By Michael Wilkening
Undersecretary, California Health and Human Services Agency
Here at the California Health and Human Services Agency (CHHS), we are continuously working to strengthen existing programs and services and evaluate new approaches. As we work towards these goals, it is important that we make effective use of the data that we collect along the way.
With this goal in mind, we launched our Open Data Portal. Our data already are advancing our efforts to increase transparency and support data-driven decision-making. We expect that this trend will continue and our data will assist government employees, companies and nonprofit foundations, among others, to make more informed decisions and result in better outcomes for those who rely on our programs.
That’s why CHHS, with our partners at the Stewards of Change Institute and the
California HealthCare Foundation, is sponsoring
Open DataFest II, which is being held at the Sacramento Grand Ballroom on March 16-17. The event will feature many inspiring speakers from local, state, federal, private and academic settings covering a wide range of topics. Through interactive sessions, attendees will experience the true potential of this historic shift in how we shape programs and deliver services.
Further, this event will be an invaluable opportunity to strengthen collaboration among the government, nonprofit and private sector organizations working to foster the innovative use of these data.
We all share a common purpose – to improve the health and well-being of our communities, our state and our nation. We hope that attendees will leave energized and with new insights and partnerships to take back to their communities.