social policy research

How states and localities are improving the quality of education, health, and human services through integrated data systems: An interview with Dennis Culhane

Evidence-based Policy, Government Agencies, IDS, IDS Uses, News, Social Impact, Social Policy Innovation / Tian McPherson

Programs and agencies in government often exist in silos, where the efforts of one aren’t necessarily connected with others and their data are not shared between them. That slows the process within government of learning what works, coordinating efforts, spurring social innovation, and continuous improvement. A growing number of states and localities, however, are developing Integrated […]

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Chapin Hall Announces RFP: Using Linked Data to Advance Evidence-Based Policymaking

Administrative Data, AISP Network, Evidence-based Policy, IDS, IDS Uses, Social Policy Innovation / Tian McPherson

Government policymakers and program managers at the Federal, State, and local levels are under increasing pressure to ensure that their programs are achieving better results at lower cost. In many programs serving vulnerable populations, policymakers and managers lack access to information about what outcomes programs are achieving and to evaluations that can inform policy decisions

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Protecting and enhancing the role of evidence: Interview with Kathy Stack of LJAF

Evidence-based Policy, Evidence-based services, Federal Regulations, Government Agencies, Resourceful Partners & Organizations, Social Policy Innovation / Tian McPherson

What works: A new emphasis on evidence in the US Kathy Stack retired from federal service last year after 34 years (prior to OMB, she served for six years at the Department for Education). Not for her, though, the sunlit uplands of retirement. Instead, she headed for the Laura and John Arnold Foundation – a

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Laura and John Arnold Foundation launches $15 million competition to use evidence-based programs to “move the needle” on major social problems

Administrative Data, Evidence-based Policy, Evidence-based services, Government Agencies, IDS, IDS Uses, Social Impact / Tian McPherson

HOUSTON, TX—As part of its effort to encourage governments to make decisions based on rigorous research and reliable evidence, the Laura and John Arnold Foundation (LJAF) today launched the Moving the Needle Competition, which will provide funding for state and local governments and nonprofit organizations that implement highly effective social programs in an effort to

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Forum FYI Webinar Series: Preventing Problems Before They Start: Introducing the Role of Prevention Science in Proven Programs

Administrative Data, Best Practices, Research, Resourceful Partners & Organizations, Resources / Tian McPherson

Register now for the first webinar Title: Preventing Problems Before They Start: Introducing the Role of Prevention Science in Proven Programs Time and date: 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. ET, Thursday, April 28 Description: How can science help you solve tomorrow’s problems for youth today? Learn how the benefits of prevention science and research science

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Dennis Culhane and John Fantuzzo Awarded $1.9M for AISP and IDS Research

Administrative Data, AISP Network, News, Research, Resourceful Partners & Organizations / Tian McPherson

Two grants, totaling nearly $2 million, have been awarded to University of Pennsylvania professors Dennis Culhane and John Fantuzzo, enabling the continued development and expanded use of Integrated Data Systems, or IDS, for evidence-based policymaking through the Actionable Intelligence for Social Policy, or AISP, initiative. IDS link existing administrative data across multiple agencies and community

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DQC National Summit: April 26 – Time to Act: Making Data Work for Students

Administrative Data, Best Practices, Conferences, Evidence-based Policy, Resourceful Partners & Organizations, Social Impact / Tian McPherson

The Data Quality Campaign will host a national summit, “Time to Act: Making Data Work for Students,” on Tuesday, April 26, in Washington, DC. Meeting our nation’s education goals is impossible without empowering those closest to students with the data they need to make decisions. At this summit, DQC will unveil a bold new vision

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How Allegheny County’s Data Warehouse is improving human services through integrated data: An interview with Erin Dalton by GovInnovator

Administrative Data, AISP Network, IDS, IDS Uses / Tian McPherson

Allegheny County, which includes Pittsburgh, is recognized as a leader in using data to improve the results of its human services programs. In particular, the county’s Department of Human Services (DHS) created its Data Warehouse in 1999. The initiative stated by consolidating its own internal human services data relating to topics such as behavioral health, child

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The promise of integrated data systems for social policy reform: A Q&A with Dennis Culhane and John Fantuzzo

Administrative Data, AISP Network, Best Practices, IDS, News, Resourceful Partners & Organizations / Tian McPherson

Actionable Intelligence for Social Policy (AISP) is an initiative funded by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, with the purpose of improving the quality of education, and health and human service agencies’ policies and practices through the use of integrated data systems. AISP aims to build a nationwide professional network of data expertise

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Moneyball for Head Start: Using Data, Evidence, and Evaluation to Improve Outcomes for Children and Families

Evidence-based Policy, Evidence-based services, Federal Regulations, Government Agencies, Resources, Social Impact / Tian McPherson

Head Start is a valuable federal program that improves the lives of our nation’s most vulnerable children and their families. Research shows that Head Start programs improve children’s learning at school entry and have a positive impact on long-term life outcomes. Yet research also suggests that Head Start could have a stronger impact on children’s

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LJAF Request for Proposals: Low-Cost Randomized Controlled Trials to Drive Effective Social Spending

Resourceful Partners & Organizations, Resources, Social Impact / Tian McPherson

The Laura and John Arnold Foundation (LJAF) today announced additional funding for low- or modest-cost randomized controlled trials (RCTs) as part of its effort to expand the evidence base for “what works” in U.S. social spending. LJAF has committed to funding all proposals for RCTs of $100,000 to $300,000 that receive high ratings from its

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UW-Madison to open Federal Statistical Research Data Center

Administrative Data, Developing Sites, Resourceful Partners & Organizations, Resources, Social Impact / Tian McPherson

Interdisciplinary research with the potential to inform policymaking will receive a huge boost Sept. 21 with the dedication of a new University of Wisconsin-Madison Federal Statistical Research Data Center, or FSRDC, on the UW campus. The data enclave, the only such facility in the state, is a branch location of an existing FSRDC at the

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Linking survey and administrative data better gauges impact of federal anitpovery efforts

Administrative Data, Evidence-based services, Government Agencies, IDS Uses / Tian McPherson

Linking survey data with administrative records will enable the federal government to better gauge the effectiveness of social welfare programs such as food stamps and federal housing assistance, as well as the overall reach of federal antipoverty initiatives, Bruce D. Meyer today told a session audience at the 2015 Joint Statistical Meetings (JSM 2015) in

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Childhood adversity and behavioral health outcomes for youth: An investigation using state administrative data

Administrative Data, AISP Network, IDS Uses, Research, Social Impact / Tian McPherson

This study aimed to measure the relative contribution of adverse experiences to adolescent behavioral health problems using administrative data. Specifically, we sought to understand the predictive value of adverse experiences on the presence of mental health and substance abuse problems for youth receiving publicly funded social and health services. Medicaid claims and other service records

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