Unemployment Insurance, Domestic Extremists, Housing Insecurity: RAND Weekly Recap

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	Unemployment Insurance, Domestic Extremists, Housing Insecurity: RAND Weekly Recap
	admin
	2021-02-05
发布年	2021
语种	英语
国家	美国
领域	资源环境
正文(英文)	We discuss how the pandemic is changing the way we think about unemployment insurance; why it will be harder to stop domestic extremists than homegrown jihadists; the relationship between housing insecurity and sleep; concerns over audio-only telehealth visits; Alexei Navalny and protests in Russia; and behavioral health disparities in the U.S. military. Photo by Bryan Woolston/Reuters The Pandemic Is Changing How We Treat Unemployment Discussions about sending stimulus checks to Americans are important. But according to RAND's Kathryn Edwards, these conversations have overshadowed the true policy innovation of the COVID-19 recession: the bold federal intervention in the state-based unemployment insurance program. As Congress considers yet another relief package, it's worth reflecting on what 2020 taught us about the U.S. unemployment system. First, millions of Americans now have a fresh understanding of the need for robust unemployment insurance. There's also new evidence to suggest that cash benefits don't disincentivize work; in general, people want to be employed. And finally, the economic fallout from the pandemic provided even more proof that state programs alone are insufficient. What does all this add up to for unemployment insurance? “Little reason to keep the program as is,” Edwards says. Trump supporters scale a wall during the attack on the U.S. Capitol, January 6, 2021 Photo by Shannon Stapleton/Reuters Domestic Extremists Will Be Harder to Stop Than Jihadists The Biden administration's plan to combat domestic extremism will use many of the same tactics as post-9/11 efforts to thwart attacks by homegrown jihadists. But there are many reasons why shutting down today's domestic extremists will be more difficult. That's according to RAND's Brian Michael Jenkins, who testified about the U.S. Capitol attack before the House Committee on Homeland Security this morning. Right-wing extremists are better armed, and many have had military or police training. And unlike jihadist ideology, their dangerous beliefs are deeply rooted in American history and society. Photo by JackF/Getty Images Trouble Paying Rent May Mean Trouble Sleeping People who are unable to make their rent or mortgage payments slept on average 22 fewer minutes a night than their peers who aren't experiencing such problems. That's according to a new RAND study, the first to demonstrate that housing insecurity represents a distinct impediment to healthy sleep duration and quality. Understanding the health effects of housing insecurity is especially important during the pandemic, as millions of Americans struggle to pay their bills. Photo by SDI Productions/Getty Images Audio-Only Doctor Visits Raise Concerns The use of telehealth has surged during the pandemic, allowing many clinics that serve lower-income Americans to continue providing care. But most of these telehealth appointments have been audio-only, a new RAND study finds. There are concerns about the quality of such visits. There's also a looming equity concern: If insurers stop reimbursing for audio-only visits once COVID-19 has passed, it could threaten clinics' ability to meet the needs of underserved populations. Members of the Russian National Guard block the street during a protest against Navalny's detention, St. Petersburg, Russia, January 31, 2021 Photo by Sergei Mikhailichenko/SOPA/Reuters Is Navalny a Threat to the Kremlin? This week, a Moscow court sentenced Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny to more than two years in prison. RAND experts say that this may only galvanize Navalny's supporters, who have been turning out by the tens of thousands to protest his arrest. And even though Navalny may not pose a near-term threat to Putin's rule, he still has time to “play a historic role in Russia's political fate.” A U.S. Army specialist takes part in a training exercise at the National Training Center in Fort Irwin, California, June 20, 2014 Photo by Spc. Charles Probst/U.S. Army The Behavioral Health of Minority Service Members Do the behavioral health disparities that exist in the civilian population also exist in the U.S. military? A new RAND report helps answer this question. The findings reveal that there are disparities among service members, too, but they can differ from those in the civilian world in some key ways. For instance, Hispanic and non-Hispanic Black service members have higher rates of suicide attempts than their white peers, but the opposite is true among civilians. Listen to the Recap Get Weekly Updates from RAND If you enjoyed this weekly recap, consider subscribing to Policy Currents, our newsletter and podcast. Stay Informed RAND Policy Currents Email Subscribe to the podcast. Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on LinkedIn
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来源平台	RAND Corporation
文献类型	新闻
条目标识符	http://119.78.100.173/C666/handle/2XK7JSWQ/313349
专题	资源环境科学
推荐引用方式 GB/T 7714	admin. Unemployment Insurance, Domestic Extremists, Housing Insecurity: RAND Weekly Recap. 2021.