The Fund supports networks of state health policy decision makers to help identify, inspire, and inform policy leaders.
The Milbank Memorial Fund supports two state leadership programs for legislative and executive branch state government officials committed to improving population health.
The Fund identifies and shares policy ideas and analysis to advance state health leadership, strong primary care, and sustainable health care costs.
Keep up with news and updates from the Milbank Memorial Fund. And read the latest posts from our staff and guest authors.
The Fund publishes The Milbank Quarterly, as well as reports, issues briefs, and case studies on topics important to health policy leaders.
The Milbank Memorial Fund is is a foundation that works to improve population health and health equity.
Reproductive Health
July 2026 Christina Laternser,
Geographic gaps in hospital-based obstetric services are often framed as “maternity care deserts,” emphasizing community vulnerability and motivating targeted investments. More
Mental Health State Health Policy
July 2026 Harold A. Pollack, Richard Frank, Sherry Glied,
Since the early 1960s, US policymakers have sought to assist persons living with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDDs) and persons living with severe and persistent mental illness (SPMI) to live on a human scale with their clinical and service needs met in their communities. More
Health Care Costs
July 2026 Christopher F. Koller,
Although health care access and affordability now ranks as Americans’ top domestic policy issue according to an April 2026 Gallup poll, a consistent definition remains elusive. More
Opioid Use Disorder
July 2026 Sarah B. Windle, Peter M. Socha, Jasleen Arneja, Sam Harper, Genevieve Gore, Geneviéve Gariépy, Eva Graham, Arijit Nandi,
Substantial changes in cannabis policies are occurring globally; however, the impacts of these reforms on cannabis use, as well as downstream effects on other substance use, remain unclear. More
July 2026 Naomi Clemmons, Lea Ayers LaFave, Milton Kotelchuck, Arthur R. James,
Public health prevention initiatives (inclusive of clinical care/services) concerning women have historically pursued two relatively independent tracks: a maternal and child health (MCH) track and a family planning track. While not so far apart from one another, their language, practice, and policy have kept MCH and family planning services in silos at the expense of providing a comprehensive continuum of care and services for sexual and reproductive health. More
Public Health
July 2026 Paula M. Lantz,
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other public health organizations periodically create lists of significant public health achievements in the United States and globally. More
July 2026 William J. McCarthy, Darren Lov, Frederick Ferguson,
In this commentary, we applaud Gearhardt and colleagues’ focus on the negative health effects of consuming ultra-processed foods but suggest that the bigger dietary contributor to obesity risk is American consumers’ lack of access to a diverse range of gut microbiota-accessible foods. More
Food Policy Population Health
July 2026 Iliya Gutin,
Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists have been adopted faster and more widely than any anti-obesity therapy prior. More
Aging
July 2026 Harold A. Pollack, Brian Chicoine, Kamala Gullapalli Cotts,
For almost 40 years, Janice cared for Vincent, her son with a developmental disability, at their home in upstate New York. More
Fact Sheet State Health Policy Leadership
July 2026 Hayley Piazza,
Introduction Housing instability and unaffordability are contributing to adverse outcomes across a wide range of health domains. In a Milbank… More
