Public service administrators are tasked with identifying cost-effective strategies for managing their programs, often with limited resources and budgets. Investments in the growing availability and accessibility of data, as well as business intelligence capabilities, makes it possible to take advantage of predictive analytics techniques that are becoming increasingly common in the private sector, and move more towards evidence-based decision making. This is especially valuable in counseling and social services.
What Is Predictive Analytics?
Predictive analytics refers to a range of methods that are used to anticipate an outcome. Or more broadly speaking, it looks at patterns in historical data to predict future outcomes. For example, many government programs will use predictive analytics to anticipate how individuals may respond to changes, particularly new services. With the information gained from predictive analytics, service administrators can then identify who is most likely to benefit from a change and find ways to improve their accessibility and scope.
The New York City Example
New York City recently launched HHS-Connect, a project that collected and centralized social service data. The goal was to allow clients to access different social service agencies without having to re-submit their information or complete duplicate paperwork. For example, someone accessing a homeless shelter would not have to re-enter their information if they had already visited a public welfare office or children’s services. By extension, this also allowed the government to more quickly ascertain eligibility for benefits for those who qualified and made it more difficult to produce waste, abuse, or fraud. A series of algorithms can analyze data system-wide and take a more pro-active stance.
And in Buffalo
Similarly, in Buffalo, big data allows governments to better target their limited resources to those communities most in need. Operation Clean Sweep, a community-based program that provides a range of services from a centralized source, analyzes 311 and 911 calls throughout the city, as well as economic and neighborhood data, to identify candidate neighborhoods and to better understand how to prioritize the services they offer to them.
The Wake Forest University Advantage
Wake Forest University’s online Masters of Arts in Counseling program offers students a unique opportunity to be on the cutting-edge of technology in the field of counseling and human services.
References
http://www.nccdglobal.org/blog/nccd-now-predictive-analytics-in-human-services
http://www.govtech.com/data/Big-Data-Gives-a-Boost-to-Health-and-Human-Services.html
http://blog.marketo.com/2014/04/predictive-analytics-the-next-piece-of-the-social-puzzle.html