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From education to health to criminal justice, government regulation and policy decisions have important effects on social and individual experiences. New data science tools applied to data created by government agencies have the potential to enhance these meaningful decisions. However, certain institutional barriers limit the realization of this potential. First, we need to provide systematic training of government employees in data analytics. Second we need a careful rethinking of the rules and technical systems that protect data in order to expand access to linked individual-level data across agencies and jurisdictions, while maintaining privacy. Here, we describe a program that has been run for the last three years by the University of Maryland, New York University, and the University of Chicago, with partners such as Ohio State University, Indiana University/Purdue University, Indianapolis, and the University of Missouri. The program—which trains government employees on how to perform applied data analysis with confidential individual-level data generated through administrative processes, and extensive project-focused work—provides both online and onsite training components. Training takes place in a secure environment. The aim is to help agencies tackle important policy problems by using modern computational and data analysis methods and tools. We have found that this program accelerates the technical and analytical development of public sector employees. As such, it demonstrates the potential value of working with individual-level data across agency and jurisdictional lines. We plan to build on this initial success by creating a larger community of academic institutions, government agencies, and foundations that can work together to increase the capacity of governments to make more efficient and effective decisions.

American Journal of Preventive Medicine article reports racial and ethnic minorities experience a disproportionate burden of co-existing mental, physical conditions

Interdisciplinary project working with scholars from the University of North Carolina

Racialized Returns: Examining Racial Differences in the Consequences of Living in a Two-Parent Family

Alok Bhargava responds to Desmond Tutu's Comparison of Climate Change as Developed Countries' "Climate Apartheid" On the Poor

Challenges are real but manageable; better to focus on the well being of those who are here.

One survey is not enough to make a social truth

As marriage rates continue to fall, policies that try to steer people into marriage through financial incentives are only hurting children

Cohen notes achievement of status as an element of contemporary marriage trends

CNN Op-Ed suggests taxes on super-rich and stronger social safety net could help ameliorate financial impact divorce has for many