Student stipend recipient, Leah Mortimer.
Leah Mortimer is very interested in the intersection between public health and legislative policy.
She’s earning her MPH and JD concurrently at the University of Washington. Leah recently helped Public Health — Seattle & King County (PHSKC) on a project to develop policy interventions around funding for the criminal legal system in King County.
“King County has declared racism a public health crisis, and the purpose of this project was to develop policy goals that could divert funding from the criminal legal system to health and human services in the county,” Leah explained.
“This initiative is part of a national project targeting systemic racism. The project is called Healing Through Policy, and it falls under the umbrella of the American Public Health Association. PHSKC’s specific focus was identifying policy solutions to excessive criminal justice spending.”
“I was part of an internal policy team and tasked with conducting research, completing a literature review, creating slide decks, and presenting recommendations.”
“Our team had frequent meetings to share research and ideas. As we refined our proposals, we shared these ideas with the equity team and community partners. This allowed us to revise and improve our research while incorporating community values, which is so essential.”
While working on this study, Leah received a stipend from the Northwest Center for Public Health Practice, which provides financial support for students working on a variety of public health projects across the Pacific Northwest.
“This funding allowed me to fully invest myself in this project. Because of that, I was able to be a valuable member of the team and maximize this experience.”
“The most impactful part of this process for me was seeing abstract ideas put into practice,” Leah noted. "It was really informative to get direct, hands-on experience in the real world and see how people are working to combat systemic problems and engage communities."
“I found that creating useful policy recommendations is a lengthy and often demanding process. We were regularly incorporating new information, refining our objectives, and receiving input from community members. All of that required clear, consistent communication and collaboration between various teams.”
“I was so thankful to be a part of this project,” Leah said. “I learned a lot about public health and legislative policy, and I’m hopeful the research I contributed will be used to inform and develop future policy suggestions.”
The Northwest Center for Public Health Practice continues to provide ongoing funding for students involved in various public health projects. Visit Student Projects to learn more about past funded projects or to apply directly for a stipend.
