Creating a Universal Data Release Policy Across Programs in a State Health Department

Information sharing strengthens collaborative work across program areas and integrates services in many health agencies. A major barrier to achieving this goal is the lack of standardized data security and confidentiality procedures, which has often been cited as an obstacle for programs seeking to maximize use of data for public health action and provide integrated and comprehensive services. Data release policies servs as a reference document governing how data is released or shared. This document discusses the process of creating a data release policy that is acceptable across program areas.