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Testing wastewater for opioids in North Carolina town; Reducing childbirth deaths in New York State; and, Nick Sinai, former White House Deputy Chief Technology Officer, on creating real innovation in the public sector
Government Innovators Network
 
May 10, 2018

WHAT'S NEW


Nick Sinai pointing to note on board

Hacking the Bureaucracy Like a Pro — An Interview with Nick Sinai

Innovators Insights Blog

Nick Sinai, former White House Deputy Chief Technology Officer, reflects on what it takes to create real innovation in the public sector. Read more>>

handshake with graphic of circuits overlaid

Cities, CDOs, and the Power of Networking

Better, Faster, Cheaper

Chief data officers are not only working to solve their own cities' problems. They're working together to share their approaches among their peers. Read more>>

IN THE NEWS


Where Car Crashes and Hazardous Waste Spills Are a Good Thing

Tennessee first responders, transportation workers, and even tow truck operators can learn safe and efficient techniques for clearing highway incidents on a realistic interstate training track complete with multiple lanes, an intersection, interchange, guardrails, and movable barriers. Aside from car crashes, the first-of-its-kind training site, opened in 2014, allows first responders to train on tanker fires and hazardous waste spills. More than 4,800 people have been trained on the track. The program is a partnership between the state’s Highway Patrol and Department of Transportation. Colorado recently opened its own training track and officials from other states are expressing interest in building similar sites.

Town in North Carolina Wants to Screen Sewage to Find Opioid Users

To aid in its battle against the opioid crisis, the town of Cary, North Carolina, is looking beneath its streets. The town plans to set up 10 sampling stations in its sewers to measure concentrations of opioids in the wastewater to calculate the daily rate of drug usage per 1,000 people. The data will not be able to identify a specific home or user. The town received funding from the Bloomberg Philanthropies Mayors Challenge to test the plan. North Carolina has seen an 800-percent increase in fatal opioid overdoses over the past decade.

New York to Expand Use of Doulas to Reduce Childbirth Deaths

In support of a multipart initiative to strengthen maternal care, New York State will begin a pilot program to expand Medicaid coverage for doulas, non-medical birth coaches who help women with physical and emotional support before, during, and after childbirth. The initiative is particularly focused on the high rate of maternal mortality among black women, who are four times more likely to die in childbirth than white women in the state, according to a recent report. Studies have shown that the use of doulas can increase positive birth outcomes but they are not widely utilized. Oregon and Minnesota currently allow Medicaid reimbursements for doula services.

Washington, DC’s Transit Installs Color-Coded Escalator Guides in Station

The Washington Metropolitan Transit Authority (“Metro”) that serves the US capital area is making a simple graphic design change by adding color-coded escalator handrails in one of its stations to help riders find their way to the right platform. The pilot project is part of a larger initiative to improve wayfinding and security, especially where multiple train lines meet. The cost is minimal because escalator handrails are already replaced every two years. The Metro will study the progress of the pilot to determine whether it becomes a template for all 91 of its stations.

San Francisco Elementary School Students Gear Up for New Curriculum with 100 Free Bicycles, Riding Lessons

Three San Francisco public elementary schools are now adding bike-riding and traffic safety instruction to the curriculum for their students. Under the new physical education offering, the young students will be provided, for the duration of the course, with bicycles, helmets, and locks, as well as lessons in riding and safety. The city already provides bike education for middle school and high school students, but the new courses are an opportunity to instill good ridership skills as well as the enjoyment of cycling at an earlier age, particularly for those who might not be exposed to bicycling or have access to safe riding paths. The city plans to expand the program to all second-grade students over the course of the next several years.

DATA-SMART CITY SOLUTIONS


Using Data to Improve Children’s Lives

Cities are leveraging enhanced data-sharing, performance measurement, and new analytics tools to support children. Initiatives include an effort to match children with suitable foster parents, a project to identify children at risk of abuse or neglect, and the implementation of probation camps shown to reduce recidivism rates among juveniles. 

#DataSmart Resources: User-Centered Government

This resource guide is for implementing user-centered design in government in order to focus digital projects around their core audience: citizens. The guide provides links to essential readings, design toolkits, and training webinars to help governments get started on a user-oriented model.

ABOUT THIS NEWSLETTER


Innovators Insights is the news digest from the Government Innovators Network on the latest in government innovations. This digest is sent out every two weeks and is compiled and written by the editorial staff of the Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation at Harvard Kennedy School. In each issue, the editorial team identifies top policy and programmatic news that is related to government innovations so that you can stay informed about creative government at its best.

Editor: Jessica Engelman
Researcher & Writer: Brendan St. Amant
Note: The stories in this newsletter link to source articles on other websites and may not be available after a certain length of time.



ABOUT THE ASH CENTER


The Roy and Lila Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation advances excellence in governance and strengthens democratic institutions worldwide. Through its research, education, international programs, and government innovations awards, the Center fosters creative and effective problem solving and serves as a catalyst for addressing many of the most pressing needs of the world's citizens. The Ford Foundation is a founding donor of the Center. Additional information about the Ash Center is available at http://ash.harvard.edu.

 
 
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