Resource Directory

To support children’s mental health, we first need a solid foundation of information based on data. Data are needed to paint a picture, look at trends to see what has happened over time, and prepare for the future. Data governance is a critical tool towards conducting children’s mental health surveillance. This is the first report in a series on data governance by NNPHI. This report outlines the importance of data governance by leadership, project managers, program staff, research, Information Technology (IT) and subject matter experts (SMEs). Data governance activities include data management processes, data standards and definitions, and program coordination that oversees interagency data sharing and analyses. Through such activities, valid, reliable and high-quality data will be available for public health, human services and education research, program evaluation and policymaker decision-making around children’s mental health surveillance.

This report is funded by the U.S Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Cooperative Agreement OT13-1302. The National Network of Public Health Institutes (NNPHI) has collaborated with DataSmith Solutions and CDC’s National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities (NCBDDD) Division of Human Development and Disability on this effort. Contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of CDC or the US Department of Health & Human Services. For more information visit cdc.gov/childrensmentalhealth.