Center for Mississippi Health Policy

The need for an unbiased source of reliable and timely information for policymakers brought about the establishment of the Center for Mississippi Health Policy.

With its primary mission of acting as a catalyst for health policy debate, the Center provides information to policymakers and the general public, while communicating research findings that will stimulate debate and inform decision-making.

The Bower Foundation has made a significant commitment by establishing and continuing to maintain the Center. Guiding principles for the Center include a commitment to a non-partisan, objective approach – along with priority given to the application of research to relevant health policy issues rather than the development of original research.

The core functions of the Center include the following:

• Policy analysis
• Information dissemination
• Analysis of legislation and regulations
• Sponsorship of health policy forums and other venues for dialogue

Since its establishment, the Center has published reports and/or briefs relating to the following critical health policy topics:

• Assessing the Impact of the MS Healthy Students Act, Year Three Report, May 2012
• Building a Health Insurance Exchange in MS: Winter 2012 Update
• Secondhand Smoke: Impact on Health and Economy
• What Do Mississippi Parents Think About Sex-Related Education in Public Schools
• The Impact of the Farm Bill on Southern States
• Assessing the Impact of the MS Healthy Students Act, Year Two Report, April 2011
• Building a Health Insurance Exchange in Mississippi
• School Nurses in Mississippi, Updated Issue Brief, February 2011
• Distracted Driving in Mississippi
• Health Insurance Coverage in Mississippi
• From Field to Fitness: Aligning Farm Policy with Health Policy to Improve Nutrition and Health
• Health Reform Implications for Employers
• An Overview of Health Reform
• All-Terrain Vehicles in MS: Policy Options for Saving Lives
• School Nurses in Mississippi, Updated Issue Brief, March 2010
• Assessing the Impact of the MS Healthy Students Act: Year One Report, January 2010
• Building MS's System of Care: An Interagency Solution for MS's Children