How to Use KIDS COUNT Data Houston Conference on Children June 15, 2005

1. How to Use KIDS COUNT DataHouston Conference on ChildrenJune 15, 2005 Eva DeLuna Castro, MPA Senior Budget Analyst Frances Deviney, PhD KIDS COUNT Director Center for Public Policy Priorities

2. Training Objectives • Access the KIDS COUNT data from the CPPP website • Examine the data for your county, region, and Texas • Understand (some) data limitations • Make your point using KC data in combination with other state/local data

3. Why Do You Want Data? • To describe a problem • To answer a question • To help set priorities • To monitor changes

4. What Can the Data Tell You? • Magnitude of the Problem – Number and Rate (Profiles) • Scope of the Problem (Rates; Change over time) • Relative Standing (Rankings)

5. Getting Started: County Profiles • Yearly County Profiles can tell you the magnitude of the problem you are examining & the relative standing of your county compared to other counties. • TX KIDS COUNT Data Profiles from the “State of Texas Children 2004” Fact Book http://factbook.cppp.org

12. Getting Started: Change over Time Texas KIDS COUNT Interactive Database http://kidscount.cppp.org

36. What You Should Know to Use the Data • Percentages • Rates (Numerators, Denominators) • “Problems” with Small Numbers • Considerations when Making Comparisons

37. Things to Remember When Looking at Rates • Percentages are calculated as follows: # Babies at Low Birthweight (LBW) ÷ # Live Births = % of population • Sometimes, useful to represent these numbers as rates: 35 babies born at LBW ÷ 5892 live births = .9% As a rate per 1,000 births, .9% = 9 LBW births per 1,000 live births Caution: Looking at rates alone can sometimes mask key information needed to fully understand the problem

38. Things to Remember When Looking at Rates • Hypothetical Scenario • Outreach & education to reduce the incidence of low birthweight babies in your region • 2 different approaches to the problem • Focus on the counties with the greatest need, regardless of differences between sub-populations • Focus on the sub-populations most in need across counties

39. Low Birthweight Example

40. Low Birthweight Example (cont.)

41. Considerations when Looking at Rates

42. What’s Up With Chambers County?

43. Juvenile Violent Crime (Numbers)

44. Things to Remember When Looking at Rates • Rates can change dramatically for smaller counties or smaller categories with a small shift in raw number • Depending upon your interest, you may be better served by examining: • the change in raw # over time • how current data compare to the state, nearby counties, or similar counties based on demographics & geography

45. Things to Remember When Looking at Rankings • Rankings are based on the Rates • Thus, they are subject to the same considerations as described above • Ranking can change dramatically for smaller counties or smaller categories with a small shift in raw number

46. Things to Remember When Looking at Rankings • In a state with 254 Counties and varying demographics & geographies, what does it mean to be ranked 127th on an indicator? • Depending upon your interest, you may be better suited to look at: • the change in raw # over time • how current data compare to the state, nearby counties, or similar counties based on demographics & geography

47. Things to Remember When Looking at Rankings • A very good ranking can give a false sense of confidence, and leave some feeling like there is no work left to be done • A very poor ranking can give the feeling that the task is insurmountable, and funds are better spent in an area where improvement seems more likely

48. Examples: Using Texas Kids Count data in Budget Policy Analysis • Policy Analysis Assignment #1: Estimate the impact of S.B. 1 (General Appropriations Act), 2005 Session, on Harris County CHIP caseloads and funding. • Research involved: • From Kids Count database, get information showing that Harris County CHIP caseload is about 19% of Texas’ total enrollment in CHIP • From S.B. 1 (or CPPP), get information on total funding approved for CHIP ($610 million for 2006; $791 million for 2007), number of children funded at that level (362,175/398,630), and annual cost per child ($1,683/$1,985). While you’re at it, get same info for 2004/2005. • Make one assumption: that Harris County CHIP enrollment will continue to be about 19% of the state total. Apply this share to the information you have for 2004-07. Results?

49. Estimated CHIP Enrollment and Spending in Harris County

50. Policy Analysis Assignment #2: Estimate the impact of S.B. 1 on Harris County foster care caseloads and payments. • Research involved: • From Kids Count database, get information showing that Harris County paid foster care clientele [unduplicated] is about 14.9% of the state total; foster care payments are about 14.6% of state total. (Average of 2003 and 2004 data.) • From S.B. 1 (or CPPP), get information on total funding approved for foster care payments ($377 million for 2006; $356 million for 2007), and number of children funded at that level (18,522/19,257 average monthly FTEs). Get same info for 2003/2004/2005. • Make two assumptions: that Harris County caseloads and payments will at least keep their same share of state total as in 2003 and 2004; and that Kids Count data are similar enough to what’s in S.B. 1. Apply this share to the information you have for 2003-07. Results?