CCRS Summer 2023 Connect, Communicate, Collaborate

​Summer has arrived so suddenly this year that we are left with combining the CCRS spring and summer newsletters into one issue, packed with twice the news about what we've been up to. As we move into summer, we are excited to put together this collection of projects that we've been engaged with, student and staff achievements, and other noteworthy news coming from CCRS. We are proud of the research and service work that we do here at CCRS- for the university, in the state, and beyond. It's hard to believe that the year is already half over, and we look forward to where the year will continue to take us.

​CCRS is happy to welcome a new Grants Analyst, Sarah Warkentin, to the team. A Biden School graduate (c/o 2020) who held a Research Assistant position while pursuing her degree, Sarah has worked for a nonprofit agency in New Jersey on affordable housing since then. We are thrilled to have her back and welcome her to the Center!

CCRS is also proud to welcome Dr. Pragya Shrestha as a post-doctoral research associate. Dr. Sherstha will be working with Dean Amy Schwartz and Dr. Mary Mitsdarffer on a project that examines education and health outcomes among students in New York City School public schools during the Covid-19 pandemic. Dr. Shrestha is originally from Nepal and earned her PhD in Evaluation, Measurement, and Statistics from UD's School of Education. She specializes in Single-Case Design studies and her research interests include methodological advancement of Single-Case Design, improving health and education outcomes for marginalized and underserved communities. She has prior experiences working as a biometrician in a pharmaceutical industry and as a researcher for non-profit organization. She loves spending time in nature and in her free time, loves to read children's story books.

​CCRS' newest issue brief Delaware's Opioid Disorder Response: Policy and Legal Action, authored by Graduate Research Assistant Emily Laughlin, MPH and Assistant Policy Scientists Rebecca McColl and Erin Nescott, reviews challenges of the opioid crisis. The opioid epidemic annually claims tens of thousands of lives across the United States and hundreds of lives in Delaware. Despite legal and legislative efforts to control the use of opioids, the crisis continues to worsen. In 2021, Delaware had the third highest overdose fatality rate in the nation, and an opioid overdose death rate of 42.4 per 100,000 Delaware residents, almost double the national average of 24.4. This brief summarizes the current stateof opioids in Delaware, as well as legislative, programmatic, and legal efforts made by the State of Delaware to mitigate and prevent the painful impacts of this health crisis. Visuals of innovative tools and a timeline of opioid policy in Delaware, paired with a map showing Ratio of Opioid Overdose Deaths to Opioid Dispensing in Delaware, allow readers to understand the complexity of this crisis. The landscape changes daily, so while this report provides a current snapshot, readers are also encouraged to visit the referenced sources for updates moving forward.

Recent publications authored by CCRS faculty member Dr. Mary Mitsdarffer include:

• Analyzing Twitter for Community-Level Public Health Messaging in the Journal of Public Health Management and Practice
• Minoritization, mental health, and law enforcement in Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Psychology

​The Delaware Journal of Public Health has dedicated its June 2023 issue to the topic "Homelessness, Poverty, & Public Health." CCRS staff Steve Metraux, Roger Hesketh, and Mimi Rayl, along with Insitute for Public Administration's Sean O'Neill are the guest editors of this issue. The issue features articlesith original research, analysis and perspectives onthis topic as it pertains to Delaware, and can be freely accessed at the Delaware Journal of Public Health. This gave CCRS researchers a great opportunity to present our research on this topic. Articles that featured CCRS staff as authors include:

• Stephen Metraux & Stephen Peuquet: Homelessness in Delaware - An Assessment
• Erin Nescott, Stephen Metraux, Mary Joan McDuffie & Elizabeth Brown: Matching Medicaid Claims and Encounters and the Community Management Information System Databases
• J.J. Cutuli, Mary Joan McDuffie, Erin Nescott: Evaluating Approaches to Linking Evictions Records
• Stephen Metraux & Alex Modeas: Homelessness Among Persons on Delaware's Sex Offender Registry
• Erin Nescott, Janice Barlow & Miranda Perez-Rivera: Poverty in Delaware
• Katie Millard & Stephen Metraux: Guaging and Responding to the Need for Home Repair Assistance in Delaware
• Mary Mitsdarffer, Rebecca McColl, Erin Nescott, Jim Bianchetta, Eric Layland & Tibor Toth: LGBTQ+ Youth Homelessness in Delaware

​In just three years of the pandemic, COVID-19 has taken more American lives than were lost in the six years of WWII. As we continue to grapple with the pandemic's impact, it is critical to understand how children have been affected. Released on May 3rd, the 2023 KIDS COUNT in Delaware FOCUS in Impact of COVID-19 explores outcomes associated with pandemic-related hardships and stress faced by Delaware children. The 2023 FOCUS book covers issues related to demographics, health, education, economic security, and family/community. With growing diversity within Delaware's child population, policies that focus on racial and ethnic equity are crucial to creating positive outcomes for all kids. The book emphasizes the importance of addressing disparities in educational outcomes, highlights the need to provide financial assistance and social services to families, and reminds readers the importance of ensuring childhood safety. This year's FOCUS book is an essential read for policymakers, educators, healthcare professionals, and anyone interested in promoting the well-being of children during and beyond the pandemic. Supplemental materials:

• Recording of webinar
• Power point slides

​CCRS is pleased to announce that the Community Development Institute (CDI) Mid-Atlantic is returning for a second year of programming this summer! Registration for CDI Mid-Atlantic 2023 is open for Year 1 and Year 2 participants, and ill be held at the Community Education Building in Wilmington, DE from Monday, July 24 - Thursday, July 28. While Year 1 participants learn how to address their community's economies and tools for equitable development strategies, Year 2 participants will be learning how to build entrepreunerial communities, how to attract, retain and expand businesses in their communities, and how to finance economic development. This three-year certification is valuable for any community leader by providing practical and comprehensive community and economic development tools and leadership skills. This opportunity is perfect for nonprofit professionals, community and economic developers, city planners, and those who are interested in transforming their communities. CDI Mid-Atlantic is affiliated with the Community Development Council and coordinates with CDI sites across the country. To learn more about this opportunity or register, visit our website. For questions about CDI Mid-Atlantic, please reach out to Roger Hesketh at rogergh@udel.edu

Registration is now open for the 2023 cohor of the Nonprofit Leadership Certificate Program! Designed for mid-career nonprofit leaders or those looking to transition into leadership roles, the hybrid program runs from 8/31 through 12/14. In addition to receiving engaging and relevant content from accomplished trainers in the sector, participants build on the course modules to assess their organizations/programs and develop action plans in the strategic areas of their choice. The peer-to-peer sharing and networking aspect of the course is a great benefit of the cohort model of the NLCP. Graduates of the program have gone on to lead organizations of every size and in every sector of he nonprofit industry. Graduates of the course receive a Certificate in Nonprofit Leadership, as well as 10.5 CEUs. To learn more about the program visit the course website or reach out to Signe Bell as signe@udel.edu

​Public Allies is a social justice organization committed to changing the face and practice of leadership by recruiting and training talented emerging leaders, with a passion for social impact, to create meaningful change in our community. Our Allies are diverse, equity-centered, innovative problem solvers, dedicated to mobilizing community assets to develop solutions to local challenges. In partnership with nonprofit partners, we deliver our nationaly recognized, values-driven, results-led apprenticeship to advance our mission to create a just and equitable society and the diverse leadership to sustain it. The class of 2023 presentations of learning wil allow allies to present and reflect on how they have grown professionally and personally through their 10 months of service. These presentations will be held on Monday, July 17th, Wednesday, July 19th, and Friday, July 21st. If you're interested in attending, please reach out to Rachael Romond at rromond@udel.edu. Additionally, Class of 2023 graduation will be July 31st.

​Welcome to CCRS-affiliated policy fellows Miranda, Calen, and Hoda! The Biden School Fellows Program combines classroom concepts and hands-on pratical involvement for a unique summer experience. Through this scholarship program, students conduct research on public policy issues such as community revitalization, economic development, education policy, health policy, healthy communities, housing and homelessness, land-use planning, poverty, transportation, and water management. Fellows learn about policy issues from leaders in the field, network with practitioners, and witness classroom concepts come to life through research and public service