Message from the Data Research and Oversight Committee Chair - Herb Petro
The broad range of agencies and organizations which supported the creation of the Institute is testimony to the enormous value which can be derived from research that incorporates data from the spectrum of providers who deliver services to children and families.
I consider the most exciting aspect of the Institute to be the ability to greatly increase access to the combined data of public, private, and non-profit organizations in a way that protects privacy. The safeguarding of privacy is the key element which allows for this increased access.
The legal and technical challenges which the Institute has surmounted have taken longer to resolve than many considered likely at the onset of this venture. The board members, academic partners, staff, and agency representatives have remained resolved in realizing the vision of the Institute throughout these challenges.
I look forward to an increasing number of agencies willing to contribute data to the Institute. The expansion of the database housed at the Institute will increase the possibilities for academic research and the identification of effective interventions for youth. I expect the value of the Institute to increase for many years to come.