In this episode of the Common Good Data Podcast, we’re joined by Carolyn Allison, CEO of Charlotte Community Health Clinic, to explore what it really means to care for the health of a community. Together with co-host Roger Suclupe, we discuss:

• How more than 100,000 Mecklenburg County adults live without health insurance

  The innovative ways Charlotte Community Health Clinic expands access to care, including integrated behavioral health, dental services, and partnerships with reentry programs and immigrant-serving organizations

• How data and needs assessments guide service expansion and decision-making

• The vital role of community health workers and health literacy in advancing equity

• A moving story about how dental care changed one patient’s confidence and future

We often focus on addressing problems after they’ve occurred in the nonprofit and social sector, but what if we could intervene earlier?

After 30 years of research in prevention science, the evidence is clear: many behavioral health issues and related challenges can be prevented.

I’m joined by Mitchell Moore, an advanced certified prevention specialist, to discuss the power of early intervention in preventing behavioral health problems—specifically in the context of youth and families.

Funders want proof that your programs are efficient and impactful. 

But pulling together data to show your impact feels challenging when you don’t have the tools, systems, or extra staff to make it happen.

Your team is likely piecing together metrics with limited capacity, resulting in reports that fall short and reinforce the cycle of underfunding. 

Today’s episode is about breaking that cycle.

What if the key to improving educational outcomes was already in front of us, hidden in the data schools collect every day?

Attendance records, test scores, and family surveys offer insight into equity gaps, systemic barriers, and opportunities for intervention—but too often, this data isn’t used effectively.

In this episode, we’ll discuss how nonprofit professionals can collaborate with schools to analyze and apply data in ways that close gaps in access and achievement.

If you work with youth, especially in mental health and substance use, the Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) is an invaluable resource.

This survey collects data from students in grades 9–12, revealing key health behaviors and experiences that significantly impact adolescent health.

When you understand these trends, you’ll get a clearer picture of what young people are facing, which makes it easier to create programs that address their specific needs.

Organizations find themselves asking similar questions when it comes to conducting a needs assessment: Where can I find reliable data? How do I know if it’s relevant to my community? Is the information up to date?

These are important concerns. Accessing meaningful data can feel overwhelming, especially when you’re trying to make it applicable to the specific work you’re doing.

Today, we address these questions by giving you an overview of one key data source: the Kids Count Data Book, which provides state and county-level indicators on child and family well-being.

When it comes to conducting a needs assessment, one of the most important things you can do is listen to the community you’re trying to help.

Integrating community voice into your assessment creates programs and services that genuinely reflect what people need and want. Community members have firsthand knowledge about the challenges they face and the resources they lack, which can really shape your understanding of the local landscape.

This episode kicks off a series that will give you strategies, tools, and resources needed to create stronger, more thorough assessments. We’ll discuss where to find secondary data that can shed light on your community’s current landscape and how to collect your own data through surveys, focus groups, and interviews.