Research & Planning
Our Role
The Research & Planning Division works within the Department, County, and the community to find solutions to complex human service issues. The four overarching work areas of R&P include:
1. Informing our Community:
We support informed decision making by creating access to data and promoting quality data standards through:
- Collecting, analyzing, and providing data
- Writing and presenting reports and research
- Conducting primary, secondary and best practices research
- Legislative and policy analysis
- GIS mapping
Read the Division’s latest reports.
2. Finding Solutions:
We support group processes that improve productivity and encourage collaborative problem solving and informed decision making through:
- Planning, supporting, and participating in Department, County, and community collaborative group processes
- Designing and facilitation of meetings and retreats
- Developing and conducting workshops and trainings
The Research & Planning Division is involved in numerous community and department planning initiatives that include:
- Aging services
- Austin/Travis County Community Health Plan
- Children’s Mental Health Plan
- Austin/Travis County Success by 6 Coalition
- Family Pathways
- Food policy
- Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Alliance of Central Texas (IDDACT)
- Immigration Services
- One Voice Central Texas
- Substance Use Disorder Community Planning
- Travis County Family Violence Task Force
- Workforce Development master plan
- Youth Community Planning
3. Ensuring Effectiveness:
We promote effective and transparent allocation of Travis County resources through planning, evaluation, and process improvement by:
- Promoting and implementing performance measurement and evaluation processes and tools
- Providing program- and performance-related technical assistance
- Developing management and measurement tools
- Designing and conducting surveys and focus groups
View the annual performance report of HHS Social service investments.
4. Social Service Investments:
We coordinate, plan, and implement social service investments that are strategic, targeted, and responsive to community needs through:
- Assessing and scoping department issue area investment portfolios
- Implementing procurement processes for community investments
- Evaluating proposals and negotiating contracts
- Overseeing programmatic and performance contract management
Social Service Investment Issue Areas include:
- Access to Basic Supports
- Behavioral Health
- Child & Youth Development
- Housing Continuum
- Planning & Evaluation
- Public Health
- Safety Intervention Services
- Supportive Services for Community Living
- Workforce Development
Learn more about the HHS social service investment strategy.