A new digital resource created by the Children’s Data Network at the University of Southern California’s School of Social Work aims to gauge the health and well-being of children, families and communities in Los Angeles County through the use of data and expert opinions.
The Connecting the Dots resource will serve as a hub for online information about children and families in the county as well as a tool for elected officials, public agencies, the media and community groups to receive real-time information.
Funded through a grant from First 5 LA, Children’s Data Network researchers hope the Connecting the Dots resource will offer new insights about the changing needs of children and families in Los Angeles County.
“Our goal is to create new pathways to strengthen children and families in Los Angeles,” said Jacquelyn McCroskey in a press release. McCroskey is a professor at USC’s School of Social Work, a co-director of the Children’s Data Network and the lead facilitator of Connecting the Dots.
Project partners include the Children’s Data Network at the University Of Southern California School Of Social Work, the California HealthCare Foundation, First 5 LA and LiveStories, a new data visualization platform. Researchers hope that the new site will enable better access to a wealth of data collected by public and private agencies. Increased data sharing and better data visualization is all part of a plan to create a resource that will help find better ways to use administrative data and new research to inform public policy.
So far the effort has included “digital snapshots” of two issue areas, Children and Demographics and Childhood Obesity Trends. More issue-specific briefs featuring data, research and expert opinions by theme and different subjects are planned for the months ahead.
To read more about Connecting the Dots, click here.