May 2023

Ben Larsen, Cheong Kim, Emily Pape

The Idaho Department of Insurance has partnered with IPI to conduct an analysis of the Idaho Senior Health Insurance Benefits Advisors (SHIBA) program, research approaches to State Health Insurance Assistance Programs (SHIPs) in other states, and report findings for consideration by the Idaho Department of Insurance (DOI) to improve the effectiveness of the SHIBA program. The project will analyze the effectiveness of four components of the SHIBA program: community partnerships, volunteer management, marketing and outreach, and operational procedures.  

In May, IPI created drafts of the interview protocols and survey instruments. IPI also chose 12 other states to research SHIPs in other states. The IPI team also put together a draft list of evaluation definitions and metrics that will be refined in consultation with DOI.

Digital Access for All Idahoans Planning Support

Matthew May, Ben Larsen, Gabe Osterhout, Cheong Kim, Kyle Peterson

The Idaho Commission for Libraries (ICfL) has partnered with Idaho Policy Institute to create the Digital Access for All Idahoans Plan (DAAI), including conducting two statewide surveys, one of Idaho’s general population and one of Idaho’s Spanish-speaking households. 

In May, focus groups were wrapped up with events in Pocatello, Preston, and Boise. The statewide surveys of the general population and Spanish-speaking households were completed and topline results were shared with ICfL and other stakeholders. Much of May was spent working through the qualitative coding of the focus group data.

HUD Eviction Protection Grant Program

Ben Larsen, Lantz McGinnis-Brown, McAllister Hall, Vanessa Fry

IPI does data management for the HUD Eviction Protection Grant Program in partnership with Idaho Legal Aid Services and other partners across Idaho, Montana, and Utah. The program provides low-income households with free eviction legal services and representation.

Media Campaign Evaluations

Ben Larsen, Aisha Kayed, Gabe Osterhout, Matthew May, Vanessa Fry, Ellen Schafer

The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare has partnered with IPI to evaluate two health media campaigns that have circulated statewide. The first evaluation will consist of a survey to health clinics across Idaho to measure the reach and effectiveness of the Provider Stigma Reduction Campaign. The second evaluation is a survey of Idaho’s general population to measure the reach and effectiveness of the Fentanyl Awareness Campaign. The evaluations will measure the reach and effectiveness of each campaign, as well as general knowledge about the survey topics. 

This month, IRB forms were approved for both surveys and the IPI team programmed the Provider Awareness survey in Qualtrics. Both surveys will begin collecting responses in June.

The Spring 2023 MPA Capstone Showcase was held on May 3 to celebrate the students graduating from the MPA program! Over 50 people attended the showcase either in-person or virtually. This semester’s MPA Capstone students presented the results of their projects conducted for six Service-Learning community partners:

1. Strategy on Hunger in Idaho – Idaho Hunger Relief Task Force
2. Downtown Boise Visitations Analysis – Downtown Boise Association
3. Program Communication Strategy – Treasure Valley Children’s Theater
4. International Student Housing Needs Analysis – Boise State Center for Global Engagement
5. City Budget Analysis – City of Hailey
6. Used Furniture and Supply Storage Program – Boise State Campus Sustainability

Research Scholar presents 2022 Idaho eviction data at Idaho Asset Building Network

Ben Larsen presented the findings of the 2022 Idaho Eviction Study to the Idaho Asset Building Network (IABN). IABN is a working group of practitioners, providers, researchers, and advocates that work on issues of housing access in Idaho.

Contracting Out and the Fiscal Sustainability of Public Services

Cheong Kim, IPI Research Scholar, published an article, “Contracting Out and the Fiscal Sustainability of Public Services,” in Public Performance and Management Review. This article explains how contracting out can contribute to the fiscal sustainability of public services from a principal-agent perspective. Read the article here.

Research Scholars present at the Digital Access for All Idahoans Steering Committee 

Matthew May and Ben Larsen presented preliminary results from the focus groups and statewide surveys to the DAAI Steering Committee on May 31, 2023. The Steering Committee had a chance to ask questions about the initial results. The presentation also included a comment period on the draft objectives and metrics that IPI will use to develop the final report to ICfL.