanities Scientists 2026” category include: “The presence of our faculty across multiple categories speaks to the interdisciplinary strength of the Brown School,” said Dorian Traube, the Neidorff Family and Centene Corporation Dean of the Brown School...

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Panel examines migration policy, vulnerability and survivor support

Fri, 08 May 2026 18:22:53 +0000

The Clark-Fox Policy Institute, Forced Migration Initiative and the Brown School Global Programs Office recently convened researchers and frontline practitioners working across the United States and internationally for “Borders, Vulnerability, and Protection: Rethinking Trafficking and Migration Policy,” a panel exploring the lived realities of migrants and trafficking survivors and the policy environments that influence their experiences. Hosted as part of the Clark-Fox Policy Institute’s Senior Policy Fellows initiative, the event reflected the institute’s commitment to connecting research, lived experience and policy to advance more effective and evidence-informed solutions for children, families and communities. The panel was led by Brown School faculty member and CFPI Senior Policy Fellow Mitra Naseh, assistant professor and founding director of the Forced Migration Initiative, and included social work scholar and researcher...

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Halvorsen named co-director of Harvey A. Friedman Center for Aging

admin — Mon, 04 May 2026 07:55:00 +0000

Cal J. Halvorsen, a gerontological social work scholar and associate professor at Washington University’s Brown School, will step into a new leadership role this summer as co-director of the Harvey A. Friedman Center for Aging. Beginning in July, Halvorsen will share leadership of the center with Brian Carpenter, a professor of psychological and brain in Arts & Sciences. He succeeds Nancy Morrow-Howell, the Betty Bofinger Brown Distinguished Professor of Social Policy at the Brown School, who is stepping back after more than a decade as co-director. Morrow-Howell will remain involved as a senior adviser. Halvorsen will also serve as assistant dean for faculty affairs at the Brown School beginning July 1. Dorian Traube, the Neidorff Family and Centene Corporation Dean of...

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Naseh receives William H. Danforth St. Louis Confluence Award

Myra — Tue, 21 Apr 2026 15:01:22 +0000

By Diane Toroian Keaggy April 21, 2026 When newcomers to St. Louis succeed, the entire region succeeds, says Blake Hamilton, president of the International Institute of St. Louis. That’s why he agreed to join with Mitra Naseh, an assistant professor at the �� and founding director of the school’s Forced Migration Initiative, in her quest to foster belonging among the region’s large Afghan population and to find ways to better connect refugees to the services they need to thrive. “This work also reminds us that welcoming is not a measure of individual effort alone. It is a measure of whether our region is prepared to unlock talent, recognize credentials, support families and create pathways to mobility,” Hamilton told attendees at the 2026...

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Morrow-Howell authors guide to promote age inclusivity in higher education

admin — Mon, 20 Apr 2026 16:36:15 +0000

Nancy Morrow-Howell, the Betty Bofinger Brown Distinguished Professor of Social Policy at the ��, has authored a new guide aimed at helping colleges and universities communicate more effectively about age and aging. The guide, “Age Inclusivity in Higher Education Quick Start Guide,” was released by the Gerontological Society of America (GSA). It builds on tools developed by the National Center to Reframe Aging and the Age lnclusivity Domains of Higher Education model. The guide presents strategies to enhance more age-inclusive messages and languages on campuses with the aim to promote more positive attitudes about age and more productive learning and work environments for people of all ages. The Age lnclusivity Domains of Higher Education model identifies seven institutional areas to focus on to create an age-inclusive...

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Guaranteed income improved artists’ finances, innovation

Roger — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 15:53:47 +0000

A guaranteed income program for artists led to improvement in financial stability and reduced debt, but also improved their motivation and artistic output, finds a new study from the Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis. “Our main finding is that giving people cash not only helps them live a more secure life, it also provides a pathway toward personal, professional and artistic growth,” said Stephen Roll, an assistant professor and an expert on asset building and economic security. Roll is co-author of the paper “Empowering Artistic Labor: How Guaranteed Income Enhances Intrinsic Motivation and Fosters Human Flourishing,” published online in the journal World Development Perspectives. Roll and his co-authors examined data from the Creatives Rebuild New York (CRNY) Guaranteed Income...

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Marotta co-develops course to train pharmacy professionals for overdose prevention roles

admin — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 14:44:37 +0000

Phillip Marotta, an assistant professor at the Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis, has co-developed a course that prepares pharmacy professionals who are training to become community health workers in harm reduction, overdose prevention and substance use care. The course, “Integrated Community Approaches to Overdose Prevention and Substance Use Health,” was created by interdisciplinary team of faculty from the Missouri Pharmacy Association, the University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy in St. Louis and the University of Kansas School of Pharmacy. Brown School alumna Emily Palm, who earned an MSW and MBA in 2024, also helped develop the course. The training provides evidence-based instruction on infectious disease prevention, medications for substance use disorders and strategies to address underlying factors...

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Clark-Fox Policy Institute event bridges research, community voices to advance refugee well-being in St. Louis

Wed, 08 Apr 2026 20:04:35 +0000

A new initiative designed to accelerate the translation of academic research into actionable policy drew a full crowd for its first event April 1 at Delmar DivINe. The session, hosted by the ��’s Clark-Fox Policy Institute Senior Policy Fellows program, brought together scholars, practitioners, and community members for a meaningful conversation about the experiences and well-being of refugees in St. Louis. In his opening remarks, Jason Jabbari, assistant professor at the Brown School and Clark-Fox Policy Institute (CFPI) faculty director, underscored the institute’s commitment to move research more quickly into policy impact. He emphasized supporting scholars who work closely with communities and are committed to translating evidence into action. “We’re here not just to share ideas, but to...

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New funding expands Brown School–linked suicide prevention initiative in Missouri schools

admin — Tue, 07 Apr 2026 22:06:45 +0000

A suicide prevention initiative that began at the Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis is expanding statewide under a new name, supported by new funding to strengthen how Missouri schools prevent and respond to �� suicide risk. The program, now known as the Missouri Hope Policy Academy, has received support from the Missouri Suicide Prevention Network, in collaboration with the Missouri Behavioral Health Council, to develop curriculum and evaluate the scaled-up effort. The academy helps school districts build stronger suicide prevention, intervention and postvention policies. The initiative builds on work that began in 2019 at the Brown School, when faculty researchers sought to better understand how Missouri school districts approached suicide prevention and response at the policy level....

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Leadership award named for Barry Rosenberg

Roger — Thu, 02 Apr 2026 15:15:14 +0000

The Jewish Federation of St. Louis has renamed its annual professional leadership achievement award in honor of Barry Rosenberg, a professor of practice at the ��. The award recognizes Rosenberg for his 37-year career in executive leadership within the Jewish community, 19 of which he served as president and chief executive officer of the Jewish Federation of St. Louis. The Barry Rosenberg Professional Leadership Award recognizes outstanding professional leadership in a St. Louis Jewish organization. Recipients excel in their field, have introduced important innovations and are perceived as role models by other professionals and volunteers. This year’s winner is WashU alumna Jacqueline Ulin Levey, who has been the CEO of WashU Hillel since October 2009, enriching the lives and Jewish journeys of thousands of ��s and leading...

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Font testifies on adoption programs before House subcommittee

admin — Mon, 30 Mar 2026 18:09:32 +0000

Sarah Font, professor at the Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis and an expert on the child welfare system, testified March 26 before the U.S. House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies on the topic of federal funding for adoption programs. The hearing, titled “Advancing Permanency in Child Welfare: Leveraging Federal Funding for Adoption Programs,” focused on improving adoption outcomes for children in foster care. Font told the subcommittee that states routinely fail to facilitate timely, safe and stable adoptions. She cited federal data showing children spend a median of 31 months in foster care before adoption, with some states averaging more than 45 months. According to the Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting...

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Morrow-Howell, Halvorsen appointed to organizations for older adults

admin — Tue, 17 Feb 2026 15:51:01 +0000

Nancy Morrow-Howell and Cal J. Halvorsen, faculty members at the Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis, have been appointed to serve on local organizations that support older adults. Morrow-Howell, the Betty Bofinger Brown Distinguished Professor of Social Policy and co-director of the Harvey A. Friedman Center for Aging at the Brown School, has been named to the board of directors of the St. Louis City Area Agency on Aging. Funded through federal, state, local and private sources, the agency coordinates community-based services for older adults and their caregivers in the city. She also has been appointed as a commissioner on the St. Louis County’s Older Adult Commission. The commission advises the county executive and County departments on matters relevant...

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WashU Experts: Trump accounts must have auto enrollment

Roger — Tue, 10 Feb 2026 15:48:25 +0000

Widespread promotion has started for so-called Trump Accounts, including an ad during the Super Bowl. The accounts allow parents to opt in to claim investment seed money of up to $1,000 for their children. But that opt-in part is problematic, say two experts on child development accounts at Washington University in St. Louis. “Automatic enrollment is the difference between Trump Accounts functioning as a truly universal wealth-building policy and a policy that unintentionally leaves out many children,” said Michael Sherraden, the George Warren Brown Distinguished University Professor. “In the field of early wealth-building, automatic enrollment is the gold standard for achieving full participation.” The strongest U.S. evidence comes from the SEED for Oklahoma Kids (SEED OK) experiment conducted by Sherraden and the...

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