About Data for Action

A growing level of complexity, connectedness and risk, driven by globalization, big data and rapid technological innovation, requires public health to look across diseases and jurisdictions to prevent and solve a number of complex issues. However, public health efforts are hindered because necessary data are not always accessible for timely decision-making. To confront this, CDC has partnered with PHII, convening a group of public health partners to develop a “Data for Action” vision. This vision will include guideposts and principles to assist organizations in better understanding how to address their unique challenges and concerns. More information will be added to this page as it becomes available.

Data for Action – star stories

PHII and CDC want to capture your STAR STORY! We are curating unique stories from state, tribal, local and territorial agencies that highlight the use of data to inform better public health decisions. Please take a few moments to reflect on your greatest public health achievement where you or your agency moved data to action. You can submit your star story using this form. Please note, your answers will be shared with CDC partners.

Data for action Resources

Data Modernization Learning Community

The Data Modernization learning community calls consist of peer-to-peer presentations on data modernization successes and challenges with the chance to collaborate with peers from other jurisdictions. Data modernization resources and planning materials are available for DMI leads through the project collaboration workspace, Circle. The workspace houses meeting materials and recordings, documents and files, and facilitates interactive conversations through the use of message boards and forums. 

Data Modernization Workshop

In 2021 and 2022, PHII convened recipients of the Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity for Prevention and Control of Emerging Infectious Diseases (ELC) cooperative agreement and informatics experts in a three-day virtual and interactive workshop. The workshop aimed to support jurisdictions as they work to plan and implement activities aligned with the Data Modernization Initiative with a strong focus on peer-to-peer learning and small group discussions.

Data Modernization Planning Toolkit

The toolkit supports Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity for Prevention and Control of Emerging Infectious Diseases (ELC) in planning data modernization ventures at health departments. It is not an implementation plan, as each jurisdiction’s data modernization projects will differ. Instead, it is a guide to build leadership and partner buy-in for data modernization work and to assist health departments in developing plans that prioritize data modernization activities.

PHII is a program of the Task Force for Global Health, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that was founded as the Task Force for Child Survival in 1984. The Task Force is affiliated with Emory University.