Mapping Initiatives
COH’s approach to mapping proprietary data goes beyond the standard GIS analysis of zip codes and census tracts and delves deeper into the neighborhood level by using data from multiple sources. Aggregation is driven by the characteristics of the data rather than geo-political boundaries. This allows COH and its partner agencies to analyze trends more accurately at the micro level, intervene more effectively and monitor neighborhood change over time.
Completed Projects
Young Children Volume II, United Way Capital Area Success by 6 Partnership
Project Partners: United Way Capital Area Success by 6, UCLA Center for Healthier Children, Families and Communities.
Question/Topic: Are there neighborhoods where very young children are identified with developmental vulnerabilities?
Online: Yes
Report Released October 2011: Young Children Volume II
This project and partnership marks the extension of our Young Children Volume I project that sought to highlight the geographic distribution of assets and issues of concern for families with very young children. Volume II also highlights the sustained hard work of our action partner, (identified at the Young Children’s Summit in 2010) United Way Capital Area Success by 6 (SB6). Volume II focuses on four neighborhoods (Dove Springs, Quail Creek, St. John, and Manor) that Children’s Optimal Health (COH) and SB6 have identified as areas grappling with economic hardship, child health inequalities and low standardized test scores. During the Spring and Summer of 2011, SB6 collected Early Development Instrument (EDI) data in Austin ISD and Manor ISD as well as Ages & Stages Questionnaire (ASQ) data in four neighborhood WIC Clinics. Pairing EDI and ASQ data with other socio-demographic indicators collected and mapped by COH has resulted in a set of localized maps that clearly illustrate the developmental vulnerabilities and assets in our community for young children. These maps will allow United Way and other stakeholders to better monitor, diagnose, plan and improve early childhood systems performance.
Central Texas Afterschool Network, Partners in Improving Child Well-being, 2011
Project Partner: Central Texas Afterschool Network, Safe Schools/Healthy Students – Austin Community Collaboration to Enhance Student Success (ACCESS)
Question/Topic: Where are the afterschool resources for children in 17 targeted Central Texas Zip Codes?
Report Released October 2011: Central Texas Afterschool Network
Online: Yes
This publication of Children’s Optimal Health (COH) marks a partnership with the Central Texas Afterschool Network (CTAN). The maps in this report is a beginning step in using geospatial analysis to understand the relationship between quality Out of School Time (OST) care and child well-being. CTAN is a collaborative effort between private and non-profit organizations in the Travis County area that serve school-age children and their families, particularly targeting the economically disadvantaged. The map report includes information on the number of students attending OST programs, program locations and types, as well as gaps in services throughout the Austin, Del Valle and Manor School Districts. Further, COH maps representing student academic achievement, absenteeism, child health and safety are also included to help facilitate collaboration on these issues among OST providers. COH understands the importance of OST programming for the overall health and well-being of children in Central Texas and is proud to map this unique dataset and complete a useful and action-able project with CTAN.
Transportation Related Child Injury, 2007-2009
Project Partner: Dell Children’s Medical Center (DCMC)
Question/Topic(s): Motor Vehicle Crashes Involving Children, Child Passenger Safety: Restraint Use and Resources, and Child Pedestrian and Cyclist Injuries
Reports Released June 2011: Transportation Related Child Injury : Motor Vehicle Crashes Involving Children, Child Passenger Safety: Restraint Use and Resources, and Child Pedestrian and Cyclist Injuries
Dell Children’s Medical Center requested this project to help identify areas of concern in the community for child injury (how and where children are injured). Maps will also be used to inform law enforcement, location of driver safety education and car seat outreach programs, placement of public awareness campaigns and improvements to the built environment. In the Fall of 2010, the Child Pedestrian and Cyclist Injury section of this project was utilized in a collaboration between the City of Austin Transportation Department and the Injury Prevention program at DCMC to provide training to graduate students at the School of Social Work at UT Austin to perform observational analyses on intersections identified as hot spots for child injuries in COH maps. A Summit that will feature this project is tentatively planned for January 2012.
Child and Youth Behavioral Health, 2009-2010
Project Partner(s): Safe Schools/Healthy Students – Austin Community Collaboration to Enhance Student Success (ACCESS) and AISD
Question/Topic: What is the behavioral health status of children and youth in the Austin area?
Reports Released May 2011: School and Community Safety, Student Disciplinary Actions, Student Substance Use, and Clinical and Community Supports
This project seeks to highlight the geographic distribution of assets and issues of concern for the behavioral health of children and youth in the Austin area. This project was featured in a Summit in May, 2011 which brought together over one hundred attendees to engage in discussions about the meanings and uses of the map reports and future directions for the Behavioral Health project. Data sources include AISD Student Population and Demographics, AISD Student Substance Use and School Safety Survey 2010, Seton Healthcare Family, CommUnityCare, Austin Police Department, ATCIC, Any Baby Can, LifeWorks, Community in Schools of Central Texas, Travis County HHS-VS Children Services Department.
Child Obesity by Neighborhood, 2007-2010
Project Partner: Austin Independent School District
Question/Topic: Where are the AISD students (Elementary, Middle and High School) who are at risk for obesity and related health problems?
Reports Released: Middle School 2008, 2009, and 2010, Elementary School and High School Summer 2011
This project was aimed at identifying concentrations of overweight and obese students by neighborhood to raise community awareness about the child obesity epidemic. The data sources included the Austin ISD Student Demographic and FITNESSGRAM® data, the Austin Police Department Incident data (2009), the ESRI Select Business data 2008, and Capital Area Food Bank Distribution Site data. In the first phase of this project COH mapped three consecutive years of data 07-08, 08-09, and 09-10 for Middle School students (reports available online). In 2008, COH was proud to feature the 07-08 Middle School maps at a Summit where a diversity of stakeholders worked together to utilize COH maps to discuss actionable steps to reverse the child obesity trend in AISD neighborhoods. Since 2008, this project has been used at community meetings in Dove Springs and various presentations across the city. COH has also mapped school years 08-09 and 09-10 for Elementary and High School students.
Academic Success, Absenteeism, and Fitness Survey of AISD students per HACA Facility
Project Partner(s): City of Austin Housing Authority
Question/Topics: How do students living in HACA facilities compare to their peers (other AISD students) on academic performance, absenteeism, and fitness?
Report Released to HACA, April 2011
Although spatial representation was not appropriate for this project, COH was able to utilize its data sharing agreements (DSAs) with AISD and HACA to present a useful comparison of HACA students to their peers (AISD students overall and AISD students with low socio economic status). A summary of this project displaying aggregate data is available online (see above), however access to data on individual HACA sites will be limited to the Housing Authority.
Young Children, by Physical and Social Environment, 2007-2008
Project Partner: Safe Schools/Healthy Students – Austin Community Collaboration to Enhance Student Success (ACCESS)
Question/Topic: What does the physical and social environment look like for Austin’s youngest children and their families?
Report Released August 2010: Young Children, by Physical and Social Environment
This project aimed to raise community awareness and action to help assure our youngest children have a healthy and safe start in life (report available online). Parents, education and business leaders, and the general public increasingly realize the importance of the early years in the life of a child for promoting healthy physical, emotional, social, and intellectual development. This project was featured in a Summit in September 2008. Data sources include: AISD Student Population and Demographics, Census 2000, Austin Police Department, ICC, Seton Healthcare Family, St. David’s Healthcare Network, and ESRI Select Business Data.
Access to Healthcare, 2008
Project Partner: Central Health, COH Charter Member
Question/Topic: Identification of Central Health’s target population (un/underinsured)
Report was released to Central Health only in 2008, for private use.
Data from CommUnityCare NextGen data, and Central Health Facilities were mapped to help Central Health identify client concentrations, by residents to help inform the building of a new facility to better serve its clients. Access to Healthcare, 2008 is not available to the public.
Projects Under Development
Tobacco Cessation
Project Partner: Seton Healthcare Family
Child Obesity Expansion
Project Partner: Central Texas ISDs
Prenatal Care
COH hopes to utilize prenatal data from Seton Healthcare Family, St. David’s Healthcare Network, the City of Austin and Travis County.
Dental
Project Partner: St. David’s Foundation, Mobile Dental Vans