To serve our communities equitably, governmental health departments (i.e., state, local, Tribal, territorial and freely associated state health departments) need access to modern, real-time, hyperlocal data and tools. These are critical in understanding the needs of our communities, making data-driven decisions that address community priorities, and transforming public health infrastructure. Governmental public health in the United States currently lacks modern data systems and structures to do this, which have had a direct and negative impact on health and equity.
Equity in Data Systems Transformation Cohort
PHAB supports the modernization and transformation of data infrastructure and systems in governmental health departments. To learn more about what this looks like in action, four states were selected to participate in the Equity in Data Systems Transformation Cohort – Indiana, Ohio, North Carolina, and Washington.
These states will:
This work stemmed from Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s National Commission to Transform Public Health Data Systems. The Commission developed three recommendations that offer a blueprint for change:
PHAB Excellence Recognition Program
To support public health advancement for health departments across a spectrum of performance, PHAB is currently developing an Excellence recognition program in the area of Data and Equity that will recognize Excellence that exceeds the Standards and Measures.
The Excellence recognition program will be piloted with the recommendations of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s National Commission to Transform Public Health Data Systems. Criteria are currently in development but will focus on how health departments’ use of data and data practices center communities and build health equity.
Criteria might include:
Through this work, we aim to: