When Paying It Forward Pays Us Back

Some social welfare programs may receive funding but have no evidence of success. By insisting that funds go primarily to programs with rigorous evidence of success, the federal government can make non-partisan decisions that will increase the effectiveness and efficiency of social programs and decrease spending waste. Obama administration evaluated programs based upon their successes and these programs are highlighted.

As of 2018, Oregon’s backlog of Sexual Assault Forensic Exam (SAFE) kits had been cleared thanks to the passage of a state bill, commonly referred to as Melissa’s Law. Besides clearing the accumulated kits, the legislation requires police to pick-up the kits from hospitals within seven days of notification and submit SAFE kits for testing within two weeks. Such a response has led to six perpetrators being identified as well as a systemic, patient-driven process for sexual assault survivors.

The highest hospital costs come from preventable emergency room visits. A doctor in Camden developed a home visit program which gives better and cheaper care.

Nurse practitioner-led clinics in Ontario, Canada, are open for same-day appointments to care for people without a primary health-care provider and decrease the number of emergency-room patients.

Because of drastic and proactive steps, Taiwan has been able to keep their number of positive COVID19 cases low. Preemptive actions like stopping flights from China and an early stimulus bill has helped the country get ahead of the public health and economic impacts.

In Durango, Colorado, the emergency room was being treated as a primary care center by those that did not understand how to navigate the health care system when faced with times of uncertainty in their life. To both address the misuse of the hospital and provide additional resources to this community Mercy Regional Medical Center implemented the Life Interruptions Need Kindness program which connects a social worker with the patient.

Influenced by Scandavian countries, the province of Quebec created its own paid paternity leave program, which offers 70-75% paid leave. The program is aimed at dad’s, who have traditionally faced stigma and judgement for accepting paternity leave. Quebec offers “five weeks of “use-it-or-lose-it” benefits, for fathers and non-biological mothers in lesbian couples.” The program has been an instant hit: “Over 80% of Quebec fathers take their paternity leave.”

The demise of coral reefs has made headlines recently as conservationists face the challenge of trying to save what is left of them from global warming, ocean acidification, pollution, overfishing – to name just a few of the threats. Gardens of the Queen National Park in the Caribbean may hold some answers. From a pro-environmental government philosophy to a reduction in nitrogen- and phosphorus-rich farm runoff, there are more than a few practices that have culminated into a solution to keep Cuba's coral reef healthy.

'Super-users' are people who use the healthcare system a disproportionate amount more. Programs such as One Care are designed to care for these 'super-users' organizing their complex care in order to reduce emergency room visits, prevent unnecessary procedures, and bring the cost of their care down.

Gunshot victims are often treated at hospitals only to be sent back into the community, where 1/3 will end up back in the hospital again. With a new emphasis on prevention and addressing the underlying issues, Ohio is now using federal assistance to create a Trauma Recovery Network that helps with crisis intervention, counseling, and even providing safe emergency housing for gunshot victims.