RD244 - Child Care Automation - October 2009


Executive Summary:
DSS has a vision for a comprehensive automated system for the Child Care Subsidy Program that will allow Virginia to meet federal mandates more efficiently and improve overall program management. The new system will assist the local departments of social services (LDSS) with management of their caseloads; provide timely information regarding children and families served, providers utilized, and costs associated with child care; analyze encumbrances and expenditures; and assess unmet child care needs.

Progress towards an automated child care system has been made, as evidenced by the following:

• Development of a project plan through weekly meetings with child care and information technology staffs;

• Appointment of an Information Systems Project Manager and a Business Analyst to provide technical leadership;

• Completion of baseline requirements in September of 2008 for the automated child care system;

• Provision of an automated transfer of information on licensed providers to the Virginia Child Care Resource and Referral Network (VACCRRN) for child care referral services;

• Automation and implementation of a waiting list for child care for LDSS;

• Automation of a financial report for LDSS that tracks monthly expenditures and projects surpluses and deficits; and

• Inclusion of research and evaluation of automating child care as a goal in DSS’ Information Technology Strategic Plan.

In January of 2009, DSS issued a Request for Information (RFI) to determine if baseline requirements developed for the automated child care system could be met with existing technology and to discover new functionalities to make program management more efficient.

Information compiled from responses to the RFI was used to develop a Request for Proposal (RFP), which was posted in May of 2009. Vendor proposals submitted by the July 30, 2009 deadline are being evaluated. Presentations of proposals meeting the requirements of the Child Care Subsidy Program have been made. Negotiations and award of a contract are expected to take place in November of 2009.

Funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) in the amount of $13.7 million have been approved for automation of the Child Care Subsidy Program. A case management module will be developed first, followed by a provider and a financial management module.

Automation of the data collection process for reviewing improper authorizations for child care subsidy payments and reporting the findings to the federal government was completed in State Fiscal Year (SFY) 09.