SPECIAL FEATURE

Meet Abir Aldhalimi, SPSSI's 2017-2018 James Marshall Public Policy Fellow

Abir is now working on health policy, including mental health and opioid related legislation, in the office of Senator Maggie Hassan (NH). A clinical psychologist by training, Abir has dedicated her research and clinical practice to better understanding the psychological, biological, and social impact of psychological trauma and chronic stress in vulnerable and disenfranchised populations, including refugees. She has also conducted research investigating the relationship between socioeconomic factors, stigma, and health outcomes in refugees and immigrants following their resettlement in the United States and abroad. Welcome, Abir!

SPSSI will begin accepting applications for the 2018-2019 Marshall Fellowship on December 1, 2017. 

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POLICY NEWS & OPPORTUNITIES AT SPSSI

Watch on Facebook Live: Congressional Briefing on Human Trafficking - 11/2 at 1:30 pm EDT
Tune in to SPSSI's Facebook page TOMORROW, on Thursday, November 2, 2017, from 1:30 - 3:00 pm EDT, to watch a congressional briefing that SPSSI is co-sponsoring entitled "Preventing Human Trafficking: Research on How to Stop Trafficking Before It Starts." The briefing will be moderated by SPSSI member Jennifer Woolard of Georgetown University. 

Register Now: SPSSI's Next Methodology Webinar - 11/29 at Noon EST
SPSSI's next webinar, "Nonverbal Behavioral Coding for Beginners Researchers," will feature a presentation by Katlin (Katie) Bentley of Washington University in St. Louis and will be facilitated by Meghan George of York University in Toronto. This webinar is part of the SPSSI Graduate Student Committee's Methodology Webinar Series and will provide a broad overview of the ins and outs of nonverbal behavioral coding with a focus on measuring facial expressions and body language for psychological research. Also: Click here to watch SPSSI's most recent policy webinar, "Simple, Serious, and Solvable: The Three S's of Climate Change." 

Call for Proposals: Local- and State-Level Policy Work Grants
SPSSI is now inviting proposals for the Fall 2017 cycle of Local- and State-Level Policy Work Grants. This grant initiative aims to influence policy at the local and state levels through applied research, increase the availability of policy opportunities for SPSSI members who are interested in applied research, and encourage younger scholars to become more involved in SPSSI. Up to three grants, at up to $2,000 each, will be awarded in this cycle. Groups that previously applied for this grant are encouraged to reapply, as are groups outside of the U.S. The deadline for proposals is December 10, 2017. 

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NEWS IN U.S. POLICY 

The Opioid Crisis Has Been a Major Focus of Concern:

• A Unanimously-Passed Law May Have Accidentally Perpetuated the Opioid Crisis. Now That Law May Be Repealed.
• Senate Committee Begins Series of Hearings on Opioid Crisis
• President Issues a Public Health Emergency
• NIH Director Issues Statement on Combating Opioid Crisis with Science
• National Academies Releases Interactive Guide on Opioid Epidemic

A Number of Other Social Issues Have Also Been a Focus of Recent Attention:

• Honest Ads Act is First-Ever Bill to Require Disclosure For Internet Ads
• From Ms. Magazine: Lawmakers Want to Codify Title IX Protections for Campus Sexual Assault Survivors
• Department of Education Issues Letter Outlining Wind-down of the Federal Perkins Loan Program
• Congress Extends Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) for Five Years
• From The Washington Post: Trump Pulls the U.S. Out of UNESCO. The Bigger Pattern is the Problem.
• President to Meet Republican Senators on DACA Fix

In Addition, Policy Pertaining to the Conduct of Research Has Been Front and Center:

• From Science: Rand Paul Takes a Poke at U.S. Peer-Review Panels
• GAO to Study Potential Federal Interference in Science
• New Federal Report on Whistleblower Protections Regarding Noncompliance in the Protection of Human Subjects
• Department of Health and Human Services May Delay Common Rule Implementation
• Twenty-six Scientific Organizations (Including APA) Ask NIH to Delay and Reconsider Clinical Trials Policy
• Labor, Health and Human Services Subcommittee Holds Hearing on Indirect Costs of Research
• GAO Report on Firearm Storage Highlights Lack of Federal Funding for Gun Research
• NSF's Latest Merit Review Report is Now Available

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NEWS AND OPPORTUNITIES IN INTERNATIONAL POLICY

UN Requests Input Regarding Data and Research on Child, Early, and Forced Marriage – Respond by November 3, 2017

New Report Looks at Attacks on Higher Education Communities in 35 Countries

Evidence Review and Guidelines Issued by Health in Humanitarian Crises (r2hc) on Gender-Based Violence Research Methodologies in Humanitarian Settings

Responsible Data Forum Releases an Introductory Reading List to Responsible Data Protocols for Research with Indigenous Communities

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OTHER EVENTS, OPPORTUNITIES, AND RESOURCES OF INTEREST

Apply to become an APA Congressional or Executive Branch Fellow - Deadline is January 5, 2018

Webinar: Evaluation 101 for Human Rights Organizations - Participatory Methods to Answer Different Evaluation Questions - Thursday, November 2, 2017 from 11 am – 12 pm EDT

Why Social Science? Because Social Science Is the Fundamental Bedrock of Just Societies

Washington Post: Which Public Colleges Have the Top Graduation Rates for Students in Financial Need?

Behavioral Scientist: The Myth That Mental Illness Causes Mass Shootings

Sentencing Project Fact Sheet: Native Disparities in Youth Incarceration

Sentencing Project Fact Sheet: Latino Disparities in Youth Incarceration