Policy & Practice October 2018

association news

2018 ISM Conference Awards

T he 51st annual IT Solutions Management for Human Services (ISM) Conference took place September 16–19 at the Washington State Convention Center in Seattle, WA. Award winners were announced during the Recognition Luncheon on Monday, September 17. These awards recognize state and local governments and individuals who are utilizing technology to improve health and human services programs and deliver services more effectively and efficiently. Awards were presented in the fol- lowing categories: The Best Use of Technology for Operations award recognizes the innovative use of technology to enhance and improve the internal productivity and efficiencies of the health and human services orga- nization or program. This year’s winner is the Arizona Department of Child Safety’s (DCS) Guardian Mobile program . DCS’s goal with the Guardian Mobile program was to empower its workforce to ensure children and families get the help they need immediately. With the new mobile solutions, DCS is now better equipped to realize this goal and deliver more effectively on its mission to “successfully engage children and families to ensure safety, strengthen families, and achieve permanency.” The Best Use of Technology for Customers award recognizes the inno- vative use of technology to enhance and expand external service delivery to those we serve. Health and human services are being delivered in nontra- ditional places through nontraditional methods and these new approaches would not be possible without the

From left, APHSA President and CEOTracy Wareing Evans; ISM Chair Lifetime Distinguished Service award winners JohnW. Petraborg, Teresa (Terry) Shuchart, and David C. Jennings; and 2016-2018 ISM Chair Kristen Duus.

thoughtful and strategic use of information technology. This year’s winner is the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services’ (MDHHS) MI Bridges: Integrated Service Delivery program . MI Bridges is a new digital platform that offers an improved citizen self-service portal as an avenue to interact with customers. Through MI Bridges, MDHHS can deliver focused services and local support that address the indi- vidual needs of each person, helping all Michiganders lead healthier, more productive lives. The Collaboration Across Boundaries award recognizes the use of technology to support collabo- ration and integration that crosses traditional program or organizational boundaries. This year’s winner is the Ohio Department of Administrative Services’ Ohio Integrated Eligibility

System (OIES) . The OIES leverages technology and process to transform the eligibility operations for Medicaid, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, and Child Care public assistance programs across Ohio. It allows for collaboration across county lines providing improved services to Ohioans. The Jerry W. Friedman Individual Excellence in Leadership award recognizes an individual who has demonstrated a clear understanding of the fundamental role that informa- tion technology can play in efficient and effective operation in the field of health and human services. It honors innovative leadership that has promoted sound information technology solutions, policies, and practices. This is the only award open to all sectors (federal, state, and local

Photographs by Robb Cohen Photography & Video

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