Spotlight Digest

Often there are postings about reports and information that we know continue to be of interest and value to our readers past the time they are Spotlighted. This Digest page is made up of items which have appeared in the Spotlight column but which we believe remain important sources of information. Please feel free to let us know what you think.

Annie E. Casey KIDS COUNT Database

The Annie E. Casey Foundation's KIDS COUNT online database has a whole new look and feel. Now featuring child well-being measures for the 50 largest U.S. cities, this powerful tool also contains more than 100 indicators, including the most recent data available on education, employment and income, poverty, health, and youth risk factors for the United States as a whole, all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Visit the new KIDS COUNT Data Center to create your own maps, charts and graphs by topic or geographic area.

The Big Cities Health Inventory 2007

The Health of Urban USA provides city-to-city comparisons of leading measures of health, presenting a broad overview of the health of the 54 largest metropolitan areas in the U.S. Produced with funding from NACCHO's Metro Forum, this report is the fifth edition of a compendium of health status indicators designed to provide usable information for evidence-based decision making. To download a free PDF of this publication, click here.

Council on Quality and Leadership

The Council on Quality and Leadership (CQL) envisions a world of dignity, opportunity and community inclusion for all people. CQL is an international not-for-profit organization, providing leadership and excellence in the definition, measurement, and improvement of personal and community quality of life for people with disabilities and people with mental illness. Visit www.c-q-l.org to learn more about their Community Life® work. CQL's Community Life Manual is available at www.thecouncil.org/publications/

IBM Center for the Business of Government

The IBM Center for The Business of Government is releasing a new report, "Engaging Citizens in Measuring and Reporting Community Conditions: A Manager's Guide" by Alfred Ho. Please visit The Center at www.businessofgovernment.org

Neighborhood Change in Urban America

Neighborhood Change in Urban America Studies, Brief 4 has been released by the National Neighborhood Indicators Project of the Urban Institute. America's urban neighborhoods generally fared better in the 1990's than they did over the preceding decade, but patterns of change were far from uniform. This brief contrasts census tracts in the 100 largest metropolitan areas that improved over a decade with those that worsened. The share of neighborhoods that improved in the 1990's was much higher where markets were strong than where they were weak, but the results were always a mix. While there were many exceptions, tracts that improved were most often found in the inner portions of the central city and the outer rings of the suburbs, while tracts that worsened were more prevalent in the outer portions of the cities and, in particular, the inner ring of the suburbs. For the complete report, go to http://www.urban.org/url.cfm?ID=411527

Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2006 Report released 28 August 2007

Real median household income in the United States climbed between 2005 and 2006, reaching $48,200, according to a report released today by the U.S. Census Bureau. This is the second consecutive year that income has risen.

The nation's official poverty rate declined for the first time this decade, from 12.6 percent in 2005 to 12.3 percent in 2006. There were 36.5 million people in poverty in 2006, not statistically different from 2005.

The number of people without health insurance coverage rose from 44.8 million (15.3 percent) in 2005 to 47 million (15.8 percent) in 2006.

These findings are contained in the Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2006 Report .

The data were compiled from information collected in the 2007 Current Population Survey (CPS) Annual Social and Economic Supplement (ASEC).

Also released were income, poverty and earnings data from the 2006 American Community Survey (ACS) for states and metropolitan areas, counties, cities and American Indian/Alaska Native areas of 65,000 population or more and all congressional districts. This year marks the first time that the population in group quarters such as prisons, college dorms, military barracks and nursing homes is included, so the 2006 estimates are not fully comparable to the 2005 estimates.

America's Children: Key National Indicators of Well-being 2007

The Federal Interagency forum on Child and Family Statistics has released its 2007 annual report, "America's Children: Key National Indicators of Well-being 2007." Statistics are gathered from 22 federal agencies, and the report presenta background data and highlights 38 key indicators of child well-being. This year's tenth addition includes nine new indicators and two new sections. See http://childstats.gov to order copies or go to CIC's "Publications" page to see the PDF of the report.

2007 Report on the Environment: Science Report

According to the EPA, it's 2007 Report on the Environment: Science Report (also referred to as EPA's 2007 ROE SR) compiles the latest and most reliable indicators to help understand critical trends in the environment and human health. Additionally, the report identifies key limitations of these indicators and gaps where reliable indicators do not yet exist. These gaps and limitations highlight the disparity between the current state of knowledge and the goal of full, reliable, and insightful representation of environmental conditions and trends, and provide direction for future research and monitoring efforts. To review more information and the draft report please go here.

Arts and Culture Indicator Project Website

The Arts and Culture Indicator Project recently launched a new website (link here) as a resource for those interested in developing indicators on arts and cultural vitality, including artists, researchers, community leaders, community development practitioners, and arts administrators and funders. Visitors to the site will find extensive information on indicators of cultural vitality, which ACIP defines as the practice of creating, disseminating, validating and supporting the arts and culture as a dimension of everyday community life and conditions.

The Arts and Culture Indicator Project (ACIP) has operated in conjunction with the National Neighborhood Indicator Partnership (NNIP) since the late 1990s.

Sustainability in Japan

For those of you with an international interest, see this link to a new newsletter about sustainability in Japan.

Millennium Ecosystem Assessment

The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MA), is an unprecedented study of the global environment and human well-being. Initiated by the United Nations, it draws on the work of thousands of scientists and experts from around the world. Recently published is a toolkit based on the MA's assets, called Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, A Toolkit for Understanding and Action: Protecting Nature's Services. Protecting Ourselves. This toolkit describes ecosystem services and various valuation methods, lays out the MA's main findings, and illustrates case studies of individuals, communities, and organizations using the ecosystem services framework successfully

Child and Adolescent Health Measurement Initiative

The Child and Adolescent Health Measurement Initiative (CAHMI) presents the Data Resource Center for Child and Adolescent Health.

This resource is a no-cost, easy-to-use website that puts national, state, and regional survey findings right at your fingertips!