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States Can Reduce Medicaid’s Administrative Burdens to Advance Health and Racial Equity

Suzanne Wikle, Jennifer Wagner, Farah Erzouki, and Jennifer Sullivan
Medicaid is the largest health insurer in the United States, at over 80 million enrollees.2 Its numerous benefits to enrollees include greater likelihood of completing school, higher wages, better health outcomes, and less medical debt compared to those who are uninsured, as well as services that…

Building a Guaranteed Income to End the "Child Welfare" System

Melody R. Webb, Esq.
It is time for policy makers to reimagine and dismantle the child welfare system. This Article provides background on disparities in the child welfare system and argues that policymakers have used the child welfare system to police poverty and regulate Black families. It asserts that poverty…

We Thought You’d Never Ask! Learning From Boston’s Black Community What Supports Its Health, Resilience & Wellbeing

Fenway Health and Black Boston COVID Coalition
A report of key findings, voices that informed those findings, and powerful wtories shared by Boston’s Black community.  The report reflects community research to learn more about what works to improve the health care, health, resilience, and wellbeing of Boston’s Black…

Toward Evidence-Based Antiracist Policymaking: Problems and Proposals for Better Racial Data Collection and Reporting

BU Center for Antiracist Research
This policy report examines the state of racial and ethnic demographic data collection and reporting in the U.S., and offers policy recommendations to improve such systems. In particular, this report demonstrates the need for a standardized and nation-wide system of racial data collection and…

2022 Important MA 2nd chance legislation

pquirion@gbls.org
SEE ATTACHED FACT SHEETS AND ASK THE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE TO FAVORABLY REPORT THE BILLS  H1763  S10372. An Act providing easier and greater access to record sealing (Rep. Malia, Sen. Friedman). Requires automatic sealing of records after the applicable waiting period by the…

Self Represented Litigation Network

SRLN
SRLN connects lawyers, judges and allied professionals who are creating innovative and evidence-based solutions so that self-represented litigants have meaningful access to the courts and get the legal help they need. Click the "Go to Website" link below to access resources from…

SIJ Deferred Action Memorandum and FAQ

MLRI
USCIS implemented a new Deferred Action/EAD policy for Special Immigrant Juveniles (SIJs) subject to the backlog (SIJs not immediately eligible to adjust to lawful permanent resident status). While we don't know everything about this policy yet, we are gratified that USCIS is finally…

MLAC's Economic Benefits Statements

Massachsuetts Legal Assistance Corporation
The work of MLAC-funded legal aid programs substantially boosts the Commonwealth’s economy each year by bringing in millions of federal dollars, improving the economic condition of low-income clients and other residents and saving the state millions in costly social services. Click the…

Senate Ways and Means FY 2023 Budget Proposal: MLRI's Preliminary Analysis of Selected Issues

MLRI
On May 10, 2022, the Senate Committee on Ways and Means released its budget proposal for fiscal year 2023 (FY 23), which is referred to as Senate 4.  MLRI offers this preliminary analysis of selected budget topics affecting low-income residents of the…

¡Avancemos Ya! Persistent Economic Challenges and Opportunities Facing Latinos in Massachusetts

Trevor Mattos, Boston Indicators Phillip Granberry, Ph.D. and Vishaka Agarwal, Gastón Institute at UMass Boston
From the introduction: Massachusetts is among the wealthiest states in the country, and yet Latino communities here have struggled economically relative to Latinos nationwide. There have been some bright spots—poverty rates have decreased and Latinos now have higher rates of…

Homelessness Is a Housing and Racism Problem

Bill Pitkin
In discussing why homelessness is more prevalent in some cities, Colburn and Aldern make a helpful distinction between “precipitating events” and “root causes.” Despite public perception that individual vulnerabilities like behavioral and mental health status are major…

MLRI REPORT: Family Voices: Insights about prevention services from families and youth directly affected by the Massachusetts child welfare system

MLRI (Susan Elsen)

MassHealth Behavioral Health for Criminal Justice Involved People

MassHealth
This MassHealth website describes a program to connect "justice-involved" people with  behavioral health services & social supports in the community. "Justice-involved" includes:  • people leaving jail or prison within six months, • people who…

Tone-Policing and the Assertion of Authority

Alice MacLachlan
Tone policing is when someone (usually a privileged person) in a conversation about oppression shifts the conversation from the oppression being discussed to the way it is being discussed. Tone policing prioritizes the comfort of the privileged person in the situation over the oppression of the…

LSNTAP -- legal services technology backup center

NTAP provides technology leadership to the poverty law community through on-site assistance & circuit riding, tutorials & training, online information & services, and promoting successful technology tools that improve efficiency or client services. It has an extensive resource library of…

Tips for Communicating with Optum

MLRI
This May 2022 updated memo by MLRI provides contact information for MassHealth's Third Party Administrator for certain Long Term Services and Supports (LTSS), Optum. Optum began making prior authorization decisions for PCA and certain other LTSS services in the summer of 2017. The updated…

How race and religion have always played a role in who gets refuge in the US

Laura E. Alexander, Jane Hong, Karen Hooge Michalka and Luis A. Romero
The different treatment of Ukrainian versus Central American, African, Haitian and other asylum seekers has prompted criticism that the administration is enforcing immigration policies in racist ways, favoring white, European, mostly Christian refugees over other groups. This issue…

The Inclusive Language Handbook Everyday Quick Sheet

The Diversity Movement
Successful business relies on one thing—communication. We communicate with our employees, customers, suppliers and more. Using inclusive language means consciously working to find ways to name, honor, and value experiences and identities. By learning to speak to diverse audiences, you can…

House Ways and Means FY 2023 Budget Proposal: MLRI's Preliminary Analysis of Selected Issues

MLRI
On April 13, 2022, the House Committee on Ways and Means released its budget proposal for fiscal year 2023 (FY 23), which is referred to as House 4700.  MLRI offers this preliminary analysis of selected budget topics affecting low-income residents of the Commonwealth. Download MLRI's…

CCA One Care Coverage Exceptions for non-covered benefits

Various
In Feb 2022 CCA updated and published its Medical Necessity Guidelines for otherwise NonCovered Services (PDF is attached) & posted it here: https://www.commonwealthcarealliance.org/ma/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Non-Covered-Benefit-MNG-100_20230124.pdf Thanks to Central West Justice…

Unequal Housing Conditions And Code Enforcement Contribute To Asthma Disparities In Boston, Massachusetts

Evan Lemire, Elizabeth A. Samuels, Wenyi Wang, and Adam Haber
Housing quality is a primary determinant of asthma disparities by race and social class in the US. We sought to assess how housing code enforcement systems in Boston, Massachusetts, address tenants’ reports of asthma triggers. After adjustment for income and other neighborhood characteristics,…

Researchers Should Understand and Adapt Race and Ethnicity Data That Change Over Time

Alaina Flannigan, Rachel Rosenberg, Alyssa Liehr, Reva Dalela, Mya’ Sanders
Embedding race equity principles into supports provided for young people who age out of foster care can better prepare them for a successful transition into adulthood. Child welfare practitioners and policymakers must consider how race and racism affect a young person’s child welfare…

Black and Hispanic people are more likely to be denied mortgage loans in Boston

By Zeninjor Enwemeka, Adrian Ma, and Saurabh Datar

Professionalism as a Racial Construct

Leah Goodridge
This Essay examines professionalism as a tool to subjugate people of color in the legal field.  Professionalism is a standard with a set of beliefs about how one should operate in the workplace.  While professionalism seemingly applies to everyone, it is used to widely police and regulate…

Gambling with Homes, or Investing in Communities

LISC, UNHP & New School University
LISC’s research report offers rigorous evidence that large landlords have reaped the greatest profits in communities of color, and that this speculation drives evictions and poor housing maintenance quality. But there’s good news too: affordable housing investments create…

How to Make Your Organization’s Language More Inclusive

Harvard Business Review: Odessa S. Hamilton, Lindsay Kohler, Elle Bradley Cox, and Grace Lordan
Using exclusionary language isn’t just about offending others; research has made its harmful effects clear. To create a truly inclusive culture, it’s critical that you take a hard look at how people in all areas of your company are using language. The authors present four ways you as…

6 Rules for Ethical, Trauma-Informed Advocacy

Christopher M. Anderson, The Good Men Project
Christopher M. Anderson says a full understanding of trauma must inform advocacy efforts for abuse survivors.

The Racial Health and Wealth Gap Impact of Medical Debt on Black Families

Berneta L. Haynes, National Consumer Law Center
A new report from the National Consumer Law Center that examines the intersection between the racial health gap and the racial wealth gap and the harms of aggressive medical debt collection. The report comes on the heels of a Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) report finding an estimated…

We Need to Retire the Term “Microaggressions”

Ruchika Tulshyan
  The term “microaggressions” was coined in the 1970s by Harvard University professor Chester Pierce to describe the subtle, everyday ways that Black people experienced discrimination from their white counterparts. Use of the term has since become more widespread. It’s powerful to have a…

March and Nov 2022 Upper Income Limits in MassHealth and Health Connector

MLRI
MassHealth updates its income standards with the current year's poverty level on March 1. Attached are tables from MLRI showing the upper income levels for MassHealth and Health Connector programs, updated to show the cost of living adjustments for 2022 that took effect in MassHealth…

Immigration Consequences of Massachusetts Criminal Convictions

Committee for Public Counsel Services Immigration Impact Unit
The discussion and appendices are designed to assist criminal defense attorneys in analyzing the potential immigration consequences of criminal conduct. They are a starting point and should not be used in place of individual research. Moreover, because these documents are meant for criminal…

Tenants' Rights in Massachusetts

MLRI, et. al.
Materials from the February 15, 2023 Tenants' Rights in Massachusetts training, presented as part of the MLRI/MCLE Basic Benefits Training Series: Agenda Faculty Bios Powerpoints: Introduction Evictions Part 1 Evictions Part 2 MADE Demo Getting Repairs…

The Evolution Of Whiteness In The United States

Janice Gassam Asare, Forbes
Our understanding of race and racism is constantly changing. A myriad of events in the last few years, including the election of former President Donald Trump and the resurgence of the Black Lives Matter movement, have catalyzed more conversations about race. There has been a…

Considerations for Ensuring Data Aggregation Is as Inclusive as Possible

Jonathan Schwabish and Alice Feng, Urban Institute
Considerations for researchers and data analysts to ensure they approach their work through a lens of diversity, equity, and inclusion. A one-size-fits-all method for data aggregation doesn’t exist, so instead of prescribing specific recommendations, we highlight key considerations for how to…

Considerations for Ensuring Data Aggregation Is as Inclusive as Possible

Jonathan Schwabish & Alice Feng, Urban Institute
Data analysts sometimes lump together populations with small sample sizes—often racial and ethnic groups—out of convenience. But doing so can have harmful effects on those communities. Combining groups with different experiences can obscure specific communities’…

'Hispanic'? 'Latino'? Here’s where the terms come from

Erin Blakemore
How communities and governments describe people from the Spanish and Latin American diasporas has a convoluted history.

Disparities in Debt: Why Debt Is a Driver in the Racial Wealth Gap

Tashfia Hasan, Katherine Lucas McKay, and Joanna Smith-Ramani, Aspen Institute
From the introduction to the brief: This brief explores the links between racial disparities in debt and those in wealth. It is informed by Aspen FSP’s years of engagement with consumers and families about their financial challenges. It reflects findings from a literature review, interviews…

Structural Racism In Historical And Modern US Health Care Policy

Ruqaiijah Yearby, Brietta Clark, and José F. Figuero
The COVID-19 pandemic has illuminated and amplified the harsh reality of health inequities experienced by racial and ethnic  minority groups in the United States. Members of these groups have disproportionately been infected and died from COVID-19, yet they still lack equitable access to…

Governor's FY 2023 Budget Proposal: MLRI's Preliminary Analysis of Selected Issues

MLRI
On January 26, 2022, Governor Baker released his budget proposal for fiscal year 2023 (FY 23), which is referred to as House 2. MLRI offers this preliminary analysis of selected budget topics impacting low-income residents of the Commonwealth. Download MLRI's preliminary…

Benefits Included in MassHealth by Coverage Type 2022

MLRI
Attached is a Table prepared by MLRI of the different kinds of services and service providers that are available under the various MassHealth coverage types described in MassHealth eligibility regulations & cross referencing to MassHealth fee for service regulations. It's been updated…

The Eviction Process: A Training for Massachusetts Attorneys and Advocates

MLRI

Boston’s Racial Equity History Project

Northeastern University
Interactive map showing the spread of racially restrictive deeds across of Hennepin County.

Millions more Americans now have the right to vote in non-English languages

Gabe Osterhout and Lantz McGinnis-Brown
Access to voting materials in a citizen’s native language helps boost involvement and voter turnout.

Improving Data on Race and Ethnicity: A Roadmap to Measure and Advance Health Equity

Grantmakers In Health (GIH) and the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA)
This Roadmap builds on an earlier report, Federal Action Is Needed to Improve Race and Ethnicity Data in Health Programs, in three critical respects. First, it expands on that report’s summary of the current state of race and ethnicity data in health care programs, offering more detail…

Racial Residential Segregation in Greater Boston

Harvard Chan-NIEHS Center for Environmental Health
Environmental racism is a term coined by activists in the environmental justice movement. The term describes how policies and practices surrounding environmental hazards disproportionately burden Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) communities while privileging White and wealthier…

Identifying and Addressing Characteristics of White Supremacy Culture

Frankie Quasarano, University of Michigan
A resource guide highlights characteristics of white supremacy culture, as outlined by Dr. Tema Okun, that can be pervasive in organizations and institutions. White supremacy is made manifest in many ways, some being more covert than others. The characteristics identified in this resource guide can…

Getting the Word Out:Outreach and Community Education for Legal Aid and Information Providers

Various
This December 15, 2021 presentation offers legal aid and other legal help and legal information providers ideas they can use to connect with vulnerable people in need of civil legal help in Massachusetts. Recording of the Presentation: View the presentation at this link. The presentation…

Race & Inequality in America

Center for the Study of Race and Ethnicity
Jointly sponsored by CSREA and the Office of the Provost, the “Race & in America” series gathers Brown scholars to discuss how anti-Black racism remains an enduring and foundational feature of American society from a range of fields and scholarly perspectives. Speakers include:…

We're Reporting Census Data All Wrong

Luc Schuster, Boston Indicators
Census data on race and ethnicity are invaluable for understanding who we are as a region and how we’re changing over time. Invaluable, yes. But also imperfect. Headlines during the census count last year focused on challenges facing Census Bureau workers during a pandemic and on the Trump…

How Should Companies Fight Bias?

Clara Ferreira Marques
A Q&A with author Jessica Nordell on tackling sexism and stereotyping in the workplace and the need for better data on whether corporate diversity training actually works.