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** RAND RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY ON THE ISSUES THAT MATTER MOST
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Oct 22, 2020
Fighting Back Against Truth Decay
Truth Decay, the diminishing role of facts and analysis in American public life, cuts much deeper than any political party or demographic. It's the existential threat of our time, says RAND president and CEO Michael Rich. In a new commentary, he explains how the "civic disease" of Truth Decay has led Americans to disengage; fueled distrust in democratic institutions; and enfeebled the U.S. response to the pandemic, climate change, domestic terrorism, and more.
Fortunately, there are reasons for optimism: America has survived bouts with Truth Decay before. And none of them ended without a renewed faith in objective analysis to guide public policy. That's exactly what RAND is striving for now, says Rich.
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How Opioid Settlement Funds Can Be Spent to Save the Most Lives
Yesterday, the U.S. Justice Department announced an $8 billion settlement with OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma for the company's role in the opioid crisis. According to RAND experts, money from such a settlement could quickly save lives and mitigate lifelong harms, but it must be carefully allocated. To do the most good, the money should go toward expanding access to the overdose-reversal drug naloxone; supporting needle exchange programs and supervised injection facilities; providing more effective treatment; and helping mothers and children.
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What Does High-Quality Care Mean for Veterans with Invisible Wounds?
Veterans often experience symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury long after their military service ends. These invisible wounds of war can have a significant negative effect on veterans and their families. High-quality care can help, but many veterans have difficulty accessing it. A new RAND study seeks to establish a universal definition of high-quality care for PTSD and TBI. This could improve coordination among organizations that serve veterans and provide a model for effective treatment.
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China's Friends Are Few and Unreliable
China and the United States are actively shoring up their diplomatic relationships in the Indo-Pacific and beyond. Washington has fared quite well. But Beijing's "belligerent tone, muscular foreign policy, and near-constant saber rattling have won it no new friends," says RAND's Derek Grossman. China's partnerships are with pariah states that are unreliable, unimportant, or both. This presents a major challenge for China as great-power competition ramps up.
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When Disaster Strikes, Who Should Cover the Losses?
Paying for losses from floods, fires, hurricanes, and other hazards has traditionally been a state and local function. But over time, this responsibility has shifted to the federal government. According to RAND experts, as the frequency and severity of disasters increase - along with the losses they cause - it may be time to reconsider how risk is shared. The researchers suggest four approaches that could shift some responsibility back to state and local entities, helping encourage more resilient planning and building practices.
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Promoting Social and Emotional Learning, in and Out of the Classroom
How do children benefit when both schools and out-of-school time programs collaborate to improve social and emotional learning? And what does it take to build this kind of partnership? To find out, RAND researchers conducted one of the most-comprehensive SEL implementation studies to date that follows programs in six different communities. Early findings offer lessons that may be useful to school districts and out-of-school time providers looking to offer their own programs.
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** TRENDING REPORTS
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Russian Propaganda Hits Its Mark
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Comparing Insulin Prices in the United States to Other Countries [link removed]
** RAND IN THE NEWS
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For Trump's 'Rigged' Election Claims, an Online Megaphone Awaits
NBC News
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2020's Marijuana Legalization Ballot Measures, Explained
Vox
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America Is Experiencing 'Truth Decay' at an Alarming Rate, Experts Warn
Yahoo Finance
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