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Oregon counties cut caseloads for foster system lawyers; New York counties educate ER doctors about opioid alternatives; and we explore the implications of AI-driven automation technology for workers in our blog
Government Innovators Network
 
May 24, 2018

WHAT'S NEW


graphic of binary code and wavy lines

Artificial Intelligence: A Prize Wrapped Within a Social Conundrum

Innovators Insights Blog

While AI-driven automation technology has the potential to amplify the wage gap between less-educated and more-educated workers, it also holds enormous potential and government has a pivotal role to play in shepherding society through the coming transition. Read more>>

adult students working on computers

Cities, Data and the Future of Work

Better, Faster, Cheaper

Stephen Goldsmith discusses how new tools are being put to use to prepare workers for new trades and match them to a changing labor market, with examples from Pennsylvania, New York City, DC, and Boston that highlight demand in areas such as cybersecurity for health care, retail, finance, and defense. Read more>>

IN THE NEWS


Chief Information Security Officer-as-a-Service for Michigan Municipalities

Michigan recently launched a Chief Information Security Officer-as-a-service pilot to help small- and midsize government agencies improve their cybersecurity readiness as if they had such an executive onsite. As part of the initiative, the program provides each community with a scorecard to benchmark their systems and asset maturity, prioritize risks, and track progress. Results can also be used to determine which areas require more funding to support requests for upgrades. Presently, there are nine Michigan communities participating in the program.

California Will Require Solar Power for New Homes

California will become the first US state to require that new houses, condos, and certain apartment buildings have solar panels starting in 2020. Although solar power will provide energy savings to homeowners, the requirements are expected to increase the initial costs of housing by thousands of dollars. New Jersey, Massachusetts, and Washington, DC, have also considered similar legislation.

Oregon Pilot Program Cuts Caseloads for Foster System Lawyers

Since 2014, the state of Oregon has been tracking metrics in three counties related to good legal representation for foster children and caregivers in an effort to improve services to this population. Measures have included the amount of time lawyers spend with clients, number of caseloads per lawyer, access to multidisciplinary staff such as expert witnesses, and client satisfaction. Counties that have implemented the approach, which includes limiting lawyers to 80 clients and compensating them according to how much time they devote to each case, have witnessed a higher share of children returned to their parents, fewer children entering the foster care system, and a reduction in wait time for placement into permanent homes. Supporters of the program hope to secure further appropriation of monies to expand the approach statewide after a study evaluating its effectiveness is completed by the University of Chicago.

New York State to Create Pilot Project to Encourage Emergency Room Doctors to Prescribe Opioid Alternatives

New York State has approved the Opioid Alternative Project, a pilot program designed to encourage emergency doctors to prescribe opioid alternatives for pain management. The program is modeled after a 2017 Colorado initiative that saw a 36-percent reduction in the prescribing of opioids over a six-month period of the program. Emergency rooms are of particular interest as they can often be the first contact some patients have with opioids. The Iroquois Healthcare Alliance which comprises 54 hospitals in 32 upstate counties will administer the pilot, which it drafted. Officials also hope to develop and share a list of best practices with other hospitals.

Why More School Districts Are Holding Class Just Four Days a Week

A growing number of schools are instituting four-day school weeks for part or all of the academic year, with goals of saving money, attracting teachers, strengthening professional development, and allowing for the scheduling of internships or extracurricular and family activities. While popular in some communities, critics observe that the shift may not materially impact the school's budget, can create different childcare difficulties, and that fitting in extra hours during the other school days may hurt, not help student learning.

DATA-SMART CITY SOLUTIONS


What Makes a Good Data Story?

This post outlines the key attributes of a compelling story about data. It suggests that good data stories are about people and real-world problems, highlight meaningful impacts of data, remind readers about what’s in it for them, and connect to personal experiences.

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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