Building a Better Child Care System
Every day parents across Michigan make difficult decisions about who will care for their children when they go to school and to work. Some choose center-based programs. Others select providers who care for children in the provider’s home. Yet others choose to have family, friends, or neighbors care for their children. Regardless of the provider […]
Impact of Increasing Education and Employment Rates in West Michigan
Today, unemployment in West Michigan is below 4 percent, suggesting a very strong underlying economy, and the region ranks high in several national studies of growth and quality of life. However, West Michigan still faces significant challenges. A skills mismatch has left many employers struggling to fill positions, even while working-age adults cannot find work or fail to […]
Q&A: PSC’s Peter Pratt and Jane Powers talk about building consensus on alternatives to Section 298
In February 2016, Gov. Rick Snyder shocked the health care community when, in Section 298 of his Michigan Department of Health and Human Services’ (MDHHS) budget, he proposed that the state unify the Medicaid physical and behavioral health systems. To the average observer it may not seem like much, but to the state’s health organizations, […]
PSC evaluates two innovative food programs’ efforts to help vulnerable children
The Farm to School and Hoophouses for Health programs are working hard to help Michigan farmers grow more vegetables and get them onto the tables of families with children who need them most. Watch this video to learn how PSC’s innovative approach to evaluation is helping these two programs improve and expand their reach. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8F7r3lAD2dM
Michigan’s Oil and Natural Gas Industry: Economic Contribution
[vc_row cMichigan’s oil and natural gas industry plays an important role in Michigan’s economy creating tens of thousands of jobs and billions of dollars of income for Michigan residents. In 2014, 62 of Michigan’s 83 counties produced oil and/or natural gas, and historically, 65 of Michigan’s counties have had production. Of Michigan’s 83 counties, 82 […]
Evaluation of the Michigan Energy Assistance Program: Successes and Options for Improvement
Michigan’s energy assistance programs support hundreds of thousands of low-income households each year. For many, these programs are the difference between heating their homes on the coldest of winter nights and having their services disconnected. Recognizing the need for a sustainable energy assistance model, in 2013, the state’s legislature created the Michigan Energy Assistance Program […]
Q&A: PSC’s Jon Beard discusses how much Michigan should be spending on its water infrastructure
Unseen infrastructure, such as water pipes, is vital despite going unnoticed. That’s why Michigan Infrastructure & Transportation Association enlisted PSC to determine how much Michigan was investing in its underground infrastructure and whether that investment was sufficient to meet necessary repairs and replacements.
PSC turns a fun, friendly competition into a statewide behavior-change program for small businesses
In January 2017, we refreshed our brand, giving PSC a refined focus and sunny new look. Now, we’re doing the same for Bright Ideas. To start, we created a new tagline: What 45+ policy geeks are thinking, reading and doing. That’s because Bright Ideas is our muse – a place where we can not only stay […]
Thank You Ken Sikkema
At Public Sector Consultants (PSC), we are fortunate that clients regularly hire us to do interesting and important public policy work that moves Michigan forward. Every now and then, our staff members are also called upon to work pro bono on consequential topics that directly touch people’s lives. For example, PSC senior policy fellow Ken […]
Engaging Detroit: URC’s Contributions to Resurgence in the Motor City
Detroit is Michigan’s iconic city, with a diverse population and a rich cultural history. Its innovation helped create the auto industry and America’s middle class. Michigan’s University Research Corridor (URC) is an alliance of Michigan State University (MSU), the University of Michigan (U-M), and Wayne State University (WSU). The URC ranks as one of the […]