CalHHS Data Knowledge Base
CalHHS Open Data PortalCalHHS Geoportal
  • Data Knowledge Base
  • Data Sharing
    • Revision History
    • Data Sharing Guidebook
    • Lessons Learned
    • Data Sharing Plays
      • Play 1: Sharing Metrics
      • Play 2: Identify
      • Play 3: Business Case
      • Play 4: Prioritize
      • Play 5: Metadata
      • Play 6: Describe
      • Play 7: Promote
      • Play 8: Prepare
    • Data Element Definitions
    • Application Program Interfaces
    • Additional Training and Reference Materials
    • Business Case Creation
      • Determining Goals and Strategy
      • Implementation Details
      • Evaluating Outcomes & Impacts
      • Communicating Your Results
  • Data De-Identification
    • Revision History
    • 1. Purpose
    • 2. Background
    • 3. Scope
    • 4. Statistical De-Identification
      • 4.1 Personal Characteristics of Individuals
      • 4.2 Numerator - Denominator Condition
      • 4.3 Assess Potential Risk
      • 4.4 Statistical Masking
      • 4.5 Legal Review
      • 4.6 Departmental Release Procedure for De-Identified Data
    • 5. Types of Reporting
      • 5.1 Variables
      • 5.2 Survey Data
      • 5.3 Budgets and Fiscal Estimates
      • 5.4 Facilities, Service Locations and Providers
      • 5.5 Mandated Reporting
    • 6. Justification of Thresholds Identified
      • 6.2 Assessing Potential Risk – Publication Scoring Criteria
      • 6.3 Assessing Potential Risk – Alternate Methods
      • 6.4 Statistical Masking
    • 7. Approval Process
    • 8. DDG Governance
    • 9. Publicly Available Data
    • 10. Development Process
    • 11. Legal Framework
    • 12. Abbreviations and Acronyms
    • 13. Definitions
    • 14. References
    • Appendix A: Expert Determination Template
    • Appendix B: 2015 HIPAA Reassessment Results
    • Appendix C: State and County Population Projections
  • Open Data Handbook
    • Revision History
    • Open Data: Purpose
    • Disclosure
    • Governance
    • Guidelines
    • Use
  • Appendix
    • Glossary and Acronyms
    • Data Tools
    • Data Discovery Sessions
    • Data Sharing Benefits
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  1. Data De-Identification

2. Background

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Last updated 4 months ago

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CalHHS implemented an agency-wide governance structure in October, 2014. The governance structure acts both in a decision-making and advisory capacity to Agency leadership and its departments and offices. Implementation of the governance framework supports information technology (IT) initiatives that are more tightly aligned with meeting business objectives, enhanced project prioritization and improved strategic IT investment decisions. The Executive Sponsor is the Undersecretary of CalHHS. The Advisory Council consists of representatives of senior leadership from departments and offices in the Agency. There are five subcommittees that report to the Advisory Council, which include the Portfolio, Procurement, Infrastructure, Risk Management and Data Subcommittees. The Data De-identification Workgroup was convened by the Data Subcommittee with representation from all departments and offices in CalHHS.

CalHHS is engaged in improving transparency and public reporting through the Open Data Portal. As described in the CalHHS Open Data Portal Handbook, not all data is suitable for use on the open data portal. Data is Publishable State Data if it meets one of the following criteria:

  1. Data that are public by law such as via the or

  2. The data are not prohibited from being released by any laws, regulations, policies, rules, rights, court order, or any other restriction.

Data shall not be released if it is restricted due to the HIPAA, state or federal law. Data tables may fall into one of :

  • Level One: Data tables that can be released to the public and published without restriction;

  • Level Two: Data tables that have some level of restriction or sensitivity but currently can be made available to interested parties with a signed data use agreement; or

  • Level Three: Level three data are restricted due to HIPAA, state or federal law. These data will NOT be accessible through the CalHHS Open Data Portal.

Data can change from being Level 3 to Level 1 if appropriate de-identification processes are employed. The CalHHS DDG described in this document will support departments and offices in the evaluation of data to determine whether it has been adequately de-identified so that it can be considered Level 1.

Public Records Act (PRA)