Oregon

The Oregon Governor’s Office published a series of strategic initiatives directly related to the coming biennium (2021-2023), and specifically helping Oregon “build back better” after the COVID-19 pandemic. These strategic initiatives include a 10-point action plan for economic recovery, informed in partnership with the Governor’s Racial Justice Council, as well as a strategic direction for guiding Oregon’s recovery from COVID-19 within a framework of racial equity and social justice. The 10-point action plan includes concrete priorities and critical investments related to fostering economic growth and recovery in a post-pandemic Oregon.

Issue Areas: Economic Mobility, Education, Equity, Health

A 2018 Oregon statute requires agencies to submit key performance measure data to the Legislative Fiscal Office on a regular basis, in addition to sharing reports publicly to indicate Oregon’s progress toward identified measures. Oregon also has a Key Performance Measure system in which agencies report regular progress on identified measures to the legislature and the Governor’s Office. With the development of Oregon’s Racial Justice Council, the state is in the process of establishing a centralized vision for racial justice and equity that includes guidance for agencies on identifying strategic objectives and measures to support racial equity and in evaluating services from a community-focused standpoint. To support all these activities, in 2021, the Oregon Chief Data Officer hired the first Statewide Performance Manager. The role is responsible for building a culture of performance management and establishing guidance and feedback for agencies in using data to inform decision-making, identify strong outcomes, and ensure that Oregon state agencies are strategically aligned to advance the Governor’s strategic outcomes.

Issue Areas: Child Welfare, Criminal Justice, Economic Mobility, Education, Health, Workforce

The Governor’s 2021 State of the State highlighted the value of qualitative data and individual experiences to inform how the Governor’s recommended budget would help build a stronger, more equitable future for all residents. For example, the Governor’s Racial Justice Council provided community feedback through the Council’s membership and prioritization of evidence-based processes for the development of the Governor’s recommended budget, which was delivered to the Legislature as part of the 2021 legislative session. Beyond the budget recommendations and State of the State address, the Governor provides public pandemic status updates (press conferences), which demonstrate data’s value in guiding decision-making. Similarly, in grappling with unprecedented wildfires, the state has relied on the Oregon Office of Emergency’s dashboard to support efforts.

Issue Areas: COVID-19, Equity

A 2017 Oregon law instituted a Chief Data Officer responsible for the state’s centralized data strategy, including an enterprise open data platform. The Chief Data Officer is charged with creating open data standards, providing privacy guidance for state agencies, identifying opportunities for data sharing, and designing stakeholder engagement strategies, including an advisory committee. In 2021, the office was funded to grow from six to 12 staff members and procured a geospatial data-sharing and management platform. The Chief Data Officer also released Oregon’s first data strategy in 2020 and data strategy website in February 2021. The state continues working toward the actions identified in the data strategy’s biennial action plan.

Published in February 2021, Oregon’s statewide 2021-2023 data strategy and data strategy website identify high-level principles and practices for how the state will effectively and ethically use data, including collection, use, design, community engagement, and transparency. The state continues working toward the actions identified in the data strategy’s biennial action plan pursuant to a 2018 law.

Codified by state statute in 2017, Oregon’s Open Data Program allows state agencies to inventory, prioritize, and publish open datasets to improve transparency and internal data sharing among state agencies and government partners. Oregon’s Open Data Program Resources links contain information on the state’s Open Data Standard, webinars held by the Chief Data Officer, and external tools and resources.

A 2017 Oregon law requires the Chief Data Officer to create an enterprise memorandum of understanding to facilitate data sharing across state agencies. To support this approach, the Chief Data Officer has convened integrated data users and leaders from across the state. The Statewide Longitudinal Data System, launched in 2018, brings together education and workforce data.  The Sustainable Solutions for Accelerated Learning (SSAL) Work Group and Trauma-Informed Pilot Project identify areas of inequities for increased funding. To further advance this data integration across the state, a 2021 state law created a “system of care council” that will be responsible for integrating appropriate data to help determine holistic care and support needs within health, education, public safety, and other program services.

Issue Areas: Economic Mobility, Education, Health

The Governor’s Racial Justice Council data team is creating a statewide research agenda to help guide evaluation questions and approaches, alongside ethical research toolkits. Agencies such as the Higher Education Coordinating Commission and the Oregon Department of Education are supporting these efforts.

Issue Areas: Equity

As part of the implementation of the 2003 Oregon law on evidence-based health, youth, and corrections programs, Oregon Health Authority maintains an ongoing inventory of approved evidence-based practices in behavioral health, including culturally specific services.

The Oregon Health Authority (OHA) has established the Health Evidence Review Commission to continually review and update an ongoing inventory of evidence-based practices at work within OHA. The commission vets medical evidence to identify new and valuable practices and maintains a publicly available list of practices in a wide range of clinical and treatment areas. In 2020, Oregon Youth Authority provided an updated report identifying the cost-effectiveness of their programs and services.

Issue Areas: Child Welfare, Criminal Justice, Education, Health

A 2016 Oregon law requires all state agencies to develop and implement performance measures. The agencies must also submit to the Oregon Legislative Fiscal Office an Annual Performance Progress Report detailing the agency’s programmatic outcomes, which are reviewed during the state’s budget process.

Issue Areas: Child Welfare, Criminal Justice, Economic Mobility, Education, Health, Workforce

A 2003 Oregon law provides a definition of evidence and states that the Oregon Department of Corrections, the Oregon Youth Authority, the Oregon Youth Development Division, and “the part of the Oregon Health Authority that deals with mental health and addiction issues” shall (1) “spend at least 75% of state moneys that the agency receives for programs on evidence-based programs;” (2) perform cost-benefit analyses; and (3) compile a biennial program inventory with results from funded programs. As of 2018, the Youth Authority spent “90% of general funds and almost 92% of total funds subject to Oregon’s Senate Bill 267 (SB267) on evidence-based programming.”

Issue Areas: Child Welfare, Criminal Justice, Education, Health