To bolster the effectiveness of County data analysis, County Supervisors have given the green light to partner with universities for assistance. These academic institutions will provide research and technical help to the County’s Office of Evaluation, Performance, and Analytics, as reported by the County News Center. The initiative, discussed during the Board's recent meeting, aims to optimize program and service provision through insights gleaned from pattern and trend analyses within the County's extensive datasets.

Leading the office's helm, Chief Evaluation Officer Ricardo Basurto-Dávila has put forth a plan to continue and actively expand the office's capabilities. The team lent its expertise to a diverse range of projects, from response efforts to January's storms to creating a Wage Theft Dashboard and a Housing Blueprint Survey, Basurto-Dávila informed the Board, according to County News Center.

In tandem, County Chief Data Officer Haruna Feldman has advocated for using a technology system replete with artificial intelligence and state-of-the-art analytical tools. This system is expected to modernize and enhance the interconnection of client services across the County. Plans to present thorough evaluations and findings from key projects in the coming years are also on the office’s agenda.

Additionally, significant strides have already been made in staff training. Basurto-Dávila shared with the Board that employees from the County Land Use and Environment and the Health and Human Services departments have been equipped with the know-how to conduct high-caliber evaluation studies. This educational endeavor falls within a broader Strategic Research Plan introduced last July, which targets half a dozen County initiatives and outlines 33 research questions to guide their forthcoming analysis.

These initiatives carry the potential for tangible impacts in the community, such as providing financial assistance to prevent homelessness among low-income families and older adults, and reducing the reliance on foster services through monthly subsidies. There's also a project underway aiming to address the housing needs of low-income seniors by connecting them with landlords who have available rooms, as highlighted by County News Center.