Suchergebnisse

U.S. Army Special Operations Command asked RAND Arroyo Center to assess its Tactical Human Optimization, Rapid Rehabilitation and Reconditioning (THOR3) program and identify opportunities for improvement in a range of priority areas.

There has been ongoing concern that some regulations, rules, and government policies place a disproportionate burden on small businesses and entrepreneurs. For this reason, small businesses often receive special regulatory treatment, such as exemptions from legislation or extended deadlines for compliance. However, the desire to support small businesses can come into conflict with the interest in addressing the concerns that led to the regulation or policy in the first place. Moreover, it is often unclear whether special regulatory treatment for small businesses is having the intended effect

Describes the involvement of churches and other faith-based organizations (FBOs) in addressing the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Belize, Guatemala, and Honduras. The authors describe the range of FBO activities and discuss the advantages and challenges to such involvement and possible ways that FBOs can enhance their efforts, both independently and in collaboration with other organizations, such as government ministries of health.

Faith-based organizations (FBOs) have historically played an important role in delivering health and social services in developing countries; however, little research has been done on their role in HIV prevention and care, particularly in Latin America. This article summarizes a study that describes FBO involvement in HIV/AIDS in three Central American countries hard hit by this epidemic: Belize, Guatemala, and Honduras. Summarizing the results of key informant and stakeholder interviews with health and FBO leaders and site visits to FBO-sponsored HIV/AIDS clinics, hospices, programs, and other activities, the authors describe the range of FBO activities and assess the advantages of FBO involvement in addressing HIV/AIDS, such as churches' diverse presence and extensive reach, and the challenges to such involvement, such as the unwillingness of some FBOs to discuss condom use and their lack of experience in evaluating the impact of programs. The authors conclude with a discussion of possible ways that FBOs can address the HIV epidemic, both independently and in collaboration with other organizations, such as government ministries of health.

Israel has changed dramatically in the past two decades. The Israel Police is transforming itself to meet the needs of modern Israel. The Ministry of Public Security, the Ministry of Finance, and the Israel Police asked RAND to conduct a study to address issues of public perceptions and trust in the police, benchmarking the police against other police organizations, performance measurement, and deterrence and crime prevention

Machine generated contents note:ch. 1Introduction --Motivation for This Study --Focus of This Study --Challenges Facing Puerto Rico's Municipalities --The Importance of Local Government Capacity in Postdisaster Reconstruction --Methods --Limitations of This Study --Organization of This Document --ch. 2Framework for Assessing Municipal Responsibilities --The Reconstruction Life Cycle --Municipal Reconstruction Capacity Assessment Framework for Puerto Rico --Municipal Relative Capacity Indexes --Chapter Conclusion --ch. 3Relative Municipal Capacities for Reconstruction in Puerto Rico --Municipalities' Relative Capacities Overall --Relationship of Capacity to Municipality Size --Relationship of Capacity to Severity of Hurricane Damage --Chapter Conclusion --ch. 4General Municipal Reconstruction Challenges --Strategy --Management --Operations --Finance and Administration --Chapter Conclusion --ch. 5Lessons Learned from Other U.S. State and Local Governments in Postdisaster Reconstruction --Strategy --Management --Operations --Finance and Administration --Chapter Conclusion --ch. 6Recommendations for Supporting Municipal Capacity for Reconstruction in Puerto Rico --Strategy --Management --Operations --Finance and Administration --Conclusion.

Introduction -- Puerto Rico Before the Storms -- An Overview of Hurricane Irma and Hurricane Maria -- Methods Used for the Damage and Needs Assessment -- Puerto Rico's Economy -- Puerto Rico's People and Communities -- Puerto Rico's Energy Systems -- Puerto Rico's Communications and Information Technology -- Puerto Rico's Water -- Puerto Rico's Transportation -- Puerto Rico's Housing -- Puerto Rico's Public Buildings -- Puerto Rico's Cultural Resources -- Puerto Rico's Natural Resources -- Puerto Rico's Education, Health, and Social Services -- Puerto Rico's Recovery and Resilience Needs -- Appendix: Summary Tables.

Soon after Hurricanes Irma and Maria hit the U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI) in September 2017, recovery activities began. But more than three years after the hurricanes, the territory still has substantial recovery needs. The USVI government estimates that, to fully recover from the damage, it will need to execute $11.25 billion in recovery work-nearly three times its annual gross domestic product. Project timing, complexity, and scale add to the challenge. The recovery process is also a chance for the USVI to reenvision its future, leveraging recovery funding to create a more modern, resilient, and equitable territory. The authors of this report aim to help the USVI accelerate its recovery by identifying key recovery goals and accomplishments to date, assessing roadblocks and challenges, and suggesting actionable recommendations to more efficiently implement recovery. They reviewed the USVI's prior recovery plans, analyzed available data, considered good practice in other disaster recovery settings, and held more than 170 group discussions with stakeholders. They provide 76 recommendations to enhance recovery efforts, each including steps to support implementation. The report covers multiple recovery needs: a set of crosscutting capacities required for progress in multiple sectors (management, fiscal, workforce, and supply chain), the rebuilding of physical infrastructure (infrastructure services, energy, housing, and natural and cultural resources), and the development of key aspects of the economy and public services (the tourism economy, education, and health)

The Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act of 2014 addressed the need for access to timely, high-quality health care for veterans. Section 201 of the legislation called for an independent assessment of various aspects of veterans' health care. The RAND Corporation was tasked with an assessment of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) current and projected health care capabilities and resources. An examination of data from a variety of sources, along with a survey of VA medical facility leaders, revealed the breadth and depth of VA resources and capabilities: fiscal resources, workforce and human resources, physical infrastructure, interorganizational relationships, and information resources. The assessment identified barriers to the effective use of these resources and capabilities. Analysis of data on access to VA care and the quality of that care showed that almost all veterans live within 40 miles of a VA health facility, but fewer have access to VA specialty care. Veterans usually receive care within 14 days of their desired appointment date, but wait times vary considerably across VA facilities. VA has long played a national leadership role in measuring the quality of health care. The assessment showed that VA health care quality was as good or better on most measures compared with other health systems, but quality performance lagged at some VA facilities. VA will require more resources and capabilities to meet a projected increase in veterans' demand for VA care over the next five years. Options for increasing capacity include accelerated hiring, full nurse practice authority, and expanded use of telehealth.