Resource for Policymakers: The American Human Development Project

The American Human Development Project offers policymakers a number of tools to help design and evaluate programs and policy aimed at improving the well-being of, and available opportunities for, their constituents. AHDP translates complex data into powerful and compelling narratives told in accessible language. AHDP’s site includes data and research about: demographics, economics, health, education, environment, politics, and criminal justice, as well as other subjects.

The tools available from AHDP include national analysis, as well as research focused on specific geographic areas including - communities, metro areas, congressional districts, and states. The site includes geographically specific information on key community indicators such as life expectancy at birth, obesity, unemployment, high school enrollment, and incarceration rates. In a recent report, A Portrait of California, AHDP goes beyond addressing the state’s fiscal and budgetary woes to examine the well-being of Californians, using their American Human Development Index; a measure based on official government data on health, education, and living standards.

The AHDP provide technical assistance for policymakers on how to best use their tools and research. For more information, visit measureofamerica.org.

For more data on children and families visit PolicyforResults’ Data Center.