• April 2, 2021
• Civic Data      

TECHNICA.LY: Q&A WITH JUSTIN ELSZASZ, BALTIMORE CITY’S NEW CHIEF DATA OFFICER

In this interview, Baltimore’s new CDO Justin Elszasz discusses data academies, governance, and his plan for the first 100 days. Elszasz was previously the deputy director of the city’s Office of Performance and Innovation.

U.S. NEWS: MONTANA TRIBES HAVING SUCCESS DISTRIBUTING COVID-19 VACCINES

Vaccination data from Montana shows that Indian Health Services (IHS) facilities in the state have been highly successful in distributing vaccinations — in fact, so successful that the IHS is now vaccinating non-Native Montanans. One reason IHS has done so well is because of a centralized data system, which can be sorted to find eligible individuals who are then contacted for an appointment.

WHAT WORKS CITIES: STEP-BY-STEP EVALUATION REPLICATION GUIDES

The Behavioral Insights Team uses behavioral insights to test and improve policies and has worked with 50-plus cities over the past five years. Based on their extensive studies and trials, the team has now released an evaluation and replication guide to help other cities implement proven policies and programs.

BILLY PENN: PHILLY VACCINE MAP SHOWS SOME PROGRESS IN REDUCING ECONOMIC GAP

In the past two months, the city of Philadelphia has improved vaccination rates in low-income and racially diverse neighborhoods. Local journalists analyzed the city’s open data and found that while disparities still exist, the city has made strides in vaccinations.