Centralizes viewing of records using existing IT systems, existing data, and existing personnel.

Data Aggregation Integrates Data Systems Now

We all know that long term, we’d like fully interoperable data systems to enable real-time sharing of data for the most effective decision making possible. That goal is years away from being fulfilled. In the meantime, kids in your county need faster and better decision making on their behalf, and care providers need access to data to make these decisions. Youth Insight bridges that gap for a fraction of the time, effort, and cost needed to create interoperable systems.

The Youth Insight application uses data aggregation to combine data from multiple sources. Instead of requesting data in real-time from various contributors (which requires huge IT projects for every participant), we collect raw data in bulk once a day. An automated process sifts through each source, matches records for individual children, then consolidates the data and cross references into a single data store for easy search and display by users. Each county is managed as an independent dataset with it’s own dedicated database to help ensure privacy and data integrity.

Use Existing Data As-Is

One of the cornerstone principles of the Foster Youth Insight program is the notion

of using existing data, right now, as is. One of the first hurdles in any interoperable system is to define standards for data and modify existing data to conform to those standards. Data is rarely perfect, and the Youth Insight application recognizes that. If we waited until data systems were perfected and data thoroughly cleaned up, we’d miss opportunities to make a difference now. The Youth Insight application’s data aggregation system transforms and cleanses data on-the-fly as data is aggregated.

Is this redundant to state systems like CA’s CALPADS?

Similar, yes, but not redundant. For counties and school districts participating in state data collection programs like California’s CALPADS aimed to fulfill No Child Left Behind mandates, the Youth Insight application can accept the exact same export files so there is no redundancy of effort in data transport. As far as application functionality goes, the Youth Insight program, including the software, differs in several objectives and data management specifics. CALPADS and other NCLB programs are focused exclusively on education data, whereas Youth Insight also includes child housing, health, and justice data.