Center for Public Policy Prioritieswww.cppp.org How to Use KIDS COUNT Data How to Use KIDS COUNT Data Houston Conference on Children June 15, 2005 Frances Deviney, PhD KIDS COUNT Director Eva DeLuna Castro, MPA Senior Budget Analyst Center for Public Policy Priorities

Training Objectives Access the KIDS COUNT data from the CPPP website Examine the data for your county, region, and Texas Understand (some) data limitations Make your point using KC data in combination with other state/local data

Center for Public Policy Prioritieswww.cppp.org Why Do You Want Data? To describe a problem To answer a question To help set priorities To monitor changes

Center for Public Policy Prioritieswww.cppp.org What Can the Data Tell You? Magnitude of the Problem – Number and Rate (Profiles) Scope of the Problem (Rates; Change over time) Relative Standing (Rankings)

Center for Public Policy Prioritieswww.cppp.org Getting Started: County Profiles Yearly County Profiles can tell you the magnitude of the problem you are examining & the relative standing of your county compared to other counties. TX KIDS COUNT Data Profiles from the “State of Texas Children 2004” Fact Book

Center for Public Policy Prioritieswww.cppp.org

Center for Public Policy Prioritieswww.cppp.org

Center for Public Policy Prioritieswww.cppp.org

Center for Public Policy Prioritieswww.cppp.org

Center for Public Policy Prioritieswww.cppp.org

Center for Public Policy Prioritieswww.cppp.org

Center for Public Policy Prioritieswww.cppp.org Getting Started: Change over Time Texas KIDS COUNT Interactive Database

Center for Public Policy Prioritieswww.cppp.org

Center for Public Policy Prioritieswww.cppp.org

Center for Public Policy Prioritieswww.cppp.org

Center for Public Policy Prioritieswww.cppp.org

Center for Public Policy Prioritieswww.cppp.org

Center for Public Policy Prioritieswww.cppp.org

Center for Public Policy Prioritieswww.cppp.org

Center for Public Policy Prioritieswww.cppp.org

Center for Public Policy Prioritieswww.cppp.org

Center for Public Policy Prioritieswww.cppp.org

Center for Public Policy Prioritieswww.cppp.org

Center for Public Policy Prioritieswww.cppp.org

Center for Public Policy Prioritieswww.cppp.org

Center for Public Policy Prioritieswww.cppp.org

Center for Public Policy Prioritieswww.cppp.org

Center for Public Policy Prioritieswww.cppp.org

Center for Public Policy Prioritieswww.cppp.org

Center for Public Policy Prioritieswww.cppp.org

Center for Public Policy Prioritieswww.cppp.org

Center for Public Policy Prioritieswww.cppp.org

Center for Public Policy Prioritieswww.cppp.org

Center for Public Policy Prioritieswww.cppp.org

Center for Public Policy Prioritieswww.cppp.org

Center for Public Policy Prioritieswww.cppp.org What You Should Know to Use the Data Percentages Rates (Numerators, Denominators) “Problems” with Small Numbers Considerations when Making Comparisons

Center for Public Policy Prioritieswww.cppp.org Things to Remember When Looking at Rates Percentages are calculated as follows: # Babies at Low Birthweight (LBW) ÷ # Live Births = % of population Sometimes, useful to represent these numbers as rates: 35 babies born at LBW ÷ 5892 live births =.9% As a rate per 1,000 births,.9% = 9 LBW births per 1,000 live births Caution: Looking at rates alone can sometimes mask key information needed to fully understand the problem

Center for Public Policy Prioritieswww.cppp.org Things to Remember When Looking at Rates Hypothetical Scenario –Outreach & education to reduce the incidence of low birthweight babies in your region 2 different approaches to the problem –Focus on the counties with the greatest need, regardless of differences between sub-populations –Focus on the sub-populations most in need across counties

Center for Public Policy Prioritieswww.cppp.org Low Birthweight Example

Center for Public Policy Prioritieswww.cppp.org Low Birthweight Example (cont.)

Center for Public Policy Prioritieswww.cppp.org Considerations when Looking at Rates

Center for Public Policy Prioritieswww.cppp.org What’s Up With Chambers County?

Center for Public Policy Prioritieswww.cppp.org Juvenile Violent Crime (Numbers) Chambers (Number) Chambers (Pop 15-19) Harris (Number) Harris (Pop 15-19) 356,465361,487366,356374,555379,898384,745390,116421,768390,116

Center for Public Policy Prioritieswww.cppp.org Things to Remember When Looking at Rates Rates can change dramatically for smaller counties or smaller categories with a small shift in raw number Depending upon your interest, you may be better served by examining: –the change in raw # over time –how current data compare to the state, nearby counties, or similar counties based on demographics & geography

Center for Public Policy Prioritieswww.cppp.org Things to Remember When Looking at Rankings Rankings are based on the Rates –Thus, they are subject to the same considerations as described above Ranking can change dramatically for smaller counties or smaller categories with a small shift in raw number

Center for Public Policy Prioritieswww.cppp.org Things to Remember When Looking at Rankings In a state with 254 Counties and varying demographics & geographies, what does it mean to be ranked 127 th on an indicator? –Depending upon your interest, you may be better suited to look at: the change in raw # over time how current data compare to the state, nearby counties, or similar counties based on demographics & geography

Center for Public Policy Prioritieswww.cppp.org Things to Remember When Looking at Rankings A very good ranking can give a false sense of confidence, and leave some feeling like there is no work left to be done A very poor ranking can give the feeling that the task is insurmountable, and funds are better spent in an area where improvement seems more likely

Center for Public Policy Prioritieswww.cppp.org Examples: Using Texas Kids Count data in Budget Policy Analysis Policy Analysis Assignment #1: Estimate the impact of S.B. 1 (General Appropriations Act), 2005 Session, on Harris County CHIP caseloads and funding. Research involved: 1)From Kids Count database, get information showing that Harris County CHIP caseload is about 19% of Texas’ total enrollment in CHIP 2)From S.B. 1 (or CPPP), get information on total funding approved for CHIP ($610 million for 2006; $791 million for 2007), number of children funded at that level (362,175/398,630), and annual cost per child ($1,683/$1,985). While you’re at it, get same info for 2004/ )Make one assumption: that Harris County CHIP enrollment will continue to be about 19% of the state total. Apply this share to the information you have for Results?

Center for Public Policy Prioritieswww.cppp.org Estimated CHIP Enrollment and Spending in Harris County

Center for Public Policy Prioritieswww.cppp.org Policy Analysis Assignment #2: Estimate the impact of S.B. 1 on Harris County foster care caseloads and payments. Research involved: 1)From Kids Count database, get information showing that Harris County paid foster care clientele [unduplicated] is about 14.9% of the state total; foster care payments are about 14.6% of state total. (Average of 2003 and 2004 data.) 2)From S.B. 1 (or CPPP), get information on total funding approved for foster care payments ($377 million for 2006; $356 million for 2007), and number of children funded at that level (18,522/19,257 average monthly FTEs). Get same info for 2003/2004/ )Make two assumptions: that Harris County caseloads and payments will at least keep their same share of state total as in 2003 and 2004; and that Kids Count data are similar enough to what’s in S.B. 1. Apply this share to the information you have for Results?

Center for Public Policy Prioritieswww.cppp.org Estimated Foster Care Clientele and Payments Harris County

Center for Public Policy Prioritieswww.cppp.org Other Useful Websites Annie E. Casey Foundation – CLICKS data Health & Human Services Commission (birth, death, vital statistics data) State Demographer (population data)