San Diego County Supervisors OK New Policy Approach, Office

SAN DIEGO COUNTY, CA — The San Diego County Board of Supervisors Tuesday unanimously approved a plan, along with a new office, that proponents say will prioritize evidence and data in decision-making, as a way to ensure better policies.

Board Chairman Nathan Fletcher and Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer proposed setting up the Office of Evaluation, Performance and Analytics to oversee the focus on evidence-based policy.

According to a county statement release, the office will help county departments "improve outcomes for residents and be responsible stewards of public funds by bringing effective policies to scale and identifying policies that are not achieving the desired results."

"Requiring evidence in policymaking can highlight what is working and what isn't, so we can put our resources behind programs that get the job done," Lawson-Remer said.
That focus will also include programs that align with county priorities and influence major policy decisions.

The office staff will directly report to the chief administration officer, Helen Robbins-Meyer.
Staffers tasked with creating the office will provide regular updates to the Board of Supervisors and report back by March 1 with a detailed plan.

An evaluation advisory committee will review, analyze and make recommendations on the office's annual strategic research plan. Committee members will include academics, think tank officials and independent researchers.

During the Tuesday regular board meeting, Lawson-Remer -- who previously advised the United Nations and World Bank -- said there have been numerous examples of public agencies making decisions based on ideology or pre- existing notions.

"We need policies based on data, not political theater," Lawson- Remer said.

With the county facing serious challenges, including racial justice and improving public health, "our tax dollars need to make the biggest impact possible," she added.

Fletcher said data sharing is important when it comes to behavioral health programs, as a way to better track individual outcomes.

According to Fletcher and Lawson-Remer, Tuesday's action is "part of a growing national movement toward evidence-based policy."

The Biden administration recently directed all federal agencies "to put scientific integrity and evidence at the center of federal decision- making," the two supervisors said in their motion.

Research from the PEW Charitable Trust and Urban Institute has linked evidence-based policymaking with many benefits, including better outcomes for residents, along with accountability and transparency, according to Fletcher and Lawson-Remer.

— City News Service