Policy Currents | The newsletter for policy people
Web version: [link removed]
** April 24, 2025
------------------------------------------------------------
Preventing Veteran Suicide
Since 2001, more than 6,000 U.S. veterans have died by suicide each year. Preventing these tragedies is a national priority: There are hundreds of active and proposed suicide prevention programs funded and implemented by government, nonprofit, and private actors.
A new RAND study assesses these programs and their approaches, their evidence for preventing veteran suicide, and why they might (or might not) work. The result is a framework that outlines what a comprehensive approach to veteran suicide prevention might look like--and what current and future programs can do to improve.
Read more: [link removed]
Charting Multiple Courses to Artificial General Intelligence
Large language models, or LLMs, have shown great promise. In fact, many observers think that LLMs may soon scale up to create artificial general intelligence, or AGI--an AI that possesses human or superhuman capabilities. In a new paper, RAND researchers argue that, when planning for the potential emergence of AGI, policymakers should avoid over-optimizing for a single possible future, such as the aforementioned scaling of LLMs. Instead, they should develop a robust policy strategy based on multiple paths that could lead to AGI.
Read more: [link removed]
The Case for Continuing Wastewater Surveillance
The National Wastewater Surveillance System was launched in September 2020. It connects independent, local wastewater efforts to form a national program to help track the spread of diseases, including COVID-19, influenza, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and mpox. The funding for this system will run out later this year. According to RAND experts, sustaining and further investing in wastewater surveillance is essential to preserving U.S. health and security: "We cannot afford to go back to the pre-COVID-19 days in which a disease emerges and we're flying blind."
Read more: [link removed]
** RAND Recommends
------------------------------------------------------------
- Should the United States lean in on the world stage? Or should it pull back? In a short Instagram video, RAND's Miranda Priebe discusses the debate over U.S. grand strategy.
[link removed]
- The Trump administration has called for a reinvigoration of the U.S. shipbuilding industry. According to RAND experts, this could be achieved by examining past failures, improving the shipbuilding workforce, and enlisting the help of close allies.
[link removed]
- Findings from a recent RAND study reveal that emergency care in the United States is becoming increasingly vulnerable. Top challenges include increased patient complexity, insufficient capacity, and falling payments.
[link removed]
** Events
------------------------------------------------------------
Policy Lab: Mapping the Use of High-Quality Instructional Materials
Wednesday, April 30, 2025 (Online)
[link removed]
How Resilient Is China's Economy?
Wednesday, May 21, 2025 (Online)
[link removed]
Policy Lab: Protecting Schools, Protecting Students
Thursday, May 22, 2025 (Online)
[link removed]
Admissions Webinar: Master of National Security Faculty Panel
Wednesday, May 28, 2025 (Online)
[link removed]
** Follow RAND
------------------------------------------------------------
RAND is a nonprofit institution that helps improve policy and decisionmaking through research and analysis.
[link removed]
Connect with us on:
LinkedIn: [link removed]
Facebook: [link removed]
X: [link removed]
Instagram: [link removed]
Privacy Policy: [link removed]
Unsubscribe to stop receiving these emails: [link removed]
Manage your subscriptions
[link removed]
RAND
1776 Main Street
Santa Monica, CA 90401
