OHSS works with DHS components to acquire, clean, and link administrative data from different systems of records into a single, authoritative source for statistics on DHS operations. The Data Governance team implements comprehensive policies, standards and practices for managing data as a strategic asset. Governance focuses on improving data accuracy, usability, transparency, privacy, and security. To achieve these principles, the Data Governance team collaborates with DHS operational components to oversee the data life cycle through comprehensive enterprise-wide statistical and reporting standards.
Statistical standards govern how OHSS converts component administrative records into validated statistical data used to populate our statistical system of record. Reporting standards further govern how OHSS uses statistical system of record data to produce public facing data tables. Strictly applying these standards ensures that OHSS data and reports are objective, credible, accurate, relevant, timely, and authoritative.
The Data Governance team also summarizes our statistical and reporting standards in a public facing report catalog, data dictionary, and glossary. These data artifacts provide transparency about OHSS methodologies for the interagency, Congress, and the public; support evidence-based policymaking and leadership decisions; and reduce the reporting burden on DHS components.
Governance Resources
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Statistical Official & Council
The Evidence Act emphasizes collaboration and coordination to advance data and evidence-building functions in the federal government by statutorily mandating federal evidence-building activities, open government data, and confidential information protection and statistical efficiency. DHS has a Statistical Official Council (Council) to enhance collaboration across its many agencies.
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Report Catalog
The OHSS Report Catalog provides a comprehensive list of our statistical reports, with report descriptions, and each report’s data fields, the time period covered and temporal granularity, and the underlying source system(s) from which the data fields are generated.
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Data Dictionaries
The OHSS Data Dictionary includes detailed information about each data element referenced in our report catalog, including, for each field, the definition, the value type (integer, string, or date), and a comprehensive list of acceptable values and their meanings.
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Glossary
The OHSS Glossary provides clear, consistent definitions for all data fields and other key terms used in our reports and data products, ensuring accuracy and understanding for DHS personnel, interagency partners, Congress, and the public.
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Disclosure Policy
OHSS is committed to protecting the privacy and confidentiality of individuals included in our data. More information on DHS privacy policies is available on the Privacy Office website. Read our data disclosure policy for information on how OHSS protects an individual’s data from risks of reidentification and unauthorized disclosure.
