UCLA Center for Health Policy Research

What UCLA Center for Health Policy Research does

The UCLA Center for Health Policy Research is a nonprofit academic research center housed within the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, founded in 1994 and now marking its 30th year of operation. It conducts policy-relevant research on health conditions, health-care access, and the social determinants of health, with a particular focus on California's diverse populations. Its flagship program is the California Health Interview Survey (CHIS), described as the nation's largest state health survey, which produces the longitudinal, population-representative dataset that underpins most of its analytic output.

The Center's product surface includes free public data tools (AskCHIS and AskCHIS NE), the Data Access Center (DAC) Online for remote access to restricted microdata, microsimulation models such as CalSIM for health-care coverage forecasting, and topic- and population-specific dashboards (including the Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Social Determinants of Health Dashboard and AskCHIS Tableau dashboards). It also publishes policy briefs, conducts evaluation research (notably the $21M Aliso Canyon Health Study for Los Angeles County), and operates the Data Equity Center, a 2023 initiative focused on equity methodology and training.

Its business model is grant-driven rather than commercial. Revenue is assembled from federal agencies (NIH, CDC), California state and county departments (most prominently the LA County Department of Public Health), and private foundations (The California Endowment, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and others). It serves government agencies, community-based advocates, academic researchers, journalists, and policy makers who consume CHIS-derived statistics, CalSIM projections, and training resources at no direct cost to the end user. The Center is led by director Ninez Ponce, who was elected to the National Academy of Medicine in 2021, and operates with a staff reported in the range of approximately 83 to over 100 across technical, research, and administrative functions.

Name

UCLA Center for Health Policy Research

Legal name

UCLA Center for Health Policy Research

Website

https://healthpolicy.ucla.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

The UCLA Center for Health Policy Research is a nonprofit academic research center within UCLA's Fielding School of Public Health that operates the California Health Interview Survey (CHIS) and provides data tools, microsimulation models, policy briefs, and training to California government agencies, advocates, academic researchers, and journalists.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Health Policy Research Services

NAICS

Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (54172), Administration of Public Health Programs (923120), Health Care and Social Assistance (62)

SIC

Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Health Data, Vital Statistics & Population Health Informatics (BPAIAJAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Health Statistics & Reporting (National/State/Local Indicators) (HLAJAJAC), Public Health Strategy, Policy & Legislation (HLAJAMAA), Health Equity, Community Health & Social Determinants Policy (HLAJAMAG), Public Health Reporting, Dashboards & KPI Performance Management (HLAJANAO), Healthcare Utilization, Claims & Administrative Data Analytics (HLAJAJAK)

Keywords

• Health policy research
• Population health survey
• Health data analytics
• Policy research services
• Public health data

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Angeles

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Federal and State Government Grants: Primary funding source from federal and state government agencies including NIH, CDC, and California state departments for conducting health policy research and survey operations.
2. Foundation Funding: Support from foundations including The California Endowment, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, California Health Care Foundation, and others for specific research projects and programs.
3. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Accepts donations through UCLA giving programs including General Fund, CHIS Fund, E. Richard Brown Health Policy Impact Fund, and fellowship funds.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The UCLA Center for Health Policy Research conducts population-based health policy research, with its core offering being the California Health Interview Survey (CHIS) and the data dissemination tools built on top of it (AskCHIS, AskCHIS NE). It produces policy analyses, program evaluations, microsimulation studies, and training/capacity-building services for policymakers, government agencies, community organizations, foundations, and academic researchers, all delivered free of charge or under grant/contract funding.

Product overview

UCLA CHPR operates as a health policy research organization offering a portfolio of data collection, analysis, and dissemination products. The core offering is the California Health Interview Survey (CHIS), the nation's largest state health survey covering 100+ health topics. This feeds multiple data access and visualization products: AskCHIS™ (county/regional/state statistics), AskCHIS™ Neighborhood Edition (granular ZIP/city/census tract data), and Public Use Files for independent research. Specialized research programs including Health Economics and Evaluation Research (HEER), Health Insurance, Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, Health Equity, and the NHPI Data Policy Lab conduct policy analysis and program evaluations. Supporting infrastructure includes the Data Access Center for confidential microdata, the Data Equity Center for training and capacity building, Health DATA Program for workshops, and tools like the California Elder Index™ and CalSIM microsimulation model. The organization also produces COVID-19 dashboards and manages the Health Equity Challenge fellowship program. With 50+ active projects and over 2.1 million queries run, the portfolio spans survey data collection, interactive query tools, policy research, and training.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• AskCHIS™: Free online health query system allowing users to search for health statistics by county, region, and state
• AskCHIS™ Neighborhood Edition
• California Elder Index™
• California Simulation of Insurance Markets (CalSIM)
• Health Equity Challenge

Products and services

• California Health Interview Survey (CHIS) The nation's largest state health survey, conducted by UCLA CHPR since 2001. CHIS interviews adults, teens, and children across California on 100+ health topics, providing free public use files and customized health statistics for researchers, policymakers, and the public.
• AskCHIS A free online health query system that allows users to quickly search for health statistics by county, region, and state, drawing upon responses from the California Health Interview Survey.
• AskCHIS Neighborhood Edition (NE) An online data dissemination and visualization platform providing health estimates on select topics at more granular levels of geography including ZIP code, city, county, legislative district, and Census tract.
• AskCHIS Neighborhood Edition API An API providing live access to the latest AskCHIS NE data, including health estimates at granular geographic levels (ZIP code, city, county, legislative district, Census tract). Subscribers include the California Office of Health Equity, St. Joseph Health, and Healthy City.
• Data Access Center (DAC) Provides confidential data and special use research files for researchers requiring access to CHIS microdata beyond what is available in public use files, with an online project application system.
• Public Use Files Free downloadable SAS and STATA data files containing CHIS survey responses, available for researchers, policymakers, and the public to conduct independent analyses.
• COVID-19 Dashboards Interactive data visualization dashboards tracking COVID-19 rates, risk factors, and preliminary vaccine uptake data by California county, with breakdowns by race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status.
• Health DATA Program Provides in-person and online workshops and trainings that help policymakers, community groups, health and advocacy organizations understand and use credible health data in their programmatic and policy development work.
• Health Economics and Evaluation Research (HEER) Program Examines the economic and financial impacts of health care policies and programs, specializing in evaluation studies, forecasting and simulation studies, and economic analysis.
• Health Insurance Program Examines key state and national trends in health insurance coverage, including employer and individual insurance, access to insurance, and the health and economic impact of lack of insurance.
• Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Program Premier source of data and research on chronic diseases including asthma, diabetes, cancer, and obesity, as well as social and environmental factors contributing to chronic conditions.
• Health Equity Program Examines health disparities and gaps in health status and access to health care along racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic lines, particularly for older adults, immigrants, sexual and gender minorities, and other historically underserved populations.
• Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (NHPI) Data Policy Lab A research and data lab dedicated to closing data gaps for Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander communities through dashboards, policy briefs, and disaggregated data analysis across all 58 California counties.
• Data Equity Center Provides resources, technical assistance, and trainings to help data leaders and users address barriers to implementation, skill development, and strategic planning for data equity goals.
• California Elder Index (CEI) A tool that measures the actual cost that older adults pay for basic necessities including food, medical care, housing, and transportation in each of California's 58 counties.
• California Simulation of Insurance Markets (CalSIM) A microsimulation model of eligibility and enrollment under the Affordable Care Act, used by policymakers and the California Health Benefit Exchange to implement health care reform.
• Mental Health Program Studies the mental health of Californians including prevalence of mental health distress, disparities in psychological distress rates, social and economic factors linked to poor mental health, and access to mental health care.
• LGBTQ+ Health Research on gaps in health care access and use among lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and gender non-conforming Californians.
• Health Equity Challenge Provides UCLA graduate students with the opportunity to develop innovative community-based solutions to improve health equity, providing up to $50,000 in funding to community organizations.
• American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) Research Program One of the first health policy research programs in the nation to address health disparity issues confronting American Indians and Alaska Natives, improving health through Native-grounded research and evaluation.
• Long-Term Services and Supports (LTSS) Study A follow-on survey to CHIS analyzing the need for long-term services and support among adults age 65 and older and adults with disabilities, and financial constraints that limit options for supportive care.
• NHPI Social Determinants of Health Dashboard Dashboard produced by the NHPI Data Policy Lab featuring detailed data on social determinants of health for Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander communities across all 58 California counties.
• AskCHIS and AskCHIS NE Tableau Dashboard Refreshed, Tableau-powered version of the AskCHIS and AskCHIS NE web portal dashboards, providing new visualization capabilities for exploring CHIS data.

Quantifiable outcome

• Nearly 1 million queries made on AskCHIS tool
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• Public Health InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership on hate act research featuring personal stories from victims of hate acts about barriers to support and impacts on mental and physical health.
• California Rural Indian Health Board, Inc. - California Tribal Epidemiology CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on research examining disparities in chronic health conditions and substance use among American Indian and Alaska Native adults in California.
• Nourish CaliforniacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership using CHIS data to study food insecurity among undocumented immigrants and support Food4All Campaign advocacy efforts.
• California Immigrant Policy CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to study food insecurity and immigration-related barriers to nutrition assistance programs.
• Martin Luther King Jr. Community Healthcare Center for Advancing Health EquitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership on study analyzing preventable hospitalizations in Los Angeles County using patient discharge data and CHIS data.
• Molina Healthcare Charitable FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFunder and partner for the Health Equity Challenge, providing funding for UCLA student projects to address health inequities.
• UCLA Fielding School of Public HealthflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe center is part of UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, providing academic affiliation and collaboration opportunities.
• AAPI DatacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to understand the health, mental health, and social service needs of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander communities in California.
• Asian & Pacific Islander American Health ForumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAwarded Narrative Change Grant to NHPI Data Policy Lab for increasing inclusion of NHPI voices and communities.
• UC Berkeley Labor CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint study on public funds and health care spending, joint analysis of public charge rule changes, and collaboration on testimony for health care delivery system hearings.
• NORC at the University of ChicagocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborates on Data Equity Center training series, providing expertise in data weighting and imputation techniques for fair representation.
• Market Decisions ResearchcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborates with UCLA CHPR on applying data equity lens to questionnaire and discussion guide design.

Scale indicators15 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• KFF (Kaiser Family Foundation): Independent nonprofit health policy research organization producing national health data, policy analysis, and polling. Closely comparable to UCLA CHPR as a free, public-good-oriented health policy research center with significant policy influence and data dissemination.
• Urban Institute: Nonprofit research organization delivering health and social policy research, data analysis, and program evaluation for government and foundation funders. Comparable in survey infrastructure, policy research mission, and funder mix.
• Commonwealth Fund: Private foundation supporting independent health policy research on coverage, equity, and system performance. Comparable as a non-commercial health policy research/funder with similar commitment to evidence-based policymaking.
• Mathematica Policy Research: Major nonprofit research organization focused on health, human services, and education policy using surveys, program evaluation, and data analytics. Comparable in operating model (grant-funded research, surveys, evaluation) and customer base (federal/state agencies).
• Milbank Memorial Fund: Nonprofit foundation focused on health policy, population health, and evidence-based state health reform. Comparable in mission and influence on state-level health policy, though smaller and more focused on publishing and convening than survey operations.
• NORC at the University of Chicago: University-affiliated, independent research organization conducting large-scale population surveys (e.g., NHIS, NSHAP) and health policy research. Direct peer in operating model, survey methodology expertise, and federal contract work — also an active UCLA CHPR partner.

Broad incumbents

• RTI International: Large nonprofit research institute with a sizable health research practice doing surveys, evaluation, and policy analysis for federal/state clients. Comparable in scope and funded research model, but broader across multiple scientific domains.
• RAND Corporation: Larger, established nonprofit policy research organization with a dedicated health division that conducts health surveys, policy analysis, and program evaluation. Comparable in mission and research breadth, but operates across many policy domains beyond health.

Regional players

• AcademyHealth: National professional society for health services and policy research. Comparable as a knowledge dissemination and convening organization in the health policy research community, where UCLA CHPR leadership is recognized (e.g., Wilensky Award).

Emerging players

• Public Health Institute: Independent nonprofit delivering public health research, programs, and policy advocacy across California and nationally. Comparable as a partner for CHPR research projects (e.g., hate acts study) and overlapping public health equity mission.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/uclachpr
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCKqFnnGlsQfSfGBcUzzPAGQ
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ucla-center-for-health-policy-research
• Instagraminstagram.com/uclachpr

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Subsidiaries8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about UCLA Center for Health Policy Research