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Geomapping NAMI Services

Project Description

To support NAMI Valley of the Sun's (NAMI VOS) strategic plan to increase its signature programs by 60%, I developed a geographic information system (GIS) mapping tool to inform strategic and culturally relevant programming decisions. Previously, NAMI VOS programming locations were mainly chosen by convenience, standing up an education or support group based on where NAMI VOS received free space for programming. This approach lacked consideration for specific community demographics or accessibility needs. To address this gap, I created an interactive map.

The map integrates multiple demographic overlays, including age, gender, race and ethnicity, education levels, primary household languages, income levels, poverty status, household vehicle access, and veteran status. NAMI’s existing program locations were also included, providing an immediate visual analysis of how current offerings align with local community characteristics. This enables NAMI VOS to identify underserved communities and adjust outreach and programming accordingly.

This project is grounded in intersectionality, highlighting overlapping identities and associated needs for the Southwest’s populations. This visualization empowers NAMI VOS to better serve the region, particularly its culturally diverse, marginalized populations and individuals with disabilities. The insights gained will inform the tailoring of services, facilitate targeted education and support groups, and guide the selection of accessible, culturally relevant programming spaces. This approach also reveals communities currently underserved by NAMI VOS, encouraging the development of specialized outreach strategies.

My Role and Responsibilities

I led this project from inception to implementation and was responsible for project planning, data collection, cleaning, and GIS map creation. I coordinated closely with NAMI staff, leadership, and board members to ensure the tool was useful and accurate. Some of my roles within this project included:

Advocate: This tool empowers NAMI VOS to select programming sites strategically, enabling the organization to identify underrepresented communities and advocate effectively for new programming locations to the board and community partners.

Educator/Trainer: I conducted training sessions for NAMI staff on using and updating the GIS mapping tool, including instructions on a custom Python script I developed to facilitate updates with each new ACS data release.

Researcher/Evaluator: I evaluated organizational needs and leveraged demographic data to ensure the tool was relevant, practical, and beneficial for NAMI's strategic goals.

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Project Artifacts

1. Cleaned ACS Demographic Data

This dataset is refined to include only pertinent demographic information relevant to NAMI’s programming needs and geographic service area by zip code tract. It is set up to upload to the GIS system easily.

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2. Python Data Cleaning Script

I developed a Python script that enables easy map updates with newly published ACS data, thus maintaining the map's relevance and accuracy over time. You can expand the Python script below to review it in detail.

Python264 lines

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