AUSTIN, Texas—The University of Texas at Austin’s Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs has established a new research center called the Center for Health and Social Policy (CHASP).
By conducting groundbreaking research, educating students and practitioners to become future leaders, and providing a forum for today’s policy-makers and scholars to debate pressing policy issues, CHASP seeks to develop practical solutions in the health and social policy arenas.
"Changing demographic and economic trends have led to critical emerging issues in health and social policy that our country will have to come to terms with over the next few decades,” said former U.S. Commissioner of Social Security Kenneth S. Apfel, who holds the Sid Richardson Chair in Public Affairs at the LBJ School. “The Center for Health and Social Policy will help set the vision for future policy by defining these challenges and framing choices."
In addition to Apfel, the center’s executive committee members include David Warner, the Wilbur Cohen Professor of Public Affairs, and professors Jacqueline Angel, Ronald Angel and Pat Wong.
Health care financing, aging and retirement policy, disability policy, welfare policy approaches and U.S.-Mexico health care are among CHASP’s central areas of research.
CHASP projects under way include a three-city study of the effect of welfare reform on children and families, an analysis of the health of Hispanic individuals approaching retirement and a study of cross border certification, licensing and training of health personnel.
In keeping with its goal of providing a public forum debate, CHASP will host a five-year conference series titled “The Future of Health and Social Policy in America.” The series will focus on how economic and demographic changes in the U.S. will affect American health and social policy. The first conference is scheduled for April 2003.
For further information contact: Kristine Niemeyer 512-232-3423 or Megan Scarborough 512-471-8954.
