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This week: policing the mentally ill, grading federal agencies, and embracing the urban Internet of Things
Government Innovators Network
 
September 17, 2015
In This Issue

What's New

In the News

Data-Smart City Solutions

Better, Faster, Cheaper

 

WHAT'S NEW


Transparency Policy Project

An Ash Center Project

In "Too Much Information: Making Transparency Good for You," Elena Fagotto and Archon Fung examine the benefits and pitfalls of mandating transparency to bolster public health and safety. Read more>>

Embedded Education:
An Innovation in Governance

Harvard Kennedy School

Jorrit de Jong, Guy Stuart, and Linda Kaboolian explore alternative methods of teaching life skills by integrating activities such as banking and health care. Read more>>

IN THE NEWS


In Los Angeles, a national model for how to police the mentally ill

The Los Angeles Police Department has forged an unusual and strong partnership with the county’s Department of Mental Health to provide smart policing that deploys doctors, nurses, and social workers alongside patrol officers. Co-deployment of officers and clinicians reduces the incidences of unnecessary force used on individuals suffering from mental health issues and improves evaluations of whether someone needs to be in custody; this approach can save monies and ultimately lead to a more therapeutic outcome for the individual. Teaming up with mental health clinicians has also saved municipal funds by helping to identify root causes of behaviors such as excessive summoning of emergency personnel, and connecting those individuals with counseling and support.

New city pilot program will help motorists track how they drive, compete with friends

To better understand how people drive in New York City in order to mitigate traffic gridlock problems, the city’s Department of Transportation has unveiled a program that tracks the driving habits of 400 volunteers, including how fast they go, how they break and turn, how much gas they use, when they drive, and where they are. Drive Smart is a yearlong pilot program, which equips participating vehicles with a small device that tracks these metrics and offers drivers discounts on auto insurance and other incentive rewards. Privacy advocates note the potential for vehicle hacking.

Fire hydrant water fountains rolled out across Montreal

Montreal is making city water more accessible without incurring substantial construction costs by retrofitting fire hydrants with a device that enables them to also serve as public drinking fountains. The two hydrant-fountains still allow for use in putting out fires. Aside from reducing the use of bottled water, the fountains will also fill a need for homeless and elderly residents. More hydrants are expected to be retrofitted in the coming months.

Happy With Your TSA Experience? Press A Button. Angry? Press Another Button

In part of a yearlong pilot, federal agencies are making it easier for people to give the government feedback using a simple kiosk on their way out the door. The kiosk asks people if they were satisfied with the service they received, and they can then press one of four buttons to register different satisfaction levels. Submissions are anonymous, and are summarized every hour for officials. The kiosks are already in place at passport and Social Security offices, and the Transportation Security Administration and the Department of Veterans Affairs will soon be using the technology.

San Francisco uses paint to fight public urination

To combat the public urination that is rampant in certain areas of San Francisco, the city is testing urine-repellent paint on walls in areas that get sprayed. With the new paint, anyone urinating on the specially treated walls will get the spray splashed back onto them. The city, which got the idea from Hamburg, Germany, provides fair warning in the form of notices posted in areas where the problem is prevalent and is also installing solar-powered toilets.

DATA-SMART CITY SOLUTIONS


The Urban Internet of Things: Surveying Innovations Across City Systems

While the Internet of Things (IoT) offers unparalleled opportunities to enhance efficiency, improve public safety, and support development, it also presents several important challenges that cities will have to negotiate in order to realize these benefits. With smart and forward-looking leadership, IoT has the potential to create a revolution in city planning and management.

BETTER, FASTER, CHEAPER


How New York City Is Mainstreaming Data-Driven Governance

The Mayor’s Office of Data Analytics in New York City aggregates data from across agencies, analyzes it, and turns it into actionable solutions. What began as a niche innovation is creating a wider transformation of government culture.

IT and the Metrics That Really Matter

As technology continues to develop, the level of IT innovation will become even more of a key differentiator among governments, particularly across local jurisdictions striving to streamline operations and create sustainable neighborhoods and resilient communities. CIOs need to develop better ways to measure how technology is affecting government outcomes.

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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