2020 Boards and Commissions

Children and Juveniles Data Feasibility Study Advisory Group

General Information

Formal Name:Children and Juveniles Data Feasibility Study Advisory Group
Contact Person:Monika E. Gross
Purpose:The Children and Juveniles Data Feasibility Study Advisory Group is responsible for the oversight of a feasibility study to identify how existing state agency data systems currently used to account for the use of all services, programs, and facilities by children and juveniles in the State of Nebraska can be used to establish an independent, external data warehouse.
How Many Affectable:Children and Juveniles in the State of Nebraska
How Many Served:Children and Juveniles
Year Created:2017
Year Active:2017
Sunset Date:12312019

Authorization

Authorization Citation:Neb. Rev. Stat. Sec. 43-1306
Parent Agency:Foster Care Review Office

Memberships and Meetings

Number Of Members:8
Who Appoints:Statutorily mandated
Legislative Approval:NA
Qualifications Of Members:As directed by Nebraska Revised Statute 43-1306, the membership of the Advisory Group represents the various state entities responsible for the collection and storage of data on Nebraskas children and juveniles: The Office of the Inspector General of Child Welfare (IG), the Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC), the Administrative Office of Probation (AOP), the Nebraska Commission of Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice (NCC), the Department of Education (NDE), the Foster Care Review Office (FCRO), the Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO), and the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS).
Per Diem:NA
Expense Reimbursement:NA
Term Length:NA
Terms Rotate or Expire At Once:All Expire

Meetings Required In:

Required FY 17-18:NA
Held FY 17-18:1
Required FY 18-19:NA
Held FY 18-19:blank
Required FY 19-20:NA
Held FY 19-20:blank

Operations

Support Staff:Foster Care Review Office
Shared or Separate:Shared
FY 17-18 Budget:NA
FY 18-19 Budget:NA
FY 19-20 Budget:NA
Other Funding Sources:NA
Spending Authority:NA

Accomplishments

Since July 1, 2016:The first meeting of the Advisory Group was held on September 22nd, 2017, at the Foster Care Review Office. This meeting was intended to set the direction of the feasibility study and appoint the members for the two legislatively directed subcommittees. In attendance were Kim Hawekotte, Executive Director of the FCRO, Julie Rogers, Inspector General for Child Welfare, Dick Clark, Judiciary Committee Legal Counsel, Matt Wallen, Director of Child and Family Services, DHHS, James Ohmberger, IT Manager II, OCIO, Tod Wyrick, IT Supervisor, OCIO, and Katherine Bass, Research Director, FCRO. The Department of Education, Crime Commission, Administrative Office of the Courts, and the Administrative Office of Probation were not represented at the meeting.Children and Juveniles Data WarehouseThe creation of an independent, external data warehouse for children and juveniles in Nebraska is distinct from other data collection efforts in many ways. First, the independent nature of the data warehouse is significant. Multiple agencies will provide data, but control of the warehouse would be outside of the agencies providing data. Nebraska currently has a model for this type of data sharing, the Nebraska Criminal Justice Information System (NCJIS) hosted by the Nebraska Crime Commission. The goals of the Children and Juveniles Data Warehouse, however, are different from NCJIS. NCJIS is designed to provide information for criminal justice agencies for operational use. This initiative would not provide information for operational use, but for research purposes, with the intent to measure and improve upon the experiences of children and juveniles receiving state services. The final report of this feasibility study will need to address data ownership for each providing agency.The primary goal of a data warehouse to improve outcomes for kids from birth to adulthood. By connecting the data already in place on children and juveniles across systems, a data warehouse will create a longitudinal data set with the ability to monitor the effectiveness of legislative and policy changes and assess the application of evidence-based practices in Nebraska. The information from the data warehouse can be used to educate all stakeholders and assist with fiscal decisions for the legislature, agencies, and departments.Data Steering and Information-Sharing SubcommitteesIn order to complete the feasibility study, the Advisory Group appointed representatives from each agencydepartment to participate in the two legislatively directed subcommittees. The Data Steering Subcommittee will manage and discuss data-related items, including the technological and system issues of each agencys current data system, specific barriers that impact the implementation of a data warehouse, and steps necessary to establish and sustain a data warehouse. The Information-Sharing Subcommittee will manage and discuss the legal and regulatory barriers to establishing a data warehouse and to identify possible solutions. Both groups will report to the Advisory Group.Future ActionThe Data Steering and Information-Sharing Subcommittees will convene before the end of 2017. Each subcommittee will report to the Advisory Group their main objectives and the tasks, resources, and outcomes related to those objectives. The Advisory Group will provide guidance and support for the subcommittees. The final written report of the Advisory Group will be submitted to the legislature on October 1, 2018, stating if a data warehouse is feasible, and if so, detailing the technical and legal steps necessary to establish the Children and Juveniles Data Warehouse by July 1, 2019.