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Planning and Implementing an Information System

The following resources describe different types of data collection and management systems and offer suggestions for planning and implementing a system that meets the needs of its users. Resources include State and local examples.

Child Welfare Technology Training Resources and Materials State Information Technology Consortium Offers training presentations, online courses, and recorded web events on topics related to planning and implementing child welfare information systems. Federal Guidance Children's Bureau, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Contains links to statutes, regulations, and other Federal government issuances related to Statewide Automated Child Welfare Information Systems (SACWIS), as well as general information technology guidance documents. Child Welfare: Most States Are Developing Statewide Information Systems, But the Reliability of Child Welfare Data Could Be Improved U.S. General Accounting Office (2003) Examines barriers experienced by States implementing data collection systems, reviews attempts to overcome those barriers, and offers recommendations for the Federal government to improve the guidelines and assistance provided to States in this area.

Collecting Review Data and Getting it Used
National Association of Foster Care Reviewers & Child Welfare Institute (2002)
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Describes how to design or redesign a data collection system for foster care review data that addresses the requirements and intent of the Adoption and Safe Families Act.

An Ecosystems Approach to Human Service Database Design
Coursen
Journal of Technology in Human Services, 24(1), 2006
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Describes an approach to knowledge management and performance measurement that captures the interconnectedness of people in the human service environment.

Evaluating the Impact of Information Technology (PDF - 78 KB)
Fine (2005)
Describes guidelines for evaluating the effects of information technology and helps funders and agencies plan to invest in information technology efforts that will have the greatest possible impact.

Innovations in Technology and Project Management Practices That Can Improve Human Services (PDF - 175 KB)
Human Services Information Technology Advisory Group, Information Technology Association of America (2002)
Describes technology innovations, the challenges of implementing innovations, and a framework for successful human services technology project implementation.

Management Information Systems: Why Are They Underutilized in the Social Services?
Carrilio
Administration in Social Work: The Quarterly Journal of Human Services Management, 29(2), 2005
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Examines issues related to leadership, technical capacity, and systems readiness as reasons that social service organizations underutilize management information systems.

Model Court Approaches to Information Technology: A Dependency Court Data System Implementation Guide (PDF - 595 KB)
Portune (2002)
Provides guidelines for creating information systems in juvenile dependency courts based on the requirements of the Adoption and Safe Families Act and the experiences of model courts. Discusses system functions and standards, needs assessment, and system design and implementation.

Recommendations for Improving Child Abuse and Neglect Data and Services for American Indian and Alaska Native Children (PDF - 266 KB)
National Indian Child Welfare Association (2008)
Presents policy and research recommendations for developing a mechanism to enable Tribes to participate in a nationwide child abuse and neglect reporting system.

Visualizing Multilevel Agency Data Using OLAP Technology: An Illustration and Lessons Learned
Schoech, Fluke, Basham, & Baumann
Journal of Technology in Human Services, 22(4), 2004
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Explains Online Analytic Processing (OLAP) technology as a way to present data visually and illustrates its potential uses to improve the decision-making of child protective service staff related to Federal Child and Family Services Review standards.

What Tools Do We Need to Improve Identification of Child Abuse?
Munro
Child Abuse Review, 14(6), 2005
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Considers ways to understand the needs of frontline workers and develop information technology and tools that are most responsive to their needs.

What We Measure Matters: Data and Case Tracking Innovations in Action: Foster Care Data Collection and Case Tracking Innovations
Home At Last (2006)
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Highlights promising efforts by States to collect, manage, and monitor data through the development and use of meaningful case management systems to improve child welfare systems and outcomes for children in foster care.

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State and local examples

Building an Effective Child Maltreatment Surveillance System in North Carolina (PDF - 102 KB)
Zolotor, Motsinger, Runyan, & Sanford
North Carolina Medical Journal, 66(5), 2005
Reviews current approaches to child maltreatment surveillance and suggests promising new practices that may improve the collection of continuous and systematic data to identify the magnitude and impact of child abuse and neglect.

Business Technology Strategic Plan 2008-2012: Technology Planning for Better Human Services (PDF - 1790 KB)
Minnesota Department of Human Services (2008)
Identifies information technology strategies to realize the benefits of increased efficiency and effectiveness, improved understanding and better learning, better decision-making, enhanced organizational capabilities, and improved communications.

Leveraging Data to Enhance Management Outcome (PDF - 907 KB)
Arnold-Williams
Policy and Practice, 63, 2005
Describes a comprehensive approach used by the Utah Department of Human Services to invest in technology solutions for better data generation and analysis, leading to enhanced capacity to monitor and manage its programs.

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Updated on June 22, 2009