SBIR-STTR Award

Development of a Web-based Analytic Tool for Strategic Prevention Planning This Phase I SBIR proposal focuses on important practical issues that currently inhibit the development of data-based decision systems that are feasible and useful for local planning, intervention design, and resource allocation. Although states, counties, and municipalities gather an abundance of data relevant to prevention planners, existing analysis and display of these data are typically not useful to the planning process. Available data is collected in non- uniform formats and varying time intervals, and often aggregated at levels too inclusive for local planning and decision-making. Despite increasing policy expectations that prevention will be driven by local data-based planning (e.g., SAMHSA's SPF initiative), this critical step seldom takes place because the resources and expertise necessary to collect the data and do the analysis are not available on a local level. What is needed is a systematic and flexible analysis template that will guide users in a) extracting and transferring relevant data from available public archives, b) organizing extracted data in data sets ready for analysis, c) producing specified sub-population and specific geographic comparisons and trend estimates, and d) outputting information in clear understandable tables and graphs. EMT proposes ameliorate this crucial capacity bottle neck by developing a web-based tool through which states, counties, and local communities can realistically access relevant and comparable archival indicators of substance abuse consequences and easily produce fine-grained analyses that meet local decision-making and reporting needs. Our Phase I activities focus on four aims: 1) develop a product plan and specification document for the proposed Substance Abuse Consequences Decision Support System, 2) develop a fully functioning online prototype using California data; 3) assess usability and decision utility of the prototype through feedback from experts and end users; and 4) assess feasibility and implications for Phase II. There is currently a strong policy focus on utilizing alcohol and other drug (AOD) indicator data in developing comprehensive prevention plans. Federal funding to states for prevention planning 1) require the use of the Strategic Planning Framework (SPF), which is a data driven planning model, and 2) the use of AOD National Outcome Measures (NOMs) for determining community and state effectiveness in dealing with alcohol and drug problems. This project proposes the development of a web-based prototype that makes use of archival data sets on ADO incident data to facilitate local (county) level planning and assessment efforts. This project can bring important benefits by effectively providing a single source compilation of AOD data in a manipulate-able format for local planners.

Thesaurus Terms:
There Are No Thesaurus Terms On File For This Project.

The overall purpose of EMT's proposed Phase II research and development is to produce a market-ready version of the Incidents of Substance Abuse Consequences (ISAC) system. ISAC is an online analysis processing (OLAP) system with focused utility for supporting decisions concerning policy and programs that will mitigate the consequences of substance abuse. To achieve this purpose, we will implement the following steps: We will a) significantly improve the IT platform that supported our ISAC test module in Phase I, and seek ways to strengthen content through addition of important indicators; b) develop, test and incorporate guidance materials in the tool portal, guidance tools in displays, and auxiliary (e.g., linked on-line training materials) locations to assist users in effectively using information for decision purposes; c) conduct a careful, multi-method study that monitors the use of ISAC in twelve California counties selected for their diversity in dimensions of need and capacity for implementing data- based decision making concerning substance abuse prevention; d) assess the current status of relevant data systems nationwide to identify opportunities and challenges in adapting ISAC across states; e) revise our California ISAC product and our generic platform and ISAC system as necessary; and f) finalize our California and nationwide marketing strategy. The R&D activities proposed for Phase II build on the findings and lessons generated by our Phase I activities. The Phase I R & D supported a conclusion that the proposed ISAC system a) is perceived by intended consumers to meet a variety of real needs for decision-relevant information in planning, policy and resource allocation, accountability, and evaluation of substance abuse prevention and associated areas; b) is perceived as very usable by intended consumers; c) is technologically feasible, but requires significant development to produce a finished product that meets all the analytic, display and interpretation support needs identified in Phase I feasibility testing; d) would meet the locally specific information needs required by current federal policy; and d) is cost-effective compared to the cost of achieving a comparable information base through local resources.

Public Health Relevance:
There is currently a strong policy focus on utilizing alcohol and other drug (AOD) indicator data in developing comprehensive prevention plans. Federal funding to states for prevention planning 1) require the use of the Strategic Planning Framework (SPF), which is a data driven planning model, and 2) the use of AOD National Outcome Measures (NOMs) for determining community and state effectiveness in dealing with alcohol and drug problems. This project proposes the development of a web-based prototype that makes use of archival data sets on ADO incident data to facilitate local (county) level planning and assessment efforts. This project can bring important benefits by effectively providing a single source compilation of AOD data in a manipulate-able format for local planners.

Public Health Relevance Statement:
Project Narrative There is currently a strong policy focus on utilizing alcohol and other drug (AOD) indicator data in developing comprehensive prevention plans. Federal funding to states for prevention planning 1) require the use of the Strategic Planning Framework (SPF), which is a data driven planning model, and 2) the use of AOD National Outcome Measures (NOMs) for determining community and state effectiveness in dealing with alcohol and drug problems. This project proposes the development of a web-based prototype that makes use of archival data sets on ADO incident data to facilitate local (county) level planning and assessment efforts. This project can bring important benefits by effectively providing a single source compilation of AOD data in a manipulate-able format for local planners.

Project Terms:
Accountability; Administrator; Alcohols; Analysis, Data; Area; California; Case Study; Categories; Characteristics; Chemical Class, Alcohol; Classification; Clinical Trials, Phase I; Communities; Complement; Complement Proteins; Contracting Opportunities; Contracts; County; Data; Data Analyses; Data Banks; Data Bases; Data Display; Data Quality; Data Set; Databank, Electronic; Databanks; Database, Electronic; Databases; Dataset; Decision Making; Development; Development Plans; Development and Research; Dimensions; Drops; Drugs; Drugs, Nonproprietary; Early-Stage Clinical Trials; Effectiveness; Elements; Environment; Equilibrium; Evaluation; Feedback; Flexibility; Foundations; Funding; Generic Drugs; Goals; Health; Health system; IT Systems; Information Systems; Information Technology Systems; Internet; Intervention; Intervention Strategies; Interview; Kinetic; Kinetics; Link; Location; Maps; Marketing; Measures; Medication; Methods; Modeling; Monitor; Needs Assessment; On-Line Systems; Online Systems; Outcome; Outcome Measure; Output; Participant; Performance; Pharmaceutic Preparations; Pharmaceutical Preparations; Phase; Phase 1 Clinical Trials; Phase I Clinical Trials; Phase I Study; Pliability; Policies; Population Sizes; Preparation; Prevention; Procedures; Process; Product Packaging; Programs (PT); Programs [Publication Type]; Protocol; Protocols documentation; R & D; R&D; Reporting; Research Resources; Resource Allocation; Resources; Respondent; Retrieval; Sampling; Selection Criteria; Services; Solid; Source; Specific qualifier value; Specified; Standardization; Strategic Planning; Structure; Substance abuse problem; System; System, LOINC Axis 4; Systematics; Systems Analyses; Systems Analysis; Systems, Data; Telephone Interviews; Testing; Training; WWW; Work; abuse of substances; alcohol and other drug; balance; balance function; base; behavioral health; case report; clinical data repository; clinical data warehouse; comparative; cost; data repository; design; designing; drug/agent; evidence base; experience; federal policy; generic; improved; innovate; innovation; innovative; interventional strategy; meetings; online computer; phase 1 study; phase 1 trial; phase I trial; product development; programs; protocol, phase I; prototype; public health relevance; relational database; research and development; substance abuse; substance abuse prevention; tool; trend; usability; user-friendly; web; web based; world wide web