AISP Toolkit Feb25 2025 - Flipbook - Page 43
Protected data are generally identi昀椀able information collected for operational purposes (e.g., for
caseworkers to manage service provision); however, these data can be useful for researchers,
community leaders, and other constituencies outside of direct service agencies. There is a delicate
balance between hoarding high-value data that could be used to improve lives, and risking individual
or community harm if data are shared or used inappropriately. While working to strike this balance,
consider how data are processed, managed, and requested (see NCDHHS, Charlotte Regional Data
Trust, and KYSTATS). Ideally, when protected data can be bene昀椀cial to those in the data, there should
be pathways for it to be accessed (see Client View and Built for Zero). Once again, data governance is
how we build those pathways with care.
Categorizing data is a large task, but it is critical to centering racial equity. The risks and bene昀椀ts
of making data open, protected, or unavailable should be carefully considered. The risk vs. bene昀椀t
matrix and the positive and problematic practices detailed below can be helpful tools in making and
communicating about these categorization decisions.
Note: Considering privacy and security is necessary for data classi昀椀ed at all levels. The practices
below, as well as the Work in Action, highlight some strategies to maintain privacy without
gatekeeping valuable information (see BEST and Urban Institute).
CENTERING RACIAL EQUITY THROUGHOUT THE DATA LIFE CYCLE
Unavailable data are data that cannot or should not be shared because access by external users is
prohibited by law (e.g., HIV status); information is not yet digitized (e.g., eviction records); there are
substantial data quality issues (e.g., data are missing or inaccurate); or the data have been deemed
too sensitive for any release in case of redisclosure (e.g., information on domestic violence). There
are many legitimate reasons that data are unavailable, and those reasons should be documented
to ensure that valuable data are not being hidden or made unavailable for illegitimate reasons (e.g.,
technical problems).
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