As the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) modernizes public health data, the Family Planning Annual Report (FPAR) 2.0 data system shows how federal programs can strengthen oversight, improve data quality, and reduce the reporting burden. Mathematica partners with the HHS Office of Population Affairs (OPA) to design, build, and enhance FPAR 2.0, a secure, cloud-based platform that supports encounter-level reporting from Title X family planning grantees nationwide. This system enables timely analytics that support program management and continual program improvement.
To explore what this work means for the Title X network and for public health modernization more broadly, we spoke with Nora Paxton, the FPAR 2.0 project director. She shares how the system is evolving, how interoperability and automation are reducing the reporting burden, and how encounter-level data are strengthening insights into service delivery and program performance for both grantees and federal leaders.
In general terms, what is FPAR 2.0, and why does it matter?
FPAR 2.0 is OPA’s modernized data collection and reporting system for the Title X family planning program. Historically, grantees reported aggregate data annually. With FPAR 2.0, we can support encounter-level reporting, giving HHS a more detailed understanding of service delivery and program performance.
For example, the shift to encounter-level reporting means more effective identification of public health trends and better support for continuous quality improvement. It also reduces the reporting burden by automating validation and data quality checks and providing dashboards that help both grant recipients and federal staff use data more effectively.
How is FPAR 2.0 related to OPA’s efforts to modernize Title X reporting?
FPAR 2.0 is rooted in a close partnership between Mathematica and OPA designed to modernize how Title X data are collected, managed, and used. Working alongside OPA, our multidisciplinary teams are designing, building, and maintaining a secure, cloud-based platform that supports Title X’s evolving policy and operational needs.
Our efforts include a public-facing website; a secure data submission portal, which includes identity and access management; automated data validation and data quality checks; interactive dashboards; ongoing system oversight; and data standards for interoperability. Throughout the project, technical solutions are aligned with OPA’s policy priorities and operational realities, ensuring that FPAR 2.0 meets federal requirements while also serving grant recipients and program staff.
How does human-centered design shape your approach to this work?
To serve Title X grant recipients effectively, our approach accounts for their varied organizational and technical environments. We interview grant recipients, co-design technical assistance sessions, test usability, and request feedback to ensure the system supports real workflows. Human-centered design helps reduce the reporting burden, improve data quality, and ensure that dashboards are intuitive and reports are actionable. OPA’s program priorities guide the work, and user feedback ensures the system functions effectively.
How are encounter-level data expanding analytical insights?
The use of encounter-level data means OPA can shift from aggregate annual summaries to more granular analyses. For example, instead of just working with the total number of Title X encounters for each grant, OPA could possibly explore encounters per month or encounters by age group. Once developed, new analyses will be incorporated into various products, including the annual national summary report, customizable dashboards for OPA and grant recipients, and rapid analytic products in response to emerging questions. These materials help transform required reporting into a tool for ongoing learning and improvement.
How are Title X data safeguarded?
We lead with security; it is the platform’s foundation. The system operates in a secure, FedRAMP-authorized cloud environment with multifactor authentication, role-based access controls, continuous monitoring, and vulnerability scanning. We work closely with HHS to maintain Authority to Operate compliance and to integrate security practices into the development and operations processes.
How can this approach support other agencies and organizations pursuing modernization?
Through FPAR 2.0, we are applying an integrated, policy-informed approach and partnering with OPA to build a secure, scalable federal data system that incorporates analytics, cloud architecture, interoperability, workflow automation, and human-centered design.
By aligning technical solutions with program context and operational realities from the outset, we seek to support modernization efforts that are sustainable, compliant, and responsive to end users’ needs. This approach offers a model for other agencies and organizations seeking to modernize reporting systems, strengthen data quality, improve interoperability, or translate administrative data into action-ready insights across health and human services programs.
