The Sphere Institute

Policy: The SPHERE Institute provides data-driven and evidence-based analyses and information to federal, state, and local policymakers, public organizations, and other stakeholders to support and improve healthcare efficiency, access, needs of the nation's most vulnerable populations, including low-income families, disabled individuals, the young and the elderly, the uninsured, and those individuals with complex and high-cost healthcare needs. SPHERE conducts public policy research applying advanced data analytics to strengthen national and state healthcare programs, including developing healthcare performance measures and evaluating program impacts on costs, utilization, and oucomes. SPHERE's range of expertise includes program design, implementation, technical assistance, and evaluation; program integrity, auditing, and fraud detection; surveillance of the safety and effectiveness of mediacal products and services; and development of quality and cost measures for performance monitoring, compliance, and public reporting. This work informs the development of policies and regulations to deliver affordable, high-quality, and equitable healthcare for all.

Education: The SPHERE institute supports activities contributing to educational advancement at all levels, from early childhood to advanced degrees. SPHERE currently has three educational projects under development. The first involves establishing a center-based childcare program comprising an 8,000 sq. ft. facility providing high-quality care for infants, pre-K-aged children, and toddlers, utilizing the educational resources at SPHERE's nearby park development. The second project includes working with universities to establish internship programs providing real- world policy experience to those in academia while utilizing their knowledge to effect tangible change. SPHERE launched a residency program in collaboration with the USC Sol Price School of Public Policy to provide students with practical experience in the workplace. This program embeds residents in SPHERE's offices and work groups as active participants and contributors in ongoing work on policy and analytics. SPHERE is working to expand this model to other universities. Finally, at a very preliminary state, the third project comprises developing a graduate- school-level degree program related to healthcare policy and analytics. Students interested in postgraduate education, including SPHERE staff, can pursue their degrees with the full benefit of SPHERE's resources, practical experience, and institutional knowledge.

Environment: The SPHERE Institute sponsors activities committed to improving the environmental quality of the local communities where people work. SPHERE's flagship endeavor, Bay Rise Park, transforms an undeveloped 9.4 acre plot of California state-owned land on the Burlingame watefront of San Francisco Bay into a nature and recreation park. The project will restore native bayfront habitas currently missing from the area, provide educational and recreational amenities for the public, rehabilitate a section of the Bay Trail, and demonstrate how green infrastruture can protect the Bay's shoreline from sea-level rise. SPHERE's vision for this vacant land was selected, after a competitive RFP process, by the CA State lands Commission (SLC) and determined to be in the best interest of the citizens of California. As a non-profit with extensive experience partnering and collaborating with government agencies, the SLC recognized SPHERE as well-positioned to develop this highly regulated land for public benefit. The project team has completed design development drawings, obtained partial funding form federal and state grant programs, secured support from dozens of stakeholder groups, and continues collaborating with regulatory agencies to acquire required permits and approvals. With this project's design and planning phase finalized, the park's construction is expected to begin in 2024.