What do we mean by assessments that span jurisdictions?
__ A jurisdiction is the area that a particular agency, branch of government, organization, educational institution, or other entity – or a particular office of one of these entities – is responsible for serving.
__ Arranging assessments across jurisdictions can involve not only the logistics of getting and integrating data from many different sources, but also facilitating agreements among the stakeholders about what they’ll agree to provide, do, or consent to.
Why arrange assessments that span jurisdictions?
__ It gives more information to those serving the area.
__ It affords the opportunity to look at problems and issues as a whole, rather than focusing on a narrow geographical area.
__ It encourages agencies, institutions, and organizations to look at the area comprehensively, and to work together to serve it effectively.
__ It can change the norms for how the area is assessed and served.
__ It recognizes that administrative boundaries should follow community boundaries, rather than the other way around
__ It encourages people in the area to view it as a unit, and to see themselves as members of a coherent community.
__ It can bring out data that wouldn’t otherwise be visible.
Who should be involved in assessments that span jurisdictions?
__ Those directly affected by the issue(s) of concern.
__ All those entities whose jurisdictions are involved in the assessment.
__ All sectors of the community.
When should you arrange assessments that span jurisdictions?
__ When you’re serving a cohesive area that falls into several jurisdictions.
__ When issues span jurisdictions.
__ When you’re organizing a major initiative to address an issue.
__ When you’re setting out to address social determinants or other root causes that are larger than any one jurisdiction.
__ When funders or laws mandate it.
How do you arrange assessments that span jurisdictions?
__ Engage the community and the entities whose jurisdictions are in question.
__ Identify the intended uses of the data and the implications for jurisdictions that those uses imply.
__ Specify the geographic areas served by key stakeholders and the overlap among them.
__ Identify potential data sources and the geographic areas they represent.
__ Identify potential community goals and target populations and how those affect the definition of the region covered in this assessment.
__ Describe features of the defined community and the broader context that affect the issue and efforts to improve it.
__ Determine how well the available data fit with the geographic area you’ve defined.
__ Maintain cross-jurisdictional alliances and collaboration, so that you can continue to monitor the area in the future.