Web Exercises
Click on the following links. Please note these will open in a new window.
KIDS COUNT is the premier source for data on child and family well-being in the United States. Access hundreds of indicators, download data and create reports and graphics that support smart decisions about children and families.
- Locate your state on the map, then choose a topic to view as a report on your community.
- How can this data support your efforts to secure funding in a given topic area?
- What is the relationship between poverty rates and health outcomes?
Click on the following links. Please note these will open in a new window.
SAMHSA is the agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that leads public health efforts to advance the behavioral health of the nation. SAMHSA's mission is to reduce the impact of substance abuse and mental illness on America's communities.
- Go to the Data tab on the top menu bar. Select a topic or population of interest. For example, reports on pregnant/recent mothers provide data collected since 2010.
- How is the data in your interest area collected and analyzed? Is there an evaluation office within SAMHSA to assess the quality of the data collection process?
- On the Data menu, locate the Quality Metrics link. What is the purpose of the National Behavioral Health Quality Framework? How is this EB research endorsed and used?
Molly McGrath Tierney was the Director for the Baltimore City Department of Social Services, managing the city's child welfare and public assistance programs. Over the past six years, she has led a massive reform effort to dramatically improve the impact of services to vulnerable citizens of Baltimore. Molly's work is considered a national model for modern social services.
- How did McGrath Tierney use data to drive structural changes in the child welfare system in Baltimore? Describe how child welfare is an industry with benefits. What are the benefits of maintaining this structure?
- What is family permanency? How are systems monitored to ensure there are reductions in foster care or in orphanage placements? Are all the stakeholders involved in family interventions that can change foster care situations? How important are preventative measures and evaluation services?