The University of Georgia’s Department of Public Administration and Policy had a huge showing at the annual APPAM conference that was held November 6-8, 2014 in Albuquerque, NM. Drs. Robert Greer, Jeffrey Wenger, Laurence O’Toole, and Tima Moldogaziev each presented papers. Dr. David Bradford also presented five papers at the conference. Ph.D. student, Courtney Yarbrough also presented a paper. APPAM is an organization dedicated to improving public policy and management by fostering excellence in research, analysis, and education.

The following papers were presented during the conference by faculty members in the Department of Publc Administration and Policy:

• Local Government Debt Management and the Great Recession: Estimating the Elasticity of Municipal Bonds, Robert A. Greer, University of Georgia; Dwight Denison, University of Kentucky
• Estimating Optimal State Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund Balances, Daniel Smith, New York University; Jeffrey B. Wenger, University of Georgia
• Initiation and Duration of Breastfeeding Among WIC Participants: Impact of State Policies, Grace Bagwell Adams and W. David Bradford, University of Georgia
• The Differential Effect of Bonus Structures on the Likelihood That Physicians Accept New Patients by Insurance Type, Justin Bullock, Texas A&M University; W. David Bradford, University of Georgia
• Examining Perceptual and Archival Measures of Performance in the Context of Nursing Home Care, Anna A. Amirkhanyan, American University; Kenneth J. Meier, Texas A&M University; Laurence J. O’Toole, Jr., University of Georgia; Mueen A. Dakhwe, Texas A&M University; Shawn Janzen, American University
• Too Close for Comfort: Does the Extent of Underwriter and Municipal Adviser Relationships Impact Bond Borrowing Costs? Tima T. Moldogaziev, University of Georgia; Martin J. Luby, DePaul University
• State Policies to Curb Opioid Abuse Lead to Improved Pain Outcomes for Medicare Home Health Patients, Courtney R. Yarbrough and W. David Bradford, University of Georgia
• Who Isn’t Vaccinating Their Children? Examining the Demographics, Policies, andShocks to Vaccination Rates in the United States over Time, Anne Mandich and W. David Bradford, University of Georgia
• Protecting the “Others:” LGBT Specific Bullying Legislation and Education Codes, Daniel L. Fay and W. David Bradford, University of Georgia