Policy Brief

Issue at a Glance

IHPL periodically develops briefs on current issues with a special focus on oral health, hunger, and mental/behavioral health.  We hope that our “Issue At A Glance” will inform our readers and spark a dialogue among stakeholders to better promote health and prevent disease. To access previous issues, please visit our archive. 

Issue Briefs

July 2025. Summer Food Insecurity Among US Children

July 2025. Summer Food Insecurity Among US Children

This brief examines the rise in food insecurity among school-aged children during the summer months that results in health and educational consequences, current programs aimed at closing the summer nutrition gap, and barriers to accessing these programs.
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June 2025. The Health and Housing Nexus

June 2025. The Health and Housing Nexus

This brief provides an overview of the negative effects of housing instability on health, the CalWORKS Homeless Assistance program, and California’s legislative efforts to promote health through housing.
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November 2024. Voting and Health

November 2024. Voting and Health

This brief provides an overview of how voting can impact various aspects of health, including the social determinants of health as well as individual and population health.
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September 2024. Firearm Violence

September 2024. Firearm Violence

This brief provides an overview of the U.S. Surgeon General’s advisory on firearm violence, the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence, and the impact of firearms on community and individual health.
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August 2024. Vaccines

August 2024. Vaccines

In honor of the National Immunization Awareness Month, this brief provides an overview of vaccine hesitancy, the Vaccines National Strategic Plan 2021-2025, and various vaccine safety monitoring systems in the US.
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July 2024. Plastics and Microplastics

July 2024. Plastics and Microplastics

In honor of the Plastic Free July, this brief provides an overview of various sources of microplastics in the environment, the Microbead-Free Waters Act of 2015, and the negative health effects of plastics and microplastics.
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May 2024. Women’s Mental Health

May 2024. Women’s Mental Health

In honor of the Mental Health Awareness Month and the National Women’s Health Week in May, this issue brief provides an overview of the gender gap in mental health, the Alliance for Innovation on Maternal Health, and the various factors impacting women’s mental health.
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