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Santa Fe clinic steps to the plate in opioid war

Sami Edge

August 27, 2017 |

The Santa Fe New Mexican |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Santa Fe, New Mexico

New Mexico has been fighting the rise of the opioid epidemic for decades, so when medical professionals noticed an increase in opioid-dependent mothers giving birth, one doctor started a new program to address this. This program uses both medication-assisted substance abuse treatment and behavioral therapy, and has resulted in a decrease in overdose deaths.

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Can an Algorithm Save America's Justice System?

Jon Schuppe Matt Toder

August 22, 2017 |

NBC News |

Broadcast TV News |

Under 3 Minutes

Response Location: United States, New Jersey

Although the cash bail system has long been used in the US criminal justice system, many argue that it is biased based on socioeconomic levels. To reduce this bias, criminal justice researchers and data scientists have created a new risk assessment tool that uses an algorithm taking age, history of missing court and former crimes into account before making a recommendation on bail.

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Finland found a proven way to combat bullying. Here's what it'll take to make it work in the US

Dakin Andone

August 11, 2017 |

CNN |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Delaware

In Finland, an anti-bullying program that focuses on the whole class rather than individual bullies and victims and provides students with the space to discuss unresolved issues has been proven highly effective. Several researchers and professors in the U.S. are exploring whether the model could be translated to the American public school context. So far, concerns revolve around whether the approach could be as effective with a much more diverse population and with differences in funding and teacher buy-in.

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In Flint, Block Clubs Make a Difference Worth Millions

Scott Atkinson

August 10, 2017 |

Next City |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Flint, Michigan

Instead of relying on Flint’s municipal government for basic services that it does not have the money for, residents are “picking up the slack” by joining block clubs. These community groups maintain parks, mow lawns, and clean up garbage, saving the city $4.3 million from 2015 to 2017. Though it’s not a permanent fix, block clubs are nonetheless making a significant positive impact on the city.

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Can a fake court help high-risk Pennsylvania parolees?

Samantha Melamed

August 10, 2017 |

The Philadelphia Inquirer (Philadelphia Media Network) |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Close supervision and support during parole lowers recidivism among medium- and high-risk offenders with substance-abuse issues in Philadelphia. However, the impact seems to fade after parolees graduate from the yearlong Re-entry Program, often referred to as “Philadelphia re-entry court.”

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How Louisville Crowdsourced a Treatment For Asthma Attacks

Laura Bliss

August 09, 2017 |

Bloomberg CityLab |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Louisville, Kentucky

The Kentucky metro area has some of the worst air quality in the country, leading to concerning rates of asthma and respiratory disease well above the national averages. But a group called AIR Louisville has implemented a creative, crowdsourced solution that utilizes GPS-enabled inhalers to help patients identify and address asthma patterns based on numerous factors such as avoiding heavily-polluted parts of town, and identifying the best treatments based on lifestyle needs.

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Will Cities Ever Outsmart Rats?

Linda Poon

August 09, 2017 |

Bloomberg CityLab |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Washington, District of Columbia

It is currently estimated that there are 2 million rats in New York City. With numbers that high, cities including Washington, D.C. and Chicago along with New York City have teams employed solely to control the rat population. Efforts have previously been futile, however, as little is known about this species. Recognizing this problem, some cities have begun working with researchers and computer scientists to use big data to not just control the current rat populations, but also predict where the rodents will infest next and attempt to thwart their next move.

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Free Lunch at the Library

Catherine Saint Louis

July 30, 2017 |

The New York Times |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Cincinnati, Ohio

From New York to Ohio to California, librarians have teamed up with the USDA summer food service program, along with other non-profits, to feed kids dependent on free/reduced-price lunches during the school year. Using census data to locate communities of greatest need and data to measure participation trends, the collaborative has witnessed a surge in effectiveness and impact across the states. Families, librarians, and public officials alike express satisfaction and enthusiasm for the initiative and its future.

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Keeping an Eye on What the Arctic Throws Down Iceberg Alley

Gloria Dickie

July 21, 2017 |

News Deeply |

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Under 800 Words

Response Location: Canada, Newfoundland and Labrador

Although many know the name of the Titanic, not many are necessarily aware of what happened in the aftermath of the devastating crash. To mitigate against another ship hitting an iceberg, the International Ice Patrol under the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea was created. This group monitors icebergs that obstruct the traffic in the trans-Atlantic shipping lanes via flyovers by airplanes conducting ice reconnaissance flights. Due to climate change, however, there has been a recent push for enhanced satellite coverage.

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A Cheap Fix for Climate Change? Pay People Not to Chop Down Trees

Brad Plumer

July 20, 2017 |

The New York Times |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: Uganda, Hoima, Kibaale, Western Region

In a randomized experiment in western Uganda, scientists demonstrated the effectiveness of paying rural farmers not to chop down trees since deforestation contributes to CO2 emissions worldwide. They studied for two years the declines in forest cover between a control group (no payment) and the participant group (paid). Building on a United Nations project in which wealthy nations pay poorer ones in an attempt to equalize the costs of responding to climate change, the outcome of the project proves the existence of a low-cost environmental policy solution to stemming rising global temperatures.

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