Westat

Today is National Opioid Awareness Day, an opportunity for communities across the country to reflect on the ongoing opioid crisis and its impact on individuals and families. Westat continues to play a pivotal role in working with clients to address the epidemic. Learn more:

Westat Marks National Opioid Awareness Day: September 21 - Westat Westat continues to play a pivotal role in working with clients to address the opioid crisis, working to build capacity for implementing, measuring, and improving evidence-based practices, policies, and research that inform solutions.

For Hispanic Heritage Month, we're showcasing members of our Hispanic/Latinx Employee Resource Group (ERG) like Vanessa Olivo, MPH, from our Public Health team. She shares her vision for the ERG's community impact. At Westat, we're committed to fostering connections within Hispanic/Latinx communities through outreach, networking, and recruitment.

Child Passenger Safety Week highlights the importance of protecting children in vehicles. Westat experts have shared various tools to heighten awareness on how caregivers can keep children safe, including the Seat Check Coverage Map and National Digital Car Seat Check Form (NDCF) Dashboard. Read more on the resources to improve child passenger safety nationwide.

Westat Tools Help Protect Child Passengers - Westat Vehicle crashes are a major cause of injuries and fatalities among children, a problem safety advocates in the U.S. acknowledge and work to minimize by

Today is , a day to address HIV’s impact on adults 50 & older. With advances in treatment, people with HIV are living longer, healthier lives. Help : Reduce stigma & promote prevention, testing, & treatment among older adults. https://bit.ly/3oPdOiV

Westat's educational effectiveness expert Lashawn Richburg-Hayes, PhD, will present at the 2024 Society for Research on Educational Effectiveness (SREE) Conference in Baltimore, MD, September 18-21. The event theme is "Navigating the Future of Education Research: Impact Evaluation in a Transforming Landscape." Lashawn will discuss fostering equitable, inclusive learning environments to improve outcomes for all students.

Education Expert Richburg-Hayes at 2024 SREE - Westat Lashawn Richburg-Hayes, PhD, a Westat education expert, will present at a number of sessions at the 2024 SREE Conference in Baltimore, MD.

Recent research led by Westat experts shows mindfulness-based interventions in schools can enhance students' mental, emotional, and behavioral development. Published in “Psychiatric Services,” the systematic review is part of a series on school-based mental health promotion and prevention supported by SAMHSA. Learn about mindfulness programs fostering healthier future generations.

Can Mindfulness Programs Benefit Kids in School? - Westat Mindfulness-based interventions in schools can enhance students’ mental, emotional, and behavioral development, fostering healthier future generations, according to new research published in Psychiatry Services.

This National Hispanic Heritage Month, we’ve asked the members of our Hispanic/Latinx Employee Resource Group (ERG) to share their perspectives on the ERG’s impact. Lena Centeno, MA, from our Large Surveys team, shares her thoughts on the commitment to fostering an inclusive environment where all employees feel valued and supported.

The 32nd Annual Morris Hansen Lecture, co-sponsored by Westat, will be held Sept 26, 2024, in Washington, DC. Theme: "Challenges in Measuring Income and Poverty: Why Is It So Hard? Why Is It So Important?" Hear Dr. Constance F. Citro (National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine), followed by a discussion with Dr. Marina Gindelsky (U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis) and Dr. Jonathan L. Rothbaum (U.S. Census Bureau). Register here:

32nd Annual Morris Hansen Lecture: Thursday, September 26 - Westat The 32nd Annual Morris Hansen Lecture will take place on Thursday, September 26, 2024, from 3:30-5:30 pm (ET).

September's National Preparedness Month, sponsored by FEMA Federal Emergency Management Agency reminds us that readiness is key. Disasters don't wait – do you have a plan? Get ready with National Safety Council's tips for earthquakes, fires, hurricanes, and other emergencies. https://ow.ly/h87e50TaOLx

September is Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) Awareness Month. See how Westat partnered with FASD United and American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists - ACOG to combat the stigma surrounding FASD and enhance prevention efforts. Read more on the approach to blend medical expertise with lived experiences to educate clinicians and transform preventive care:

Alcohol and Pregnancy: Ways Health Providers Can Better Intervene - Westat Alcohol screening and brief intervention during pregnancy by health care providers is effective at reducing excessive alcohol use.

Celebrate Labor Day exploring diverse careers across the U.S. with the U.S. Census Bureau's Kahoot game! From veterinarians to software developers, discover fascinating stats about various professions using . https://ow.ly/pFml50Tb0YO

This International Overdose Awareness Day, we embrace the theme: "Together We Can"— a call to action to end the devastation caused by overdose. At Westat, our Behavioral Health and Health Policy experts are passionate about providing quality data to address this public health crisis. Discover how we're contributing to solutions: https://ow.ly/N9U550T5k8A

International Overdose Awareness Day: August 31, 2024 - Westat Overdose continues to impact the lives of so many around the world. Westat staff reflect on lives lost and the work ahead.

Could increased funding for scholarships and loan repayments solve the nursing shortage? A recent study co-authored by Westat experts evaluated the effectiveness of these programs in addressing labor shortages in underserved areas.

Nursing Shortages: Addressing the Crisis in Healthcare - Westat Westat experts co-author study on how increased funding for Nurse Corps programs addresses nursing shortages in underserved areas.

Thank you to our 2024 Summer Intern cohort, who've recently completed their eleven-week journey with us! These bright minds contributed to projects from improving student outcomes to public health evaluations. Discover their inspiring experiences and how past interns have grown into valued Westat employees.

Westat Summer Interns Reflect on 2024 Program - Westat 11 students reflect on Westat's 2024 Summer Intern program, sharing projects, learnings, and favorite experiences from their 11-week journey.

August is National Breastfeeding Awareness Month! To celebrate, learn about U.S. Department of Agriculture's FNS WIC Breastfeeding Support campaign. This initiative empowers moms with resources to meet their breastfeeding goals. Watch this video to see how WIC assists and supports breastfeeding mothers throughout their journey:

What is WIC Breastfeeding Support What is WIC Breastfeeding Support WIC breastfeeding moms and WIC staff discuss how the WIC Breastfeeding Support campaign serves to assist and support breast...

How effective are diaper distribution programs at supporting families with lower incomes? Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation - OPRE's new evaluation design report describes our approach to evaluating the first federal Diaper Distribution Pilot. Learn how Westat and our partners are assessing the program to improve family support and address crucial needs.

Approaches to Evaluating a Federal Diaper Distribution Pilot - Westat The Diaper Distribution Demonstration and Research Pilot Implementation Evaluation Design Report describes the design of each study component, including the research questions, data sources, data collection procedures, measures, and analysis plans.

Wrapping up our National Intern Spotlight series, today we’re introducing Ethan Moran. Ethan from our Clinical Research team says, “I really enjoyed working on the VISION NLP Study, RBC-IMPACT, and LM-GWAS studies. I’m incredibly grateful for the team members I worked with throughout my internship.” Interested in interning with us? Keep an eye on our careers page this fall/winter for openings!

Can machine learning automate the creation of data catalogs? Westat experts, collaborating with American Institutes for Research (AIR) on behalf of the U.S. Department of Labor, explored this potential to support studies of employment and training outcomes. Explore our findings:

Can Machine Learning Automate the Creation of Data Catalogs? - Westat Many research and evaluation questions can be answered using extant data from surveys, program evaluations, and administrative data. Data catalogs help

Highlighting another talented intern from our summer program, meet Lindsey Sparrock. Lindsey has been working with our Behavioral Health team and says her favorite experience has been “Collaborating with a team of research analysts to develop to***co and health equity research presentations.”

Our National Intern Day celebration rolls on! Today we're featuring Ben Milhaupt, who has been working with our Education Studies team. Ben shares, “Since joining the Region #14 team, I have been animated by the opportunity to develop new documentation systems for enterprise technology projects.

Join Westat at APHSA's 2024 Economic Mobility and Well-Being (EMWB) Conference in Portland, OR, Aug 25-28. We're presenting on SNAP Robotic Process Automation and improving service delivery for Spanish speakers. As proud sponsors, we're excited to collaborate with human services leaders to shape the field's future. Visit our booth to connect!

Advancing Human Services: Westat @ 2024 EMWB Conference - Westat Westat experts will be on-site at the American Public Human Services Association (APHSA)’s Economic Mobility and Well-Being (EMWB) Conference.

Our National Intern Day series continues to shine a light on our amazing summer interns! Today, we're introducing Adam Johnston from our Education Studies team. Adam shares, "I'm enjoying writing a report on Strategic Teacher Pay for the Texas Education Agency (TEA)!"

How does Westat design and build interactive data visualizations? Karmen Perry, a Westat Research Analyst, shares insights on creating accessible, inclusive dashboards that simplify complex data for a variety of audiences. Learn how we're making information understandable and usable for both clients and communities.

Designing Inclusive and Accessible Dashboards - Westat Karmen Perry discusses how Westat's strong, experienced team of data visualization specialists and dashboard developers work closely with clients to build user-friendly and useful dashboards.

In case you missed it, Westat conducted the first external evaluation of Washington State’s Passport to Careers program that has supported over 3,000 former foster and homeless youth in higher education to date. Researchers Lori Nathanson, PhD, and Nina Page share insights on their equity-focused approach, challenges, and key findings. Read the full interview:

Passport to Careers: Aiding Foster and Homeless Young Adults - Westat Westat staff discuss their evaluation of the Passport to Careers program that supports former foster youth and homeless youth unaccompanied by a parent or guardian in achieving their college and career goals.

August is National Immunization Awareness Month. The CDC encourages everyone to stay up to date on recommended vaccines. Immunizations protect not just individuals, but entire communities.

Recognizing National Immunization Awareness Month (NIAM) National Immunization Awareness Month (NIAM) provides an opportunity to highlight the value of immunization across the lifespan.