Building and Maintaining An Effective Information System of Administrative Data at Universities in Partnership with State Agencies

Proper management of an effective social services agency requires the constant use of information about the experiences and outcomes of families involved, emphasizing the need for comprehensive, timely, and accurate data. In recent years, there have been many advances in technology that can maximize the potential of administrative data to promote better evaluation, management, and research in social work in such fields as child welfare, TANF, food and nutrition services, and Medicaid. The private sector has been using IT technology to maximize data since the early 1990s. Such technology transfer to the public sector can greatly enhance government practices as it can effectively share information between many diverse entities. New technology makes it possible to simultaneously have consistency and diversity. To effectively address the many local problems in social services, diversity is a must while accountability requires consistency of measurements. With more and more interest in transparent governments with accountability, social service government agencies are under pressure to deliver tangible outcomes leading to a more broader use of administrative data for planning and research.

In the past, administrative data has been used for various projects but with limited capacity. For example, some states have worked closely with universities to use administrative data on an ongoing basis while other research institutions have gotten one-time information for particular projects. With increasing interest in using longitudinal data, research using administrative data is also increasing. Furthermore, more states are showing an interest in collaborating with universities for more effective use of administrative data to improve policy and practice. However, most researchers using administrative data have not been trained in managing administrative data. Rather most are trained in investigating particular research questions using survey data. Yet, the value of the administrative data is magnified when universities and states have long standing relationships and the data is properly managed in an effective information system. Such an information system can provide comprehensive and accurate information in a timely manner in diverse forms.

This round table session will begin a dialogue on understanding how to build such an information system using administrative data through partnerships between state agencies and universities with a focus on the role of universities in the partnership. The discussion will start with a summary of the conference on “Administrative Data in Child Welfare: Research Strategies and Prospects for the Future” held in June 1998. Then, panelists will discuss some of the relevant advances in IT that project PIs should understand to effectively manage administrative data as well as common issues that arise when using administrative data such as linking between different administrative data and privacy and security. Panelists will also discuss different experiences in managing administrative data in North Carolina, Illinois, Wisconsin, Maryland, and Califorina. Our goal is to stimulate conversation that will promote understanding of the relevant issues in managing administrative data for social welfare research and start to share and build a knowledge base to build and maintain an effective information system for administrative data at universities in partnership with state agencies.