Connecticut

Pursuant to Section 10 of HB 5506, the Office of Policy and Management (OPM) is creating an Evaluation and Impact unit, with support from American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF). The unit will be responsible for coordinating evaluation and impact for investments through ARPA, working closely with state agencies, subrecipients and applied researchers and evaluators. OPM has developed an Evidence and Evaluation guide and the new unit will help to develop evaluation plans and to coordinate access to state data resources and will focus on providing ‘hands-on’ support and guidance to recipients of funds and assist in collecting and synthesizing evidence for reporting and communications. In addition, OPM has published data on ARPA and CRF allocations to the open data portal and will continue to develop online resources for these in 2022.

In 2021, the Executive Board for P20 WIN, the state longitudinal data system, reviewed and approved a learning agenda to cover the priority areas for analysis across the ten agencies that are part of P20 WIN. The learning agenda focuses on cross-cutting topics and agencies are working to develop actionable data requests based on the topics in the agenda.

The Connecticut State Data Plan includes priorities for evaluation, including increased tracking of evidence and impact to deliver more efficient and coordinated services, and evaluation practices, such as use of ‘mixed methods.’

In 2022, the Connecticut Office of Higher Education used a tiered evidence framework from the AmeriCorps Evidence Exchange to both define evidence and allocate funds through its AmeriCorps Connecticut program. The grant attributed points within Program Design (worth 50% of total points) towards evidence-based criteria, including Evidence Tier (worth 12%) and Evidence Quality (worth 8%). Evidence Tier was subsequently awarded up to 12 points and Evidence Quality was allotted 8 points. The RFP asserted that “all applicants must propose program designs that are either evidence-based or evidence-informed. Applicants assessed as lower than the Preliminary evidence tier (i.e., Pre-Preliminary) must provide adequate responses to the Evidence Quality review criteria in order to be considered for funding.” Applicants were encouraged to use interventions assessed as having ‘Preliminary,’ ‘Moderate’, or ‘Strong’ tiered evidence through the AmeriCorps Mandatory Supplemental Guidance that further defined evidence.

A 2015 Connecticut law defines three tiers of evidence for programs operated by the Connecticut Departments of Correction, Children and Families, and Mental Health and Addiction Services, and the Court Support Services Division of the Judicial Branch: evidence-based, research-based, and promising. The law requires these agencies to categorize their programs by the evidence tiers in even-numbered fiscal years. Additionally, the law charges the Institute for Municipal and Regional Policy at University of Connecticut with submitting an annual report containing a cost-benefit analysis of the programs. In 2020, the report entitled Benefit-Cost Analyses of Evidence-Based Programs showed that 108 programs and services administered by the Judicial Branch’s Court Support Services Division and the Department of Correction were identified as evidence-based.

The Connecticut State Department of Education’s Office of Performance is led by a Chief Performance Officer, who is responsible for using data, evaluation, research, and technology to improve student outcomes. The Chief Performance Officer maintains the department’s data collection, assessment, information technology, reporting, research, and accountability activities, including the management of its performance dashboard, EdSight. The office also hosts an annual Performance Matters Forum, which focuses on performance, continuous improvement, research, and evaluation topics.

The Connecticut Department of Children and Families implemented an adaptation of the New York City ChildStat model in 2021 as a performance management process. ChildStat provides a routine synthesis and analysis of data regarding the performance of each Area Office on specific key outcome measures. The model involves three phases:  preparation, a ChildStat meeting, and follow-up. During preparation, quantitative and qualitative practice data is reviewed by local Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) teams and QI staff, and strategies are developed to address areas needing improvement. Local teams meet regularly (at least monthly) to accomplish this work. The data and identified CQI strategies are then presented to the DCF Executive Team at ChildStat meetings held every six months. The data and strategies are discussed through a Racial Justice lens, and strategies either affirmed or amended during the presentation. Frontline Area Office staff that provide direct services present the data/strategies, as well as other divisions and supportive functions (i.e., Systems, HR, Fiscal, Clinical) as needed. This intra-agency collaboration is significant to assist with the implementation of improvement strategies. These changes are then implemented during the follow-up phase using the PDSA model (Plan-Do-Study-Act) to assess and improve efficacy of the intervention. Updates on implemented strategies occur during subsequent ChildStat meetings.

Connecticut’s Department of Children and Families, in partnership with the Harvard Kennedy School’s Government Performance Lab, implemented an Enhanced Service Coordination project in 2019. One part of the state’s 2020-2024 Child and Family Services Plan, it seeks to improve the process of matching clients to services across the state. The innovations include real-time use of data to inform organizational processes and procurement as well as active contract management strategies to further improve service delivery.

In late 2022, the U.S Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) awarded the Commission for Educational Technology, part of the Department of Administrative Services, with $736,000 to develop a statewide Digital Equity Plan (www.CT.gov/DigitalEquity). The goal of this plan is to ensure that all residents have access to and can utilize technology for learning, career advancement, leveraging state services, health and wellness, and overall participation in society. Through community outreach, statewide surveys, the development of an “asset map” of existing supports, and other measures, the Commission is working to identify barriers to digital equity: broadband, devices, training, technical support, and services for every resident. The program prioritizes the needs of traditionally disadvantaged groups, including aging individuals (60+); those incarcerated in State facilities; individuals with a language barrier; those with disabilities; members of the LGBTQ+ community; low-income households; racial, ethnic, and religious minorities; rural residents; veterans; and women. The Digital Equity Plan is expected to be completed and submitted to the NTIA in the fall of 2023, with implementation funding expected in 2024.

In April, 2022, OPM, the Department of Social Services (DSS), and the Office of Health Strategy (OHS) became participants in the Equity in Practice Learning Community (EIPLC) from Actionable Intelligence for Social Policy (AISP) to address equity in data and conduct an impact assessment of data sharing. The EIPLC work directly supports efforts to establish a Resident Advisory Board for the state longitudinal data system, P20 WIN, and to develop an equity impact assessment tool to standardize review of agency data use. The state All-Payer’s Claims Database and P20 WIN have both incorporated equity into data release procedures.

GreenerGov CT is a statewide effort to measure progress in environmental sustainability, by reducing energy use, water, waste, and greenhouse gas emissions while lowering operating costs for the state of Connecticut’s government facilities and operations. Connecticut’s state agencies have continued to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 45% below 2001 levels; reduce waste disposal by 25% from a 2020 baseline; reduce water consumption by 10% from a 2020 baseline; and set additional sub-goals by 2030. The state centralized collection of hundreds of thousands of utility bills from across the state’s operations and facilities to build the public-facing Data Dashboard. GreenerGovCT reports progress in the 2022 GreenerGov CT Progress Report.