The SPARCS program is responsible for ensuring the quality, consistency, usability, security, and availability of all data requests from internal and external stakeholders seeking to use SPARCS data. The SPARCS program follows all applicable federal and state laws when determining whether SPARCS data that contain identifiable data elements may be shared and whether disclosure of SPARCS constitutes an unwarranted invasion of personal privacy.
The SPARCS Data Governance Committee (DGC) was established in September 2014 to review identifiable data requests and make approval recommendations to the New York State Commissioner of Health (“Commissioner”). The DGC is the successor to the SPARCS Data Protection Review Board (DPRB), which reviewed identifiable data requests before 2014. All previously approved DPRB data requests were grandfathered in under the new governance structure.