Kudos to PolicyLab researcher Diana Montoya-Williams and director Meredith Matone for sharing expert testimonies on maternal and child health during Philadelphia City Council's hearing examining the city's reproductive health care landscape. Thank you @ninaahmadphl.bsky.social for the opportunity.

📰 FRIDAY READING What to Do if Your Child Engages in Online Gaming Bullying www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/keep...

PolicyLab is now on Substack! Subscribe to our existing newsletter—The Check-Up—and find additional content, like this roundup of our work focused on eating disorder screening and treatment in recognition of #EatingDisorderAwarenessWeek. open.substack.com/pub/policyla...

Today in @publicnewsservice.bsky.social, Rebecka Rosenquist shares how our latest report can help lawmakers understand how early investments in families can change a child’s life trajectory. app.publicnewsservice.org/story/report...

Our sincere gratitude to @pewtrusts.org for their partnership and long-standing support.

NEW: How can pediatricians support Black teens and parents in navigating police encounters? PolicyLab researchers found Black families are open to these conversations and shared ideas for how doctors can help. Read the Pediatrics study:

Children's Hospital of Philadelphia's recent #PediatricHealthChat answers questions families across Pennsylvania may be having in anticipation of Medicaid changes. Great to hear from Dr. Cheryl Bettigole on how and when these changes could affect families. www.youtube.com/shorts/0KIfW...

📰 FRIDAY READING More Parents Are Refusing VItamin K Shots for Newborns, Doctors Say. Here's Why That Could Be Dangerous abcnews.com/Health/paren...

Caregivers often skip their own health visits, but rarely miss their child’s. That makes pediatric visits a unique opportunity to care for the parent-child pair together. This #NationalCaregiversDay, learn how dyad care is changing the landscape for caregivers. policylab.chop.edu/blog/nurturi...

After a teen visits the ED for depression or suicidal thoughts, follow-up care is critical—it connects them to support & helps prevent another crisis. New PolicyLab research shows that many teens don’t get that care. Where they live can make a difference.

As conversations swirl around upcoming changes to Medicaid and CHIP, PolicyLab researchers and neonatologists Betsy Salazar and Diana Montoya-Williams outline what these changes could mean for families and how families can prepare in @inquirer.com.

Spreading some love (and our mission) this week with a #HealthPolicyValentine

📰 FRIDAY READING Bridging the Gap: How Neighborhood Opportunity Shapes Follow-Up Care for Adolescents After a Mental Health Crisis policylab.chop.edu/blog/bridgin...

With federal immigration policy discussions ongoing, we're re-upping our research from 2024. This report shares Latiné immigrant parents' experiences seeking prenatal care in Philadelphia and how fear and confusion can affect if/when families get care. ⬇️ policylab.chop.edu/research-gla...

Policies supporting families’ economic security can improve kids’ health & well-being. With nearly half of kids facing poverty before kindergarten, understanding which policies work matters. Our new brief reviews evidence of how 10 policy areas impact kids. policylab.chop.edu/evidence-act...

LDI Fellow Aditi Vasan studies children’s access to Medicaid and CHIP. Two recent findings shed light on what happened following the COVID-19 public health emergency:

📰 FRIDAY READING Nurturing the Health of Children Through Caregiver Health: Considerations for Advancing Dyad Care in Primary Care policylab.chop.edu/blog/nurturi...

Complicated insurance rules can drain time & resources for young adult cancer survivors. Research by Dr. Dan Zheng found that nearly 1 in 3 survivors delayed or skipped care because of confusion around their insurance. #WorldCancerDay Read the study ⤵️ policylab.chop.edu/article/noth...

NEW: Prescribing opioids for pain during birth is linked to persistent postpartum use. Our experts found opioid exposure near delivery was associated w/ higher risk of ongoing use after birth, even for those w/ no prior use. Read the @greenjrnl.bsky.social study ⤵️ pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41264916/

📰 FRIDAY READING Vaccine Policy Changes — Looking Back, Looking Ahead policylab.chop.edu/blog/vaccine...

1 in 4 high school students in the U.S. reported being impacted by #periodpoverty. We collaborated with No More Secrets to share strategies to improve equitable access to menstrual health care and products for adolescents. policylab.chop.edu/issue-briefs...

When vaccine guidance isn’t clearly defined, families and clinicians are left navigating uncertainty.   Our newest blog explains how recent vaccine policy changes complicate real-world decision-making.

NEW: Did school masking reduce COVID spread? PolicyLab researchers studied masking policies during the 2021 return to in-person learning and found lower community infection rates in the 9 weeks after reopening. Read the open access study ⤵️

📰 FRIDAY READING CHOP’s Vaccine Education Center Elevates Science-backed Recommendations in 200 Words policylab.chop.edu/blog/chops-v...

Caregivers impacted by substance use need supports unique to their family context. #MaternalHealthAwarenessDay Our researchers are evaluating community-based programs, examining trends in treatment access & advancing policies enhancing access to care. ➡️ policylab.chop.edu/sites/defaul...

Early childhood mental health care is out there, but families can’t always access it. On the blog, our researchers share what they’ve discovered about evidence-based programs for kids’ mental health that foster early detection and intervention: policylab.chop.edu/blog/nurturi...

Huge win for kids in NJ! 🎉   A new law expands access to preventive behavioral health care for kids, giving them access to screening, prevention & treatment without formal diagnosis.   Our experts discuss this growing trend among state Medicaid programs: policylab.chop.edu/blog/game-ch...

Public programs like Title X have been instrumental to adolescent sexual and reproductive health—especially for teens from low-resource areas. How can we support their well-being in the face of rapid policy change? ⬇️ policylab.chop.edu/blog/what-ch...

📰 FRIDAY READING A Game-changer for Kids’ Behavioral Health: Removing the Diagnosis Requirement policylab.chop.edu/blog/game-ch...

Our partners at CHOP’s Vaccine Education Center are cutting through the noise this season with 4 timely resources to help families make informed decisions. See the roundup ⤵️ policylab.chop.edu/blog/chops-v...

NEW: Dr. Aditi Vasan and @ericaeliason.bsky.social (@rutgerscshp.bsky.social) examined changes in children’s Medicaid enrollment during Medicaid unwinding, with findings suggesting that millions of children lost coverage without transitioning to CHIP.   onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

📰 FRIDAY READING Nurturing the Health of Children Through Caregiver Health: Considerations for Advancing Dyad Care in Primary Care policylab.chop.edu/blog/nurturi...

New year, same mission for our team at PolicyLab. This #NewYear, we’re continuing to work towards achieving optimal child health and well-being by informing program and policy changes through interdisciplinary research. Learn more about us ⤵️

Applications are open for the 2026 Short Course on Multilingual Approaches to Research Studies! 📆 June 1-3 📍 Philadelphia 💰 Scholarships are available Learn more and apply ⤵️ redcap.link/apply_2026MARS

📹 What PolicyLab video did you watch the most this year? Our Let's Talk Medicaid series, including this one from researcher Doug Strane, helped thousands of you better understand the importance of Medicaid for kids and families and the implications of shifting policies. youtube.com/shorts/Wa1aP...

Our most-read blog posts in 2025 focused on understanding shifting policy and highlighting the implications for kids and families, including several from our in-depth series on the importance of Medicaid. policylab.chop.edu/blog/top-blo... 🔗 Want to read them for yourself? Find them ⤵️

In a year of challenges, our team came together for incredible impact. Look back with us in our Year in Review as we reflect on the last year, including exciting research developments, policy wins and connections in the community. policylab.chop.edu/sites/defaul...

We asked our experts what policymakers and researchers should know about the health challenges adolescents face today. Read how PolicyLab researchers are responding on our blog ⤵️ policylab.chop.edu/blog/expert-...

ICYMI: We shared highlights from a year filled with challenges and incredible impact. Scroll through our Year in Review to learn about our exciting research developments, policy wins and connections in the community.

📰 FRIDAY READING Top Blog Posts of 2025 policylab.chop.edu/blog/top-blo...

Caregivers often skip their own health visits, but they rarely miss their child’s. That makes pediatric visits a unique opportunity to care for the parent-child pair together. Learn more about how dyad care is changing the landscape for caregivers and kids ⤵️ policylab.chop.edu/blog/nurturi...

Amazing work by an incredible team!!

In a year of challenges, our team came together for incredible impact. Look back with us in our Year in Review as we reflect on the last year, including exciting research developments, policy wins and connections in the community. policylab.chop.edu/sites/defaul...

Thanks to Rep. Khan for spotlighting this important issue for PA families and for including PolicyLab Faculty Scholar Dr. Dalembert, who explains the impact of the Working Pennsylvanians Tax Credit and how families can access it ⬇️

📰 FRIDAY READING Seeking Answers on Autism: A CHOP Expert Debunks the Top 5 Myths www.inquirer.com/health/exper...

Payment gaps often keep clinics from offering dyad care, but states like California, Massachusetts, and Arkansas are testing new models that reimburse caregiver-focused services during child visits. Learn more on our blog. policylab.chop.edu/blog/nurturi...

Important new research out in @jamanetworkopen.com from PolicyLab researcher Dr. Kristan Scott and team ⬇️⬇️

Many clinics want to offer care that supports caregivers and children in the same visit, but payment barriers, staffing challenges, and communication issues across systems make it difficult. Our experts outline policy options ⬇️ policylab.chop.edu/blog/nurturi...

📰 FRIDAY READING Nurturing the Health of Children Through Caregiver Health: Considerations for Advancing Dyad Care in Primary Care policylab.chop.edu/blog/nurturi...

A great piece in @inquirer.com from researcher and developmental and behavioral pediatrician Dr. Kate Wallis, who draws on her experience caring for children on the autism spectrum to address myths and misinformation ⤵️ www.inquirer.com/health/exper...