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DATA INTEGRATION, RESEARCH AND EVALUATION, AND URBAN RESEARCH UR is supported by providing fee-based services to public and private entities inside and outside the County and through various revenue recovery projects where fees are based on a percentage of the costs recovered. UR seeks out new opportunities to help customers through the utilization of cutting-edge research and information technology, analysis and presentation resources, and geographic information systems-applied statistics. Contact Research and Evaluation Services (RES) What We Do: RES provides rigorous and objective research for key policymakers in Los Angeles County. This research is designed to provide guidance in the implementation, assessment and enhancement of major County programs and initiatives, particularly those with implications for families, children and the low-income population. RES’ expert staff consists of specialists in the areas of data collection and analysis, policy research and evaluation, and social welfare. The unit currently produces between three and five major studies per year, as well as a handful of smaller studies and briefs, most of which are presented to the Board of Supervisors. RES fuses qualitative methods such as ethnography, focus groups and in-depth interviews with more conventional quantitative methods, including high-level statistical analysis and survey research. Using this two-pronged approach, RES conducts social policy research for a number of County departments, such as the Departments of Public Social Services, Child Support, Jury Services, Mental Health, Health Services, Public Health, and Children and Family Services. Drawing on valuable connections with local public policy groups and universities, RES is able to provide evaluation research in a broad range of areas that include Welfare-to-Work programs and their effects, child support policies, employment and income trends, low-income housing, transportation, child welfare, homelessness, immigration and health care. The RES research agenda continues to grow and the policy recommendations flowing from its studies have gained wide ranging respect and influence within the County government and the research community. These recommendations have shaped social welfare policies and are now being used to improve data integration among departments providing multiple services to low-income populations. RES is currently working to build a state-of-the-art research infrastructure that will enable the integration of separate service datasets from various County departments in an analytical data warehouse. County agencies will be able to use this data warehouse to study the key issues and trends in service utilization. Recent Publications
Recent Presentations The Growing Prominence of Chronically Sanctioned GAIN Participants in Los Angeles County, March 2007.
Links - National Association for Welfare Research and Statistics (NAWRS): http://www.nawrs.org/ Contact Urban Research (UR) Revenue Recovery
Demography
Example: Demographic Profile - Unincorporated LA County
Operations Research (OR) Reference Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Mapping Services Example: 2001 Service Planning Areas Countywide Central GIS Repository Countywide Data Sharing Initiative Geographic Data Example: County of Los Angeles and 2001 Supervisorial Districts Potential clients are urged to call, discuss their needs, and determine if UR might be of assistance. UR wants to create a dialogue in order to build our knowledge base and develop new partners. Contact Information Technology Infrastructure Development Overview The Information Technology Infrastructure Development Unit is responsible for supporting the development of cross-agency information technology solutions. The Unit facilitates the identification of user needs and business processes; maps functional and technical requirements to appropriate technology solutions; and coordinates the development and implementation of agreed-upon information technology solutions. The Unit also identifies linkages for data sharing opportunities between County departments and agencies. Some key projects that the Unit supports include Los Angeles County Helps! (LACountyHelps) and One-e-App. Projects Los Angeles County Helps! (LACountyHelps) LACountyHelps is an Internet-accessible application, designed to help Los Angeles County residents, staff, and public/private organizations access information regarding health and human services. Based on answering a series of questions concerning the resident's unique circumstances, LACountyHelps identifies which health and human services the resident may be eligible to receive and where to go to apply for the services. The program and/or service identification information may include: 1) a comprehensive description of the programs or services for which the client may be eligible; 2) street addresses, maps, and driving directions to the specific location where the client may apply for the identified services; 3) a list of required documentation and forms needed to apply for the services; 4) relevant telephone numbers and contact persons; and 5) direct links to other websites that offer related types of information. LACountyHelps was launched on June 1, 2006 and is currently available in English and Spanish. The next phase of LACountyHelps will include additional programs and translation of the application into seven more County adopted health and human services standard threshold languages. One-e-App SIB is facilitating the multi-departmental team involved in the One-e-App implementation project. One-e-App is a Web-based system that will provide Los Angeles County with a “one stop” application process for individuals and families to apply for a range of State and local healthcare services through a single online application form. Phase I consisted of a requirements assessment and it was completed in August 2004. Phase II, implemented in February 2007, includes the implementation of four programs across the County: Medi-Cal for children and pregnant women; Healthy Families; Child Health and Disability Prevention (CHDP); and Healthy Kids. The initial users of One-e-App are community-based organizations. Phase III, currently in the planning stage, will incorporate Medi-Cal adult programs, Food Stamps and other programs that are being identified. Stakeholders: California HealthCare Foundation; California Endowment; UniHealth Foundation; First 5 L.A.; The Center To Promote HealthCare Access Inc.; County of Los Angeles (Chief Administrative Office, Chief Information Office, Health Services, Public Health and Public Social Services Departments), Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD); L.A. Care Health Plan; Children’s Planning Council; and several community-based organizations. Contact |