Annual Strategic Research Plan
Is a $500 monthly rent subsidy effective in preventing homelessness among low-income older adults? What actions, programs, and services will most effectively help keep people from going to jail or returning to jail? How can the County of San Diego streamline operations and make programs and services more effective?
These are some of the questions that the County of San Diego (County) will address through evaluations guided by the Annual Strategic Research Plan (Plan).
The Annual Strategic Research Plan serves as a guide to ongoing efforts to evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of important County of San Diego programs and services. Developed by the Office of Evaluation, Performance, and Analytics (OEPA) in partnership with representatives from County departments and with input from the public, the Plan identifies the highest-priority research questions for the County. The Plan does not report on all County research but focuses on the most critical areas aligned with public input and the County’s Strategic Plan.
The Plan will be updated annually to ensure efforts align with evolving priorities and emerging needs. While many questions may remain consistent to address long-term issues, updates will reflect new pressing issues and shifts in the County’s strategic goals.
Learning Agenda
The core of the Annual Strategic Research Plan is the “Learning Agenda”, which outlines 18 questions to guide the County’s evaluation efforts over the next two to five years. These questions are designed to address long-term, high-priority issues. Each question is aligned with one or more of the Strategic Initiatives in the County’s Strategic Plan: Community, Empower, Equity, Justice, and Sustainability. The broad, complex questions will often require multiple evaluation efforts across several years to answer.
“Learning Activities” are research and evaluation efforts designed to answer the Learning Agenda questions. Since the last Annual Strategic Research Plan, published in 2023, OEPA has led or co-led efforts to answer nine current Learning Agenda questions through ten Learning Activities. Current Learning Activities are listed under the primary question they answer, but they may also answer other questions. More information about the current Learning Activities can be found here.
Learning Agenda Questions and Activities Organized by Strategic Initiative:
-
Community (C)
C-1. To what extent is increased investment in prevention services impacting the rate of child abuse and neglect?
C-1 Learning Activity: Guaranteed Income as a Prevention Strategy in Child Welfare - Evaluation of the Family Income for Empowerment Program (FIEP). Report expected 2027.
C-2. How does the County foster trust between residents and County government?
C-2 Learning Activity: Collaborative Governance Models to Build Trust and Advance Climate Efforts - Evaluation of the Environmental Justice Workgroup. Report expected 2026.
C-3. To what extent do graduates of the Library High School Program experience changes in their future formal education, career advancement, or earnings?
C-4. How has the two-year Childcare Blueprint changed the County childcare system?
-
Empower (EM)
EM-1. What County data is most relevant to the community, and to what extent is it available, accessible, and usable?
EM-2. How can the County make it easier and less time-consuming for residents to learn about and access services?
EM-3. How can internally facing County departments make processes more efficient so other departments can better utilize their services?
-
Equity (EQ)
EQ-1. How can the County most effectively prevent and reduce homelessness?
EQ-1 Learning Activity: Rental Subsidies as a Homeless Prevention Tool for Older Adults - Evaluation of the Shallow Rental Subsidy Program (SRSP). Report expected 2026-2027.
EQ-1 Learning Activity: Unconditional Cash Payments on Housing Stability and Well-Being - Evaluation of the Recovery Action Fund for Tomorrow (RAFT). Report expected 2025.
EQ-2. What strategies are most effective in reducing social isolation and promoting mental well-being for subgroups experiencing the highest levels of social isolation?
EQ-2 Learning Activity: Shared Housing as a Strategy to Reduce Isolation Among Older Adults - Evaluation of the Shared Housing for Older Adults Program. Report expected 2025-2026.
EQ-3. To what extent do existing equity planning documents and tools enable departments to use an equity lens and utilize the lived experience of the community to design, implement, and improve programs and services?
EQ-2 Learning Activity: Testing an Equity-Centered Evaluation Framework in County Practice. Report expected 2025.
EQ-4. How can the County's procurement process foster equitable economic development?
EQ-4 Learning Activity: Equity in County Contracting. Baseline analysis completed in 2024 and will be updated annually.
EQ-5. What outreach methods are most effective for increasing awareness of and participation in Medi-Cal by older adults age 60+?
-
Justice (J)
J-1. How can the County use alternatives to incarceration approaches to reduce the number of people involved in the justice system?
J-1 Learning Activity: Systemwide Alternatives to Jail for Low-Level and Behavioral Health Cases - Evaluation of the Alternatives to Incarceration (ATI) Initiative. First report expected 2025, then ongoing updates.
J-2. How do the collaborative efforts of law enforcement, social services, public health, and community organizations reduce gun violence in San Diego County?
J-2 Learning Activity: Countywide Strategy to Evaluate Gun Violence Reduction Efforts - Evaluation of the Gun Violence Reduction Initiative. Report tentatively expected 2027-2028.
J-3. What effect do behavioral health crisis interventions have on law enforcement resources and client outcomes?
-
Sustainability (S)
S-1. What climate action measures will produce the most return on investment for greenhouse gas reductions, improved air quality, green jobs, and increased equity?
S-1 Learning Activity: Evaluation of Climate Action Plan Strategies. Report tentatively expected 2028.
S-2. To what extent do alternative strategies for green infrastructure project procurement and implementation impact the speed, quality, and co-benefits delivered (e.g., social, economic, and environmental) in comparison to traditional methods?
S-3. How can the County most effectively meet regional, state, and federal goals in the Regional Decarbonization Framework?
All Annual Strategic Research Plans
Contact
County Administration Center
1600 Pacific Highway, Room 452
San Diego, CA 92101
E-Mail: OEPA@sdcounty.ca.gov
Helpful Links