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Dennis Espejo

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Dennis Espejo

Organization

Rappaport Institute for Greater Boston

Program

Rappaport Public Policy Fellow

Year

2005

Rappaport Public Policy Fellows spend 10 weeks each summer serving within the highest levels of state and municipal governments in the Greater Boston Area. The program includes students from graduate and professional programs at local universities.

Graduate School
Boston University

Undergraduate School
University of California Los Angeles

Agency
Office of Representative Kay Khan

Supervisor
Representative Kay Khan

Description of Fellowship
Dennis Espejo worked in the office of State Representative Kay Khan with a focus on mental health policy. Representative Khan was entering her eleventh year in the Massachusetts House of Representatives and represents the Eleventh Middlesex District which includes Newton. His main project focused on her proposed legislation regarding the mental health needs of minors in the juvenile justice system. Responsibilities included researching policies that have been implemented or were being developed in other states, researching policies or services offered to this population in Massachusetts, assembling background information, developing fact sheets and testimonials, creating press briefings, and meeting with the new Commissioner of the Department of Youth Services. Dennis also researched and created supportive material for health status and services offered to women in prison. Finally, Dennis assisted State Representative Kay Khan to revamp the Mental Health Caucus that she has facilitated in the past.