Division of Data Surveillance and Informatics Announces New Name
The mission of the Division of Data Surveillance and Informatics has always been about utilizing and sharing data for research, analysis, evaluation, and community engagement efforts to prevent and reduce injury and violence. As of March 1, 2024, we have changed our name to the Division of Data Analytics and Informatics. While the term surveillance is commonly used in public health to refer to data collection and monitoring of public health issues, we are aware that this term can also have negative connotations for the communities with whom we collaborate. So, we have chosen to replace surveillance with analytics in our division name to highlight our commitment to working with and for community partners in a respectful and collaborative manner to best address injury and violence within communities through a data-driven approach.
MCW Comprehensive Injury Center - Division of Data Analytics and Informatics
The work of the Comprehensive Injury Center (CIC) necessitates having timely, accurate, and useful data to inform a variety of injury prevention and community engagement efforts. The Division of Data Analytics and Informatics was established to help provide a centralized resource for both cataloging and consolidating various data sources along with working to provide enhanced access to data to support research and analysis efforts both within and outside of the CIC, for academic, agency, and community partners.
Vision
Data utilized to inform the prevention and reduction of injury and violence.
Mission
The mission of the Division of Data Analytics and Informatics of the Comprehensive Injury Center at the Medical College of Wisconsin is to support the routine sharing and use of data for research, analysis, evaluation, and community engagement efforts focused on the prevention of intentional and unintentional injury.
Goals
- Provide data, analytical, and research support to initiatives across the Divisions and Cores of the CIC
- Develop an inventory of known existing data sources both connected to and outside of the CIC to support analysis and research related to injury prevention, with a specific emphasis on violence, suicide, and overdose prevention.
- Identify unmet data needs and seek funding, resources, or support to assist in filling the gaps in available data
- Establish processes for the routine collection and sharing of information to support research and analysis projects, including a process to fulfill specific data access requests
- Connect DataShare, a collaborative integrated data system, into the work of the Division
- Develop and publish data visualizations and dashboards in conjunction with the routine analysis and use of data to support key initiatives and areas of focus within the CIC
- Create or enhance documentation on data sources to provide more comprehensive information to data users
- Convene partners to both define and address key data-related questions and methodological data issues
Together with the Comprehensive Injury Center’s Division of Violence Prevention, the Division of Suicide Research and Healing, and the Division of Injury Science, the Division of Data Analytics and Informatics helps to lead the work of the Comprehensive Injury Center. The CIC is committed to improving health and safety outcomes for Wisconsin residents. The DDAI is working to provide a foundation in data to support the research, analysis, and evaluation efforts of the Divisions, as well as community and organizational partners, to advance the mission of the Comprehensive Injury Center to prevent and reduce both intentional and unintentional injury, violence and suicide in Milwaukee County and across Wisconsin.
Division of Data Analytics and Informatics Current Initiatives
DataShare
DataShare
DataShare is a collaborative, integrated data system that supports research and analysis efforts by bringing together data from multiple sectors. The intent of DataShare is to combine unique data sets across contributing agencies with a focus on improving safety, health, and education in Milwaukee and the surrounding area. The data in DataShare will contribute to and support the work of the CIC.
Milwaukee Community Justice Council Data Analysis and Dashboard Support
Milwaukee Community Justice Council Data Analysis and Dashboard Support
Project in collaboration with Milwaukee County and the Milwaukee Community Justice Council (CJC), funded through the MacArthur Safety and Justice Challenge. The focus of this project is to develop and launch a data dashboard across multiple data sources to support the work of the CJC Executive Committee, including a focus on racial and ethnic disparities, as well as to provide overall data and analytic support to the efforts of the CJC.
Milwaukee Homicide Review Commission (MHRC)
Milwaukee Homicide Review Commission (MHRC)
The MHRC strives to reduce homicides and nonfatal shootings through a multi-level, multi-disciplinary and multi-agency homicide review process. The MHRC is comprised of law enforcement professionals, criminal justice professionals, and community partners who meet regularly to exchange information regarding the city’s homicides and other violent crimes to identify methods of prevention from both public health and criminal justice perspectives. The Division supports both the data needs and the review process.
Overdose Public Health and Safety Team (OD-PHAST)
Overdose Public Health and Safety Team (OD-PHAST)
Milwaukee County, through the Milwaukee County Medical Examiner’s Office, was awarded a three-year grant from the US Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance, Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant and Substance Abuse Program (COSSAP) to create an Overdose Public Health and Safety Team (OD-PHAST). Specific aims of the project include expanding the delivery and analysis of near real-time data between multiple public health and public safety partners and utilizing both aggregate data and insights from case reviews to develop and implement strategies and recommendations for changes to reduce the likelihood of future overdose incidents.
Program Evaluation
Program Evaluation
A primary function of the DDSI is to conduct process and outcome evaluations for programs both inside and outside of the CIC. In particular, the DDSI is leading the evaluation of both the hospital and community-based components of the 414Life violence interruption program, in collaboration with the Milwaukee Office of Violence Prevention. This multi-year evaluation effort will be focused on documenting the implementation of the program, as well as evaluating program outputs and outcomes.
Violence Data Dashboard
Violence Data Dashboard
The goal of this project is to create a violence data dashboard for the City of Milwaukee that brings together existing, disparate datasets to create collated, more real-time data sharing across systems. As the region grapples with record levels of violence and injury, it is imperative to put data in the hands of the community members and organizations carrying out community-engaged violence intervention and prevention work. The initial project work was funded through the American Public Health Association (APHA) in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Violence Response Public Health and Safety Team (VR-PHAST)
Violence Response Public Health and Safety Team (VR-PHAST)
A multi-disciplinary team has been established: To coordinate a unified, multi-sector public health and public safety response to reduce the impact of firearm violence and homicides on individuals, families, and the community in collaboration with partners across Milwaukee County. A significant portion of the work is focused on supporting the process by analyzing data from a variety of sources to better understand the current and emerging trends in violence and the factors related to the increase in violence, as well as the needs and gaps in resources available for response to incidents occurring across the city and the county. This project is working in direct collaboration with the Division for Violence Prevention and is currently funded by a three-year grant through the US Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance, Byrne Criminal Justice Innovation (BCJI) program.
Partners and Engagement Efforts
This information represents a list of multiple partners that are currently interfacing with the work of the Division of Data Analytics and Informatics in a variety of ways. This list is not meant to be exhaustive and continues to expand based on the work of the CIC and the Divisions.
Campus
Local, State, National