Lessons Learned: Confident and Effective Exchange of Data Just the Basics: SACWIS Interface Requirem

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Lessons Learned Confident and Effective
Exchange of DataJust the BasicsSACWIS
Interface Requirements

• Leonard Higgins
• Oregon Department of Human Services
• OIS/SSI
• March 24, 2005
• Reston, VA

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Session Objectives
After completing this session, you should be
prepared to

• Identify Action Transmittals for SACWIS
  Interfaces
• List the SACWIS Interface Federal requirements
• Describe the potential benefits from the
  interfaces
• Explain expected results for the interfaces
• Define acceptable interface methodologies
• Discuss interface issues

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Interfaces Action Transmittals

• Transmittal No. ACF-OISM-001 AUTOMATION OF CHILD
  WELFARE PROGRAMS Part IV - SACWIS Functional
  Requirements and General Program and Systems
  Guidance Interface Requirements
• Transmittal No. ACF-OSS-05 SACWIS POLICY
  GUIDANCE - Interfaces Personal Responsibility
  and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA)
  Implications Cost Allocation Other Issues

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Interfaces Requirements

• Title IV-A System (TANF)
• Title IV-D System (Child Support Enforcement)
• Title XIX System (Medicaid)
• State Child Abuse and Neglect Data System

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Interfaces Potential Benefits

• Provide safety and risk factor information
• Identify alleged child abuse or neglect
  perpetrators
• Locate potential caretaker relatives
• Exchange information to facilitate automated
  eligibility determination (IV-A State Plan)
• Measure outcomes
• Exchange family/child medical services
  information
• Verify information reported to social workers
• Save a significant amount of time that can be
  redirected to supporting the needs of children
  and their families

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Interfaces Expected Results

• TANF 1) automatic exchange of common data (to
  prevent duplicate data entry), 2) process updated
  or new case data 3) identify potential duplicate
  payments under title IV-E and IV-A, and 4)
  automated eligibility determination.
• Support Enforcement 1) exchange of data to
  establish a child support case 2) record child
  support collections 3) identify potential child
  support resources 4) automatic exchange of
  common data (to prevent duplicate data entry) 5)
  process updated or new case data 6) capture data
  to report AFCARS Foster Care data element number
  62 and 7) provide the title IV-D system with
  information about current foster care maintenance
  payments.

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Interfaces Expected Results (cont.)

• Medicaid 1) exchange of data to calculate and
  track eligibility for children in Foster Care, 2)
  automatic exchange of common data (to prevent
  duplicate data entry), and 3) capture the data
  necessary to report AFCARS Foster Care element
  number 63.
• State Child Abuse and Neglect Data System
  Automatic exchange of common data (to prevent
  duplicate data entry). Relevant information
  should include data collected during screening,
  investigation, and assessment of an incident, and
  case management information.

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Interfaces Methodologies

• Online. Direct, real-time, computer-to-computer
  exchange of electronic data (preferred method).
• Batch. Batch processing is an acceptable method
  of electronic data exchange. May include manual
  review before post to SACWIS.
• Common Database. A single database serving the
  needs of two or more title IV-A, IV-D, IV- E and
  XIX programs with a Central Registry may meet
  requirements.
• Paper or view-only interfaces are not acceptable.
  The data exchange should be accomplished through
  an automated electronic process, and the SACWIS
  data should be available on-line throughout the
  State.

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Interfaces General Issues

• Confidentiality
• Maintainability documented flexible design
• Availability of specifications documentation
• Changes during development
• Need for a common ID
• Estimating the scope and level of effort
• Testing
• Processing data received through an interface

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Interfaces Oregon Issues

• Legacy Accounting System
• Common Accounting and Payment System
• Client Index
• Oregon Justice Department
• Oregon Child Waiting Bulletin website

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Interfaces Oregon Issues (cont.)

• 1. Legacy Accounting System
• 30 year-old mainframe system generates all
  payments, prints checks for clients and
  providers, and manages all aspects of accounting
  for the Child Welfare system
• Both the technology and the business logic of the
  legacy accounting system are obsolete
• There are several other legacy applications that
  interface to the legacy accounting system
• The Oregon SACWIS Project will replace the
  accounting functions, the interfaces to the
  accounting functions, and the interface to
  Oregons statewide financial system

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Interfaces Oregon Issues (cont.)

• 2. Common Accounting and Payment System
• The SACWIS Project may coordinate with the Oregon
  MMIS project to use a common financial accounting
  system
• This approach aligns with the Agency strategic
  plan to reduce the number of redundant systems
  and replace obsolete systems.
• There would be increased scope, complexity, and
  risk to the MMIS and the SACWIS projects
• Significant coordination between the projects and
  the Agency business clusters would be necessary

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Interfaces Oregon Issues (cont.)

• 3. Client Index
• The Client Index is a common database of all
  Agency clients
• Most Agency systems now interface to the Client
  Index, and interfaces for the remaining systems
  are planned
• The Oregon SACWIS interface to the Client Index
  also will require changes to the Client Index
  itself
• The changes to the Client Index may impact
  interfaces to the other systems

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Interfaces Oregon Issues (cont.)

• 4. Oregon Justice Department (OJD)
• The current legacy Child Welfare system sends
  several periodic batch files to OJD systems
• A listing of open sub-care services
• A listing of matching services
• (by Case Number and Person Letter)
• A listing of services closed during the time
  period
• OJD has begun a project to replace their legacy
  systems
• Depending on the relative schedules of the
  projects, the SACWIS Project may need to plan
  interfaces to both the legacy OJD system and the
  replacement OJD system

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Interfaces Oregon Issues (cont.)

• 5. Oregon Child Waiting Bulletin website
• Lists children who are available for adoption
• The website is an example of the many small
  interfaces that must be identified and
  potentially replaced during the SACWIS project
• The Oregon planning effort includes analysis of
  all current Child Welfare systems to identify all
  data to be migrated to the new SACWIS system, and
  all interfaces

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For More Information

• Leonard Higgins
• Phone [phone] x314
• Email Leonard.G.Higgins_at_state.or.us