Policy Currents | The newsletter for policy people
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** July 24, 2025
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One-Third of Public Schools Screen Students for Mental Health
In 2021, the U.S. Surgeon General declared a youth mental health emergency. What role do public schools play in screening students and treating kids who may need support?
A new RAND study finds that nearly one-third of K-12 public schools mandate mental health screening for students. Most of these schools offer in-person treatment or referral to a community mental health professional to students who screen positive for depression or anxiety.
The study also reveals that providing proper care can be a challenge. About 40 percent of principals surveyed said it was very hard or somewhat hard to ensure that students receive appropriate care, while 38 percent said it was easy or very easy.
Overall, these findings suggest that there are barriers to mental health screening in schools. Policies that promote funding for school mental health, reimbursement for school-based screening, and adequate school mental health staffing could be beneficial.
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Will the Race to Artificial General Intelligence Lead to Conflict?
The first nation to develop artificial general intelligence (AGI) that can perform a wide range of tasks better than humans will gain huge military and economic advantages. This raises important but underexamined questions. What might a country do if its rival appears poised to win the race? And how might the winner respond to any challenges to its new technological dominance? RAND's Karl Mueller tackles these critical questions in a new paper, identifying important considerations for policymakers.
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Telehealth for Palliative Care?
Palliative care focuses on improving quality of life for people with serious illnesses. Could such care be provided via telehealth? While this approach might initially seem counterintuitive or even insensitive, RAND experts say that it shows promise. To start, virtual appointments can make palliative care, symptom management, and advance care planning accessible in new ways. And many patients even prefer telehealth. If the challenges and limitations of tele-palliative care are managed carefully, then it could "redefine how compassionate care is delivered when it's needed most."
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** RAND Recommends
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- China and India are at an inflection point, says RAND's Shanshan Mei. In a Wall Street Journal video, she explains that, while the two countries need each other, they're also trying to prepare for a potential conflict. Neither wants war, she says, but "miscalculation and misperceptions may eventually be a big problem."
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- A recent RAND study reveals that U.S. teachers use multiple resources and lessons for classroom instruction. This isn't necessarily a problem, says lead author Sy Doan, but there are some downsides to instructional variability.
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- RAND's Marta Kepe discusses Ukraine's "swarm of bees approach" to resilience, which may offer lessons for Taiwan.
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** Events
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A Discussion on Recent Trends Among the Unsheltered in Los Angeles
Wednesday July 30, 2025 (Online)
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Policy Lab: Restoring U.S. and Allied Military Power and Influence
Thursday July 31, 2025 (Online)
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