Data, Action, Impact.
Data, Action, Impact: Advancing Our Communities Nationwide
At Advance OC, we envision a future where every individual’s potential is not limited by their zip code. Our mission is to harness data, drive innovation, and engage in strategic philanthropy to tackle inequities and foster thriving communities.
We believe that closing disparities starts with establishing a baseline to promote a shared understanding of community needs and assets. By collecting and analyzing data at the neighborhood level, we aim to unite stakeholders and champion community-centered solutions that are data informed and equity-focused. Together, we are working to ensure that everyone, everywhere, has the opportunity to reach their full potential.
Data, Action, Impact.
Data, action, impact. This is how Advance OC is working to help Orange County communities thrive.
At Advance OC, we envision a world where a person’s zip code does not limit their human potential. Our mission is to use data, innovation, and strategic philanthropy to address the inequities in Orange County communities.
We believe the first step in closing these gaps is to establish a common baseline. By collecting and analyzing local data at the neighborhood level, we hope to bring stakeholders together to create community-centered, equity-focused policy solutions that will improve the health and well-being for everyone in Orange County.
AWARD-WINNING AWARD-WINNING ORANGE COUNTY EQUITY MAP
AWARD-WINNING AWARD-WINNING ORANGE COUNTY EQUITY MAP
In July 2020, the Board of Supervisors commissioned Advance OC to create an Orange County Equity Map using the Social Progress Index (SPI) platform. This index, used world-wide, includes population data in three broad dimensions: Basic Human Needs, Foundations of Wellbeing, and Opportunity.
The Orange County Equity Map displays this data for all 613 neighborhood census tracts as well as CDC population health and US Census demographic data for the county.
This award-winning interactive platform provides a simple way to investigate disparities at the county, city, and neighborhood levels in an easy-to-understand format. What trends do you see? How can we come together as a community to bring equity to Orange County?
USING DATA SCIENCE TO DELIVER HEALTH EQUITY
The pandemic has left a different footprint in communities across the county. Most notably, COVID-19 has had a disproportionate impact on communities with high populations of older adults, Latinx households and the poor. As conditions worsened and more people got sick, the Health Care Agency came to us with a request: can we develop a custom dashboard that highlighted the most vulnerable populations in the County?
We said ‘yes.’ In partnership with the HCA, Advance OC created a custom COVID-19 Vulnerability Index combining health and comorbidity risk factors with social vulnerabilities to identify neighborhoods in Orange County with highest risk.
Armed with this data, the HCA deployed mobile vaccine clinics to these neighborhoods to ensure that those in our community who were most vulnerable were given priority attention. This is health equity in action, and this is how Advance OC helped save lives.
How Artificial Intelligence Can Advance Humanity
Artificial Intelligence (AI) can seem daunting, but AI is changing the way we tackle real world problems. Advance OC is utilizing AI to unlock new innovations to solve our most complex and pressing issues, including machine learning models that identify hidden but pressing inequities. We believe that, together, we can harness the power of cutting-edge technology to advance humanity. Stay tuned for exciting announcements!
Social Progress Index
The Social Progress Index (SPI) is an innovative way to define the success of our community. This well-known benchmark is used globally by both the private and public sectors, including the State of California, the European Union, the countries of Costa Rica, Australia, and many others. The components of the SPI include over 50 social and environmental factors that are important determinants for the health and well-being of a community including education, nutrition, environmental quality, inclusiveness, access to information, public safety, and more.
Policymakers and elected leaders are charged with the goal of improving the lives of everyday people. To accomplish this, we need to understand the components that directly influence the conditions in which people live, work, and play. What are the social and environmental factors that people experience? What if we could measure these components and drive decisions to improve those conditions? Now we can.
By bringing the SPI to Orange County, you can now view the conditions of your neighborhood. How does your neighborhood compare? You can find out by using the SPI map.