IDS for Iowa: A State-University Partnership to Inform ... · Iowa State University (ISU), and the...

AISP Learning Community Application – Iowa

IDS for Iowa:

A State-University Partnership to Inform Early Childhood Policy and Practice

Proposal submitted to the AISP Learning Community:

Integrated Data System Training and Technical Assistance Program

Submitted on: 5/31/2017


PART A: CONTACT INFORMATION Primary Applicant:

Organization name: Early Childhood Iowa, Iowa Department of Management

Location: State of Iowa

Organization type: State Government

Applicant point of contact:

Name: Jeff Anderson

Title: Early Childhood Iowa Systems Coordinator

Phone: (515) 242-5895

Email: [email protected]

Address: Iowa State Capitol, Room 13, Des Moines, IA 50319

Partnership Organizations:

Name of Agency Type of Agency Letter of Support (Y/N)

Iowa State University, Department of HDFS State University Y

Iowa Department of Management State Government Y

Iowa Department of Public Health State Government Y

Iowa Department of Education State Government Y

Iowa Department of Human Services State Government Y

Iowa Department of Human Rights State Government Y

Iowa Department of Workforce Development State Government Y

Iowa Head Start Collaboration Office State Government Y


PART B: APPLICATION NARRATIVE

In response to demands on public systems to do more, do better, and cost less, the value

of integrated data systems (IDS) to inform executive decision-making is increasing. This is

particularly relevant in programming for young children where services have been historically

fragmented, disconnected from systems serving school-aged children, and siloed among health,

human services, and education agencies. These challenges of disconnection are particularly

relevant for predominately rural areas where barriers to service access and social isolation are

heightened. The state of Iowa is home to nearly 250,000 children under the age of 6 (21% are

non-white) and has one of the highest percentages of households with young children where both

parents, or the only parent, are in the workforce (75% compared with 65% nationally). The

challenges of vulnerable populations, persistent fragmentation and rural disconnection have led

state leaders to pursue an IDS to promote a more effective and efficient early childhood system.

For more than three decades Iowa has invested in a comprehensive, coordinated system

of care for young children. In the 1980s Iowa was one of the first states to develop a

comprehensive preschool program for low-income children and implement a two-generation

approach for families living in poverty. Culminating into a legislatively governed alliance that

also serves as the Head Start State Advisory Council, Early Childhood Iowa (ECI) solidified

these early partnerships by providing a framework for community-driven, evidence-based

responses. Advised by a state board comprised of six Department directors, four legislators, and

16 governor appointed citizens, ECI is charged with being the only systemic voice to promote

child wellbeing across multiple developmental domains. It emphasizes system building through

local empowerment whereby community needs are identified at the local level and funding

awarded by local boards to agency grantees for targeted services. Support for this simultaneous


“top-down, bottom-up” approach is given through both the ECI legislation (Chapter 256i) and

the Head Start Reauthorization Act (H.R. 1429-642b) which provide explicit recommendations

toward a statewide system of coordinated care that is facilitated by data integration.

While efforts to date have strengthened local provider capacities, we have not fully

actualized the ECI vision that “Every child, beginning at birth, will be healthy and successful.”

The ECI Board wants to enhance accountability toward this end, and they believe data

integration is key. The bottom line is we need “Actionable Intelligence” to translate our

collaborative investments into clear, measurable child outcomes. We believe Iowa is poised to

take the next steps in developing an IDS, but would benefit from evidence-based examples from

mature IDS sites that consider economic and political sustainability, governance, technology, and

the ethical use of data. Participation in the AISP Learning Community is our key next step.

The purpose of Iowa’s IDS is to facilitate an evidence-based system of coordinated,

comprehensive services for families of young children. We envision an early childhood system

that actualizes the legislative vision of ECI whereby effective services are coordinated among

health, social service, and education agencies, and the impacts are critically monitored and

improved over time using scientifically rigorous evidence. This system will build on partnerships

that include state departments, service providers, private sector entrepreneurs, and university

collaborators to (1) identify priority areas, (2) conduct rigorous analyses, (3) deliberate and

consider implications of the findings for practical solutions, and (4) develop and test

interventions and policy solutions.

The State-University Partnership and IDS Progress to Date

The partnership represented in this application seeks to capitalize on shared commitments

to local engagement and evidence-based decision making. The following section outlines some


of the strengths presented by state and university partners, our IDS progress to date, and a

preliminary review of current analytic priorities and existing data integration capacities.

The legislative structure and operational functions within ECI present a unique

opportunity for interdisciplinary collaborations and a strong framework on which to build an IDS

(see Appendix A for the ECI organizational structure). The situation of ECI within the

Department of Management (DOM) provides access to the Governor’s office as well as a neutral

space for Departments to consider child and family needs because the work is not being directed

from a health or welfare or educational lens, specifically. The deliberate incorporation of public

and private members on local and state boards facilitates “top-down, bottom-up” communication

and decision-making. Further, the structure of the Board, Alliance, Steering Committee, and

Component Workgroups articulates routine processes to facilitate system-wide changes, such as

the implementation of an IDS. The Results Accountability Workgroup, in particular, is charged

with monitoring statewide ECI efforts and making recommendations to improve child outcomes.

Overall, this ECI system attempts to break down silos and hierarchies, in part, by assuring

routine communication and accountability structures.

Iowa State University (ISU), and the Human Development and Family Studies

Department (HDFS) in particular, complement the strengths of ECI and support an “Actionable

Intelligence” approach. As the nation’s first land-grant university, ISU emphasizes teaching

practical knowledge through local engagement. Extension and Outreach offices incorporate ISU

staff in local communities to facilitate educational and practical partnerships tailored to local

needs. The goal is to maximize the utility of rigorous research by creating bidirectional feedback

with local community “field experts.” By selecting ISU as partners for this IDS effort, we

anticipate an opportunity to capitalize on these local networks and also the historical experience


of translating research into practical knowledge. There is also a history of collaboration between

HDFS and ECI, specifically. HDFS faculty conducted early evaluations of the comprehensive

preschool program in the 1990s, child care access and workforce studies, and research to develop

and test a statewide quality rating system. Translations of this research include online

coursework to facilitate communication and access in rural counties. HDFS faculty have also

provided external evaluations of federal investments in early childhood home visiting programs.

Faculty currently provide workforce development services via the state’s largest early childhood

education licensure program and multiple state contracts to provide service training for child

welfare workers. Each of these efforts reflect commitments by ISU, HDFS, and ECI toward

practically relevant, evidence-based approaches to improve outcomes for Iowa families.

Progress in IDS planning. While the emphasis on comprehensive, coordinated systems

is not new, deliberate focus on integrated data to inform this work is more recent. In 2012, the

ECI Board commissioned an independent evaluation of data infrastructure across departments

using funds from the federal HHS/Head Start State Early Childhood Advisory Council Grant.

This effort documented over 50 disparate data collection systems and five data warehouses.

While recommendations for technical solutions to integration were provided, there was little

discussion of governance or legal auspices. Some of these technological recommendations were

incorporated into a 2013 Department of Education Race to the Top application. Though

unfunded, this effort reflected unprecedented support from Directors within Departments of

Education (DE), Public Health (DPH), Human Services (DHS), and Management (DOM) for

data sharing. In mid-2015, the Results Accountability Workgroup invited ISU faculty with

experience building and using IDS for policy research into the discussion. By early 2016 this

group commissioned a Board-approved IDS Taskforce to work explicitly on an Iowa IDS plan.


Our IDS Taskforce has met routinely since our official launch to establish a common

language among stakeholders about what IDS are, how prior work can inform future directions,

and to develop a clear mission and purpose for the IDS. We wrestled with foundational

principles of IDS governance, technology, and legal data use; we considered AISP materials

including case studies of success from IDS sites that have influenced policy and practice; and we

had structured discussions with ISU partners about prior experiences building and using such

systems to inform evidence-based practice. In October of 2016 we hosted an IDS Summit with

over 50 invited public and private stakeholders, which included presentations by a national

expert who has worked closely with AISP (Dr. Whitney LeBoeuf) and breakout sessions to

discuss potential use cases and anticipated challenges. This summit was catalytic, as it not only

helped solidify stakeholder engagement but also generated clearer ideas for analytic priorities.

Analytic priorities. Several priorities could serve as “demonstrations” of IDS potential

to inform our comprehensive, coordinated services approach. Given one of the highest rates of

working parents in the country, Iowa has a unique need to understand the non-parental care

experiences of children prior to school entry. Critical questions include: Who are we serving, or

NOT serving? And how do early experiences relate to school readiness across multiple domains

(e.g., health, behavior, and early literacy)? An IDS investigation that is both cross-system and

longitudinal would better position our agencies for coordination and outcomes improvement.

We also need quality information about specific programs designed to serve particular

target groups, such as young children with identified special needs. The Individuals with

Disabilities Act in Iowa, like many states, is implemented by two different systems depending on

the child’s age (0-3 years vs. preschool). Though some data are shared to facilitate eligibility

determination, a comprehensive evaluation of outcomes and access pipelines has not been


completed. A longitudinal, cross-system IDS could help us understand: Are there children who

could have qualified for 0-3 services but we were unable to identify? And, what are successful

outcomes in the K-12 system that could inform service improvement in our 0-5 programs?

Iowa has also made significant investments in comprehensive family support services.

While laudable, the broad range of foci and funding structures make this system confusing for

families, at best, and challenging to evaluate. Home visiting agencies, for example, often utilize

blended funding from federal, state, and local sources to make their program model viable. This

means that while they may be providing a set of “core services,” the families they serve meet

different eligibility criteria that are specific to the funding source and consequently, have

different requirements for data collected to monitor intended outcomes. Our two-generation

program led by the Department of Human Rights (DHR), for example, utilizes a home visiting

approach to strengthen economic security by promoting employment, income, and asset building.

A different home visiting program led by the DPH is designed to encourage positive parenting,

promote maternal and child health, and prevent child abuse and neglect. Both programs involve

data sharing to facilitate eligibility and enrollment, and both contract with some of the same

providers in our rural communities to deliver services. To date we have been unable to

incorporate a comprehensive evaluation focus that examines families holistically to answer such

questions as, Does participation or duration in a particular program drive poverty reduction, or

reduce child maltreatment, or promote positive parenting? Are there families receiving both

“types” of home visiting services? How are these services uniquely relating to outcomes,

controlling for the overlap in other services? A cross-system analysis of common family

experiences will reinforce the holistic view of family programming and allow us to identify the

potential impacts of child- and parent-level investments across multiple developmental domains.


Current administrative data capacities. Each Department has prioritized the

development and utilization of computer systems to support program operations, the provision of

services, and fiscal and outcomes reporting. We also have a plethora of data sharing examples,

some between departments or between state and university partners, but most within

departments. While these examples demonstrate commitments to collecting and sharing useful

data, few systematic processes exist to facilitate these transactions statewide. Considerable

personnel resources are spent on individual data sharing requests and we have little “built in”

time to consider implications of research analyses despite our belief in their potential value.

Where we desire to truly have “evidence-based” systems, we want to build an IDS that

capitalizes on what we already have and turns our attention to more effective use of the data we

already collect. The following examples illustrate some of these commitments and highlight

opportunities for incorporation into an IDS (see Appendix B for more information about specific

datasets within each department that are targeted for inclusion).

Human Services. DHS houses many of the programs serving our most vulnerable

families including economic and child care assistance, Medicaid, and child welfare (see letter

from Director Palmer). There are 10 different systems that collect data and a data warehouse

serves as a central repository which is used by internal analysts for reporting purposes and

transaction applications for eligibility determination. DHS also houses an integrated data

platform for child maltreatment assessments that gathers data on alleged victims and their

families at intake and is capable of pulling eligibility data from other systems. One current

example of a data sharing agreement includes a fraud protection effort in coordination with

Departments of Revenue, Workforce Development, and Inspections & Appeals.


Education. The DE has multiple capacities for data use and sharing and a history of

partnerships with state entities to do so (see letter from Director Wise). The Statewide

Longitudinal Data System (SLDS) has the capacity to link public and private data and examine

postsecondary and workforce outcomes for children enrolled in K-12 public schools. An

example of data sharing with the DHS, DHR, Board of Regents, and Workforce Development

has generated public-facing Postsecondary Readiness Reports to help answer important policy

questions about the preparedness of students for life after high school. While such examples

demonstrate some data integration capacity, we recognize a clear need in the area of early

childhood which has heretofore not been connected with the SLDS.

Public Health. DPH has over 100 applications collecting data on topics including child

and maternal health, health behaviors, and reportable diseases (see letter from Director

Clabaugh). An internal IDS for child, maternal, and adolescent health services recently replaced

eight previously isolated systems to allow for an integrated view of service recipients, their

families, and their health needs for case management and operations. The public facing Iowa

Public Health Tracking Portal provides dynamic, aggregated state and county level information

to assist in identifying community priorities. DPH has invested in centralized data governance

functions through a formal Data Management Program that processes approximately 100 data

sharing agreements annually with internal (e.g., state) and external (e.g., university) entities.

Through these agreements DPH data are often linked to other data to expand their utility.

Potential datasets and processes to include. While we recognize clear gaps, we are

motivated by the potential to incorporate some of our existing infrastructure into the IDS plan.

We have a plethora of data, and some data warehouses and IDS to build upon. The standardized

Data Management Program in DPH is a helpful “test case” for reviewing, prioritizing, and


sharing data. The SLDS has processes for linking external data to support prioritized analytics.

We hope to explore how these, among others, could be incorporated into our Iowa IDS.

Capacity to Participate in the AISP Learning Community

The ECI IDS Taskforce will be the “workgroup” for AISP LC activities. It strategically

comprises representatives from each Department who will communicate with decision-makers

and other department-level experts. We will meet at least monthly to ensure progress on the IDS

plan. These meetings will involve discussions of AISP materials and homework assignments,

and sharing relevant decisions or project updates from other department-specific work that may

impact the IDS Plan. They will also comprise planning for subsequent meetings with relevant

ECI stakeholder groups including the Board and Alliance. We anticipate the IDS Plan will

continue to be a standing agenda item at each of these stakeholder meetings. We will also plan

bi-monthly topic-specific meetings to discuss areas of IDS such as technology or legal

agreements. We will invite additional participants with expertise from each Department to these

discussions to help strengthen the plan. Our goal is to “sandwich” these meetings before and

after each LC on-site meeting to identify relevant questions to raise at the Philadelphia trainings

and provide scheduled work time when we return to further deliberate and make decisions.

We also anticipate additional responsibilities of our ISU partners to connect with the

larger research community. Given the role of university researchers, generally, to create

scientific knowledge, and the unique role of land-grant institutions like ISU to make such

knowledge practical and relevant – this role is critical. ISU faculty will connect other faculty to

the project at opportune times, for example, to co-construct a policy-driven research agenda and

incorporate relevant content expertise to implement analytic priorities. Given what our Taskforce

has already discussed regarding resource limitations within our public systems, we cannot expect


the work of developing and administering an IDS will be solely carried out with existing public

resources. University communities can contribute to fundraising, analysis, reporting, and the

translation of scientific evidence for local and national audiences. University faculty also are in

positions of training the next generation workforce and could help direct curriculum, internships,

and training opportunities to prepare students for work within public systems upon graduation.

Leadership team. The IDS Taskforce and ECI Board strategically selected this

leadership team because of their broad and deep knowledge of child and family development and

comprehensive experiences. Though the work of developing our IDS plan will be done with full

involvement of the Taskforce, we believe this leadership team will help maximize our LC

experience because of their collective expertise in policy development, program management,

practically relevant research, legal and ethical use of data, and administrative data technology.

Jeff Anderson is the ECI Systems Coordinator, with over 30 years of experience in

collaborative activities at state and local levels including intimate knowledge of governance,

policy, and data systems (see letter from Director Roederer). In his role at DOM, he will also be

a key facilitator with the Office of the Governor. His understanding of programs and policies

across departments is key, as he intimately understands the political realities of navigating state

budgets, priority shifts with changing administrations, and the importance of thoughtful

processes to maximize success and sustainability. His program and management responsibilities

to date have strengthened Iowa’s performance enhancement capacities through the use of data.

He led efforts across the Divisions of Child Welfare, Income Support, and Medicaid to improve

program coordination for vulnerable families, and his work to identify and enhance child welfare

outcomes informed some of the federal child welfare benchmarks that are currently used. He was

integrally involved in developing DHS’s child care data systems and recently served in an


advisory capacity to the Federal Office of Child Care to develop recommendations for program

quality improvement that were legislated into the 2015 Child Care Reauthorization Act.

Heather Rouse is an Assistant Professor of HDFS at ISU. She brings expertise in the

development and use of IDS for program and policy research, including experience developing

and managing governance structures, legal agreements, and collaborative research processes. For

over a decade she has worked with IDS at both state and municipal levels. Her graduate training

involved mentorship from Drs. Fantuzzo and Culhane as they developed Philadelphia’s IDS.

Upon graduation she received a competitive Fellowship from the Stoneleigh Foundation to serve

as the first Deputy Research Director for this IDS within the Deputy Mayor’s Office. Here she

helped coordinate over a dozen projects to inform programmatic changes including expanding

early care experiences for children entering kindergarten, coordinating care for multi-system

involved youth (e.g., juvenile justice, foster care), and identifying cross-system needs of mothers

entering homeless shelters with young children. She was then recruited to the Arkansas Center

for Health Improvement where her work with state health and education data informed the

adoption and implementation of the Affordable Care Act and monitoring of childhood obesity

prevention interventions, among others. In her recent transition to ISU, she continues to focus on

practical research to inform program and policy and has cultivated training opportunities for

undergraduate and graduate students to that end (see also letter from HDFS Chair Weems).

Elizabeth Richey is the Director of Data Management for the DPH with extensive

experience in data management, technology, legal auspices for data sharing, and practical and

public facing research (see also letter from Director Clabaugh). She manages all public health

data governance and use, the Iowa Public Health Tracking Portal, and department-wide strategic

planning related to data. She coordinates the Research and Ethics Review Committee, which


reviews all data sharing requests, and works closely with other state agencies on data sharing and

analysis. She also has a unique relationship with the DPH Legislative Liaison to ensure that the

importance of data is communicated clearly to Iowa’s general assembly. Before joining DPH,

Dr. Richey was an informatician for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Physician Quality

Reporting System, and participated in annual rule-making and measure writing efforts.

Academically, she is trained in public health and medical anthropology, and has conducted

research on various maternal and child health issues including healthcare access, food and

nutrition, and infant feeding practices.

We have also secured funds from ISU and ECI to sponsor two additional team members

for travel to the AISP LC meetings. These individuals will be selected uniquely for each meeting

based on the focus of the training module -- for example, additional staff from the DE and/or

DHS with expertise using their data systems during the training about IDS technology.

Summary

Iowa is poised to take the next steps toward a sustainable plan for an IDS to support our

collaborative early childhood efforts. Building our plan within an established, legislatively

authorized entity (i.e., ECI) sets us up for a successful experience because of the existing systems

for communication, stakeholder engagement, and collaborative decision-making. We have a

strong history of collaboration among our Departments as well as with faculty at ISU, and have

proposed a plan for maximizing our learning from the AISP opportunity that builds on these

relationships. Our IDS Taskforce has worked to establish a common IDS language among

stakeholders, establish a thoughtful mission and purpose for our IDS, and propose a plan for our

18-month LC experience that will move us closer to a practically relevant and sustainable IDS.

We hope you will select our state to participate in this exciting opportunity.


PART C: APPENDICES

Appendix A. Early Childhood Iowa Organizational Chart, Roles and Responsibilities

Appendix B. Inventory of Selected Data Systems for Consideration in Iowa IDS

Appendix C. Letters of Support from Government and University Partners

i. Iowa State University, HDFS Department Chair Carl F. Weems

ii. Department of Management, Director David Roederer

iii. Department of Public Health, Director Gerd W. Clabaugh

iv. Department of Education, Director Ryan Wise

v. Department of Human Services, Director Charles M. Palmer

vi. Department or Human Rights, Director San Wong

vii. Department of Workforce Development, Director Beth Townsend

viii. Iowa Head Start Collaboration Office, Coordinator Thomas Rendon


Appendix A. Early Childhood Iowa (ECI) Organizational Chart, Roles and Responsibilities

ECI Stakeholder Roles and Responsibilities

Governor

• Signed legislation to create Community Empowerment- a partnership between communities and the state to support young children and their families (1998).

• Signed legislation to transform Community Empowerment into ECI, and established the ECI Stakeholder Alliance as the state’s Early Childhood Advisory Council (2010).

• May request or receive information from State Board and/or Stakeholder Alliance.

Iowa Legislature

• Created Community Empowerment/ECI to provide governance for planning and collaboration of services to support young children and their families.

• Provides a state appropriation and a TANF transfer to support efforts at the state and local levels.

• May request or receive information from the Stakeholder Alliance.


Appendix A. (continued)

ECI Stakeholder Roles and Responsibilities

State Board

• Provides oversight of the ECI Area Boards. • Includes citizen members appointed by the governor; the directors (or

designees) of the Departments of Education, Economic Development Authority, Human Rights, Human Services, Public Health, and Workforce Development; and ex‐officio legislators.

• May request or receive information from the Stakeholder Alliance.

Local Area Boards

• Charged to reach the desired results to improve the quality of life for young children and their families.

• Consist of citizens, elected officials, and representatives of education, health, human services, faith, business and consumers.

Stakeholder Alliance

• A confederation of stakeholders in early care, health and education systems that affects young children in the State of Iowa.

• Oversees/provides input into the development of a comprehensive, coordinated early childhood system for Iowa that meets the needs of children 0‐5 years and families by integrating the early learning, health/mental health/nutrition, family support and special needs/early intervention systems.

• Advises the governor, general assembly, state board, and other public and private policy bodies and service providers in coordinating activities and policies related to Iowa’s comprehensive early childhood system.

Steering Committee

• Subgroup of Stakeholder Alliance appointed to provide leadership, organize, manage, and coordinate the activities of Alliance and the component groups.

Component Workgroups

• Address essential elements of Iowa’s early childhood system including: Governance, Planning and Administration, Professional Development, Public Engagement, Quality Services and Programs, Resources and Funding, and Results Accountability.

• Ensure that each component of the system is functioning as well as possible and work on the implementation of specific strategies within the ECI strategic plan.

• Designate committees, as needed, to address needs or implement strategies.

IDS Taskforce (Committee of Results Accountability)

• Develop recommendations for IDS creation covering governance, technology, and legal solutions.

• Identify possible data systems for integration. • Identify possible integrated data demonstration projects. • Submit application to join AISP Learning community.


Appendix B: Inventory of Selected Data Systems for Consideration in Iowa IDS

Data System Description

Chi

ld id

entif

ier

Chi

ld a

nd fa

mily

dem

ogra

phic

s

Pro

gram

and

/or

site

iden

tifie

r

Chi

ld p

artic

ipat

ion

a

nd a

ttend

ance

Department of Public Health (DPH)

Vital Records Birth, death, and marriage records X X

TAVConnect

Child, adolescent, and maternal health and oral health; 1st Five; early periodic screening, Medicaid info for children under 21; Family planning

X X X X

Iowa Newborn Screening Information System

Newborn screening for hearing loss and blood screening for inherited and congenital diseases

X X X X

Public Health Immunization Registry

Vaccine records, recommendations, contraindications and reactions X X

Healthy Homes and Lead Poisoning Surveillance

Case management and surveillance for childhood blood lead testing. X X X

WIC Supplemental Nutrition Program Data System

Demographics and health information for Women, Infants, and Children participants.

X X X X

Iowa Substance Use Disorder Treatment

Client management information about participants of licensed substance abuse treatment programs

X X

DAISEY Home visiting programs (including federal, state, and local); Shared Visions parenting support [also DE]

X X X X

Department of Education (DE)

Information Management System

Early intervention identification and services for IDEA Parts B and C X X X X

Teaching Strategies GOLD

Child developmental assessments for state funded preschool programs X X X X

State Longitudinal Data System

K-12 public education records (e.g., attendance, enrollment, achievement, suspensions, and provision of district programs – FRL, ELL)

X X X X


Appendix B. (continued)

Data System Description

Chi

ld id

entif

ier

Chi

ld a

nd fa

mily

dem

ogra

phic

s

Pro

gram

and

/or

site

iden

tifie

r

Chi

ld p

artic

ipat

ion

a

nd a

ttend

ance

Department of Human Services (DHS)

Family and Children Services, Child Welfare

Foster care and adoption placement, permanency, re-entry; Child support order, recovery, paternity; Emergency services

X X X X

Statewide Tracking and Reporting of Child Abuse

Child maltreatment investigations and substantiations X X X

KinderTrack Child Care Provider and child demographics and enrollment (e.g., registration, capacity, inspections, attendance).

X X X X

Iowa Automated Benefit Calculation

Eligibility and benefits for SNAP, Family Investment Program (TANF), and non-MAGI Medicaid clients

X X X

Eligibility Integrated Application Solution

Eligibility and benefits for MAGI (modified adjusted gross income) Medicaid clients

X X X

Promise Jobs Case Demographics, training services, job readiness assessments, community service, parenting skills training

X X

Family Planning Waiver

Medicaid eligibility and supporting indictors, time limit for eligibility, date of coverage, health coverage, benefits

X X X

Health Insurance Premium Payment

Supplemental payment for medical services not covered by Medicaid X X X

Department of Human Rights (DHR)

Justice Data Warehouse

School liaison data, delinquency petitions, consent decrees, waivers, adjudications, probations, community service and restitution

X X X

FaDSS (Family Development and Self-Sufficiency program)

Home visitation family-level information including demographics, screening, & outcomes

X X


Appendix C. Letters of Support from Government and University Partners Letters of Support Provided in the Following Order:

1 Iowa State University HDFS Department Chair Carl F. Weems

2 Iowa Department of Management Director David Roederer

3 Iowa Department of Public Health Director Gerd W. Clabaugh

4 Iowa Department of Education Director Ryan Wise

5 Iowa Department of Human Services Director Charles M. Palmer

6 Iowa Department or Human Rights Director San Wong

7 Iowa Department of Workforce Development Director Beth Townsend

8 Iowa Head Start Collaboration Office Coordinator Thomas Rendon

Lucas State Office Building, 321 E. 12th Street, Des Moines, IA 50319-0075 515-281-7689 www. idph.iowa.gov

DEAF RELAY (Hearing or Speech Impaired) 711 or 1-800-735-2942

Gerd W. Clabaugh, MPA

Director

Kim Reynolds Adam Gregg Governor Lt. Governor

May 26, 2017 Dr. Dennis Culhane Dr. John Fantuzzo University of Pennsylvania Actionable Intelligence for Social Policy 3701 Locust Walk Philadelphia, PA 19104 Dear Dr. Culhane, Dr. Fantuzzo, and the Actionable Intelligence for Social Policy Network,

As a member of the Early Childhood Iowa (ECI) State Board and Director of the Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH), I am pleased to offer this letter of support for our application to join the 2017 Actionable Intelligence for Social Policy Learning Community. We are fortunate to be at this moment in our developmental history -- both as a public health department, specifically, and as a collective ECI Board of Directors representing multiple agencies committed to improving services for children and families. Our efforts have helped to support an early childhood system of systems and we are ready to take the next steps toward actualizing our potential through a committed planning process to develop an integrated data system (IDS) for Iowa.

For the IDPH, this work coincides nicely with efforts we have invested in over the last few years to develop processes and infrastructure to integrate and use public health data. Dr. Betsy Richey, who I am pleased to support in a leadership role for this work, has helped our department enhance data standards, expand a public facing data portal to share relevant public health information at the state and community levels, and oversee data sharing processes for research and other purposes within and outside of IDPH offices. As the Director of Data Management, Dr. Richey oversees IDPH’s Research and Ethics Review Committee, works with other state agencies, including Department of Human Services and the Department of Education, on data sharing and analysis issues, and serves on the Department of Human Rights Institutional Review Board. She also works with the DPH Legislative Liaison to ensure that public health policy is evidence-based and that the importance of data is communicated clearly to Iowa’s general assembly. Previous roles at IDPH further demonstrate her understanding of diverse programming and surveillance efforts, including the Bureau of Family Health (BFH) Data Integration Coordinator and manager of the Iowa Household Health Survey.

The IDPH has been involved with this ECI-led effort toward developing an IDS plan since the IDS Taskforce initiated in early 2016. The deliberate incorporation of representatives from multiple departments (including public health, human services, workforce development, human rights, and the office of management) has meant that the ideas generated have been both practically grounded and policy-relevant for multiple stakeholder groups. James Olson has been our representative on the taskforce to date, and he has helped ensure that our needs and experiences collecting and using data are brought to the table. He has also been instrumental because of the multiple other roles he plays within and outside of ECI to connect these IDS efforts in meaningful

ways. The BFH, where Mr. Olson’s position is housed, has been developing an integrated data system for the programs within the bureau. Mr. Olson has acted as a liaison between the bureau’s internal data integration work and the ECI IDS project to ensure mutual benefit from both projects.

I hope you will select the state of Iowa for this exciting opportunity to learn from national experts who have navigated the challenges associated with IDS governance, technology, and sustainability. We believe participation in a Learning Community will be very beneficial as we create an Iowa IDS plan that seeks to incorporate the best practices you have articulated through your AISP network.

If we are selected, I will continue to commit personnel time for the work of the IDS Taskforce, with the understanding that both Dr. Richey and Mr. Olson will represent IDPH. I will also support the inclusion additional experts from across our department for specific topics as they arise across the 18-month planning period. Our IDS Taskforce has thoughtfully incorporated funding for two additional team members to be part of the traveling team to Philadelphia for the Learning Community meetings, and I understand that these team members will be selected based on the needs identified from the group and the focused topic of the visit. I believe this will be an additional opportunity to ensure we have the right players at the table to make decisions and formulate a thoughtful approach.

Thank you for your time and consideration, and we hope you agree that Iowa would be a good candidate to join the Actionable Intelligence for Social Policy Network as a new developing site.

Sincerely,

Gerd W. Clabaugh, MPA

Director, Iowa Department of Public Health

Iowa Department of Human ServicesTerry E. Branstad Kim Reynolds Charles M. PalmerGovernor Lt. Governor Director

MAY - 9 2017

Kristin SmithAISP Research CoordinatorUniversity of Pennsylvania3701 LocustWalkPhiladelphia, PA 19104

Dear Drs. Culhane and Fantuzzo:

As a member of the Early Childhood Iowa (ECI) State Board and Director of the IowaDepartment of Human Services (DHS), I am pleased to offer this letter of support for ourapplication to Join the 2017 Actionable Intelligence for Social Policy Learning Community. Asa Board member of ECI, I have been part of many discussions about how our collaborativework to build coordination among agencies can be enhanced. Most recently, there is focusedattention to understanding what types of core services are needed to help children andfamilies "be successful," and how can we build a stronger infrastructure to support thedelivery of those services effectively. Throughout these discussions, as well as others thathave been percolating recently, we routinely come back to the potential value of an integrateddata system that could create a unique capacity to help us answer important questions aboutwho we are serving, what services we are providing, and where our critical gaps remain.

Within the DHS I can also see the value of an integrated system. I have supported the workof the IDS Taskforce since its inception, and appreciate the ideas that have been generatedabout potential uses of such a system. Our representatives, Tammi Christ [Child Care - DataAnalyst], as well as Lisa Bender [Child Welfare - Prevention Program Manager], who arealso members of the larger ECI Results Accountability workgroup, have been part of keydiscussions around how our work with Child Welfare - Maltreatment, Prevention andIntervention programs and Child Care - subsidy and quality improvement programs arerelated to this project. I believe the current work to develop an integrated administrative datasystem to support population-based and intervention-focused research is an important andcritical next step and will benefit the DHS specifically, and the ECI efforts as a whole.

If we are selected, I will continue to commit personnel time for the work of the IDS Taskforce,with the understanding that Tammi Christ will represent DHS and help to incorporateadditional experts from our Department for specific topics as they arise across the 18-monthplanning period. Our IDS Taskforce has thoughtfully incorporated funding for two additionalteam members beyond the leadership team ofAnderson, Rouse, and Richeyto be part of thetraveling team to Philadelphia for the Learning Community meetings. I understand that theseadditional team members will be selected based on the needs identified from the group andthe focused topic of the visit, and may include Tammi Christ or other representatives from ourDepartment as needed. I believe this will be an additional opportunity to ensure that theneeds and contributions of our Department are aptly represented.

1305 E. Walnut Street, Des Moines, IA 50319-0114

I hope you will select the state of Iowa for this opportunity to learn from national experts whohave negotiated the challenges associated with IDS governance, technology, andsustainability. We believe participation in a Learning Community will be very beneficial as weseek to create an Iowa IDS plan that expands on the strengths we already have and builds inbest practices you have collected through your AISP network.

Thank you for your time and consideration, and we hope you agree that Iowa would be agood candidate to join the Actionable Intelligence for Social Policy Network as a newdeveloping site.

Sincerely,

0/h Ct /yv^<^/Charles M. PalmerDirector

1000 E Grand Avenue • Des Moines, IA 50319 • 515-281-5387 • 800-562-4692 • www.iowaworkforce.org

Equal Opportunity Employer/Program Auxiliary aids and services available upon request to individuals with disabilities.

For deaf and hard of hearing, use Relay 711.

Kim Reynolds, Governor

Adam Gregg, Lt. Governor

Beth Townsend, Director

May 31, 2017 Dr. Dennis P Culhane, PhD 3701 Locust Walk, Caster Building, C-19 Philadelphia PA 19104-3214 Dr. John W Fantuzzo, PhD 3700 Walnut Street Graduate School of Education Philadelphia PA 19104-6214 Gentlemen, As a member of the Early Childhood Iowa (ECI) State Board, I am pleased to provide this letter of support for Iowa’s application to join the 2017 Actionable Intelligence for Social Policy Learning Community. Work in ECI is at a critical juncture as we consider how to fully actualize the ECI vision that “Every Child, Beginning at Birth, will be Healthy and Successful.” As part of Future Ready Iowa, Iowa is committed to the growth and sustainability of Iowa’s talent pipeline. A skilled workforce is necessary to fill high-quality, good-paying jobs today and tomorrow. This begins with an investment in Iowa’s young children. The ECI Board has been working to improve health and wellbeing outcomes for children and has identified critical services to support those outcomes. The value of an Integrated Data System (IDS) is clear and we are fortunate to work on these efforts collaboratively among our various partners, including Iowa State University. Iowa is very interested in this opportunity to connect with national experts who have negotiated the challenges associated with IDS governance, technology, and sustainability. We believe participation in an IDS Learning Community will be very beneficial as we seek to create an Iowa IDS plan that will help us further the mission of ECI to implement an evidence-based system of systems. If Iowa is selected, Iowa Workforce Development would be represented in the work of the IDS Taskforce. I have recently tasked personnel in my department to participate in this work to ensure we can learn how our work could benefit from, and inform the Iowa IDS Plan. The leadership team of Mr. Anderson, Dr. Richey, and Dr. Rouse are a great team. I also understand they may identify additional experts from across our departments for specific topics as the need arises.

1000 E Grand Avenue • Des Moines, IA 50319 • 515-281-5387 • 800-562-4692 • www.iowaworkforce.org

Equal Opportunity Employer/Program Auxiliary aids and services available upon request to individuals with disabilities.

For deaf and hard of hearing, use Relay 711.

Thank you for your time and consideration, and we hope you agree that Iowa would be an outstanding candidate to join the Actionable Intelligence for Social Policy Network as a new developing site.

Sincerely,

Beth Townsend Director, Iowa Workforce Development 1000 E. Grand Avenue Des Moines, Iowa, 50319 (515) 281-5365 [email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

IDS for Iowa: A State-University Partnership to Inform ... · Iowa State University (ISU), and the...

Documents

Transcript of IDS for Iowa: A State-University Partnership to Inform ... · Iowa State University (ISU), and the...