About Us

Known since 2012 as the Johns Hopkins Institute for Health and Social Policy at the Bloomberg School of Public Health, the Institute’s roots go back to 1962. In that year, the Center for Metropolitan Planning was founded at Johns Hopkins University. 

That center evolved to become the Johns Hopkins Institute for Policy Studies, founded in 1987. In 2012, our organization got a new name and a new institutional home: the Johns Hopkins Institute for Health and Social Policy, based in the Department of Health Policy and Management at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. 

Our Mission 

The Institute is a research collaborative that seeks to advance public policies that improve the health, quality of life and wellbeing of people and communities. Our work examines the impacts of social policy on health through multidisciplinary research, informs policymakers about the health-related consequences of their actions, equips practitioners in a variety of sectors with evidence-based resources, and prepares the next generation of global public health professionals to engage in this work. 

Our Values 

• Collaboration 
  Our approach to our work is collegial and cooperative, and our research is interdisciplinary. We work across sectors and academic disciplines to maximize the quality, value, and reach of our work. We work in partnerships with the communities we serve. 

• Integrity 
  Credibility and trust are central to our mission. We are committed to the highest standards of scientific rigor and to maintaining transparent and ethical funding, research, partnerships, services, and professional affiliations. 

• Service 
  We are here to provide value to society by serving policymakers, practitioners, communities, and students and by advancing social and health equity. 

Our Work 

Today, we pursue our mission through research, education and collaboration with researchers, policymakers, and communities around the world. We also leverage the academic and scientific resources of the Bloomberg School and of our European partner, the Johns Hopkins University-University Pompeu Fabra Public Policy Center, based in Barcelona, Spain, at the Universitat Pompeu Fabra, one of the leading academic centers in Europe. 

Across disciplines, Institute researchers are proficient at translating research findings into practical policy guidance, bridging the gap between research and practice. Our researchers also offer support, data and expertise to policymakers and decision-makers in a variety of ways, such as providing research briefs, expert testimony, and consultation on diverse policy issues. 

In addition, the Institute holds the JHSPH institutional membership to the Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management (APPAM). APPAM is an international nonprofit organization dedicated to improving public policy and management by fostering excellence in research, analysis, and education. Institute director Keshia M. Pollack Porter is a member of APPAM’s policy council.