Economics Lecture Series: Dr. Bryce Stanley

Bryce Stanley is a PhD. Candidate in Economics at the University of New Hampshire and holds a B.S.B.A. from Bryant University and a M.A. in Economics from the University of New Hampshire. His dissertation investigates how public policies – such as minimum wages, earned income tax credits, the Affordable Care Act, and recreational marijuana laws – can impact mental health outcomes. Bryce will discuss the effects on perinatal mental health of the state’s minimum wage, earned income tax credit (EITC), Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) and decision to expand Medicaid as part of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Using data from the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System for 2012-2018 births, this research finds that minimum wages and EITC levels reduce depression before the pregnancy and that minimum wages reduce post-partum depression. Additionally, using data from the Behavioral Risk Surveillance Survey, this research finds that state EITC levels may reduce mental distress during pregnancy. In contrast, TANF and Medicaid do not appear to have any meaningful impact. While the available data precludes examining the effects on mental health care utilization specifically, investigating a broad set of outcomes suggests that reducing financial stress is a primary mechanism.