The Policy and Services Research Data Center (PSRDC) is housed within the Department of Mental Health Law and Policy, one of three academic departments that comprise the Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute. The PSRDC serves as a national model for innovative research using administrative datasets. Our mission is to provide timely and reliable data-driven reports to Florida policymakers and other key mental health stakeholders.

Statewide data utilized by the PSRDC include health claims from Medicaid and other public funders, and records from the adult correctional, juvenile justice, and child welfare systems. In addition, the center serves as the state repository of all documentation for examinations conducted under Florida’s civil commitment law (also known as The Baker Act). Since 1997 we have collected data from over one million commitment reports for use in research and policymaking. 

The PSRDC also analyzes data generated by private (primarily mental health) agencies. These datasets, acquired through formal agreements, allow for vital research on civil commitment, child welfare, and the impact of funding on service utilization.

Since 1999 the PSRDC has served as the analytic center for data provided by a group of judicial and behavioral health agencies in Pinellas County. This innovative arrangement, known as the Pinellas Data Collaborative, permits participating organizations to investigate cross-agency service utilization. Prior to the Collaborative this was impossible due to state-mandated data-sharing restrictions.

Regardless of a project’s size or objectives, our priority is maintaining data security, particularly of sensitive personal information. The PSRDC is HIPAA compliant and undergoes a comprehensive annual audit to ensure all data and processing procedures meet or exceed stringent security guidelines.