The Linked Information Network of Colorado (LINC) was developed through a partnership among the Colorado Governor’s Office, its Office of Information Technology, the Lieutenant Governor’s Office of eHealth Innovation, and the Colorado Lab. This collaborative recognized that Colorado needed a more streamlined and trusted approach for connecting data sets across government partners to support high-priority research and analytic projects.

LINC responds to this challenge by securely connecting and de-identifying data across systems, resulting in research-ready data without personal identifiers. The Colorado Lab played a primary leadership role in this effort due to its strong expertise in data sharing best practices and a shared value of prioritizing relationships, making connections, and building sustainable processes in state government.

A purple and blue logo for the Linked Information Network of Colorado

The Linked Information Network of Colorado (LINC) launched in 2019 with Dr. Whitney LeBoeuf from the Colorado Lab serving as the director. LINC now includes approximately 35 data partners who support around 15 projects a year. It is widely recognized as a successful data-sharing solution in Colorado. Whitney serves as an expert advisor to many other Colorado data-sharing initiatives such as the Early Childhood Information Data System and the Statewide Longitudinal Data System.

Click the button below to learn more about how LINC uses data to understand the challenges Colorado residents face.

LINC

“The LINC partnership ensures state agencies talk with one another and think holistically about who we’re serving. Paired with the Colorado Lab’s support to help agencies conduct actionable research, they have created a powerhouse of change for state government.”

Tiffany Madrid Director of Strategic Research, Colorado Department of Human Services

“What really inspired us was the co-creation aspect of LINC. The LINC team has done a fantastic job of understanding what agencies need to realize their goals and have created an approach that provides co-ownership.”

Michael Vente Chief Performance Officer, Senior Director of Research and Data Governance, Colorado Department of Higher Education

“Other states are developing integrated data systems, but Colorado is really far along. LINC supports projects from start to finish, providing access to cross-sector source data, doing the integration and analysis, and translating findings in a way that leads to impact.”

Emily Wiegand Analytics Manager, Chapin Hall at the University of Chicago

“LINC is a critical resource for Colorado policymakers on complex issues like substance use. The data they provide from across health, behavioral health, workforce, criminal justice, and other systems help us to understand where policy can best support effective prevention and treatment approaches.”

Representative Chris deGruy Kennedy