Resources


A Blueprint for Interagency and Cross-jurisdictional Data Sharing

Publication

This report presents data-sharing efforts in local government agencies and provides practical strategies for executing data integration projects.

The National Institute of Justice-funded research report was written to inform the efforts of researchers and analysts in local government agencies and in research settings and combines lessons learned from a wide-ranging literature review.  The goal of this blueprint is to encourage similar projects by identifying the opportunities that cross-sectional analysis offers, suggesting strategies to overcome barriers that researchers may encounter, and providing an overview of what the future holds for cross-sector data sharing and analysis.

Data Sharing Agreement Sample Template

Publication

This document is a sample template for a data sharing agreement and use and disclosure of client information.

Within the data sharing agreement there are important areas to consider for inclusion. At a minimum the agreement should specify the following: parties involved, including contact information; the purpose or need for the data sharing agreement; nature of the data to be collected; access and confidentiality of data; how the data is to be used; how and in what situations the agreement can be severed by either party; and relevant legal authorities (tribal, state, local, federal).

Data Sources and Data-linking Strategies to Support Research to Address the Opioid Crisis

Publication

This report presents findings of a study of data-linkage efforts that are or could be used to support research/evaluation to combat the opioid crisis.
This Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)-funded report provides an overview of the types of secondary data sources currently being used or that could potentially be used to evaluate interventions or conduct other analyses that address the five-part HHS strategy. The report highlights key research questions in each area and identifies opportunities to use existing data sources and implement data-linking strategies that can support assessments of the HHS strategy. Findings are based on interviews with 16 experts—academic researchers, federal researchers, and federal program officials—complemented by an environmental scan of the literature. This report does not address all the strengths and limitations of these data sources; rather, it is intended to provide sufficient information to serve as a resource to researchers in the field of opioids and opioid use disorder.

Data-driven Approaches to Fighting the Opioid Crisis

Publication

This report highlights five case studies on promising data-driven approaches to addressing the opioid crisis.

Another purpose of the report is to highlight where those cases of success are replicable by other jurisdictions.  The case studies presented in the report describe in detail the key elements of the success and reflect lessons learned for other jurisdictions.

Introduction to Cross-system Data Sources in Child Welfare, Alcohol and Other Drug Services, and Courts

Publication

This guide details basic data collection and reporting systems for child welfare, alcohol and drug services, and court system information.

This publication describes fifteen data-reporting systems that collect information about child welfare services, substance abuse services, or court-related cases to monitor the agency's ability to ensure safety, permanency, and well-being for youth in the child welfare system.

Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs

Publication

This report gives an overview of prescription drug monitoring programs, including operations, interstate data sharing, and compliance mechanisms.

The Congressional Research Service (CRS), a component of the Library of Congress, issued a report that gives an overview of prescription drug monitoring programs (PDMPs), including operations, interstate data sharing, compliance and enforcement mechanisms, costs, and funding. The report also addresses policy issues, federal grant programs, and the effectiveness of PDMPs for law enforcement and health care.

RxStat Technical Assistance Manual

Publication

This manual is designed to support local jurisdictions in the establishment of an RxStat initiative.

It is organized as a technical assistance resource and guide for creating similar initiatives in other cities and counties around the United States. This manual is informed by the first two years of experience with RxStat in New York City, where the initiative was established in 2012. The initiative relies on the collaboration of public health and public safety agencies in a jurisdiction. RxStat incorporates data from local, state, and federal government sources and applies a public health analysis for comparing and triangulating findings across datasets. These efforts require an investment in data analysts to conduct the work, and a willingness among agencies to share data for analysis.