Data Spotlights | Virginia's State Epidemiological Outcomes Workgroup (SEOW)

In our current climate, it has become clear that data are not only helpful but critical for making life-changing decisions. From local demographic to state or national-level trends, data help us better understand our world and can help direct us in determining what actions are needed for desired change. But, data alone can only get you so far; data have to be accessible and comprehendible. Many times databases or reports are siloed to specific agencies or departments. Collaborating fields that could greatly benefit from data findings to help support grants, enhance public awareness and education, or affect legislation and policy may not know that the data they need exists.

OMNI facilitates the Virginia's State Epidemiological Outcomes Workgroup (SEOW), which originated under a SAMHSA Partnerships for Success grant and aims to address these challenges and connect data to those who need it. The SEOW brings together representatives from a variety of traditional public health partners and non-traditional ones to share data and expertise. SEOW members include representatives from the Virginia Departments of Criminal Justice Services, Juvenile Justice, Social Services, and Forensic Science; the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner; and health agencies, including the Virginia Department of Health and the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services.

As a result of the data-sharing structure of the SEOW committee, we see the integration across sectors come to life. Overarching themes are starting to take shape, such as impacts from Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) as root causes across multiple populations (as discussed in our previous blog). This allows organizations and communities to help facilitate positive change by increasing prevention efforts through targeted education and public policy development.

Data Spotlights

To promote cross-collaboration and help break down data silos, OMNI schedules data presentations at each of the quarterly SEOW meeting. One SEOW member presents to the group on the information they collect, including data collection methods, context, overarching trends, benefits and limitations of the data, and use and external access. OMNI then takes information from these presentations to develop a one-page data spotlight which outlines:

• What is in the data set: How the data is collected and what it entails

• What the data is telling us: Data highlights and a sample of how to present the information visually

• How stakeholders can use the data: Recommended uses for the data including community response and planning, as well as an example of an organization that has used the data to take action in their community

• How to access the data: Where to gain access to the data (e.g., the Virginia Social Indicator Study (VASIS) dashboard or the agency's website)

OMNI has currently developed two data spotlight reports, which feature data collected by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner and the Prescription Monitoring Program. The Virginia Department of Juvenile Justice shared some of their data at the SEOW's April meeting, and we are excited to feature that info in the next series. These data spotlights facilitate information sharing across organizations and agencies so they can better understand multi-sector issues and their causes and impacts. Accessing multiple data sources can help generate a bigger picture, create more support for the issue you are addressing, and allow for multiple perspectives or viewpoints.

Much of the data from the Data Spotlight series can be accessed through the VASIS website, a dashboard created by OMNI, to make data collection more straightforward and accessible. Our goal is to continue encouraging data sharing in ways that help support positive change and sustainability.