The Louisiana Department of Social Services (DSS) envisions the development of an enterprise system using a framework software approach to support the business activities of the Department. The approach is referred to as A Comprehensive Enterprise Social Services System (ACESS). During the first three years of implementation, the ACESS Project is intended to encompass the design, development, testing and implementation of a web-oriented statewide-automated information system primarily associated with the Child Welfare program within the Office of Community Services (OCS), and the Childcare and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) programs within the Office of Family Support (OFS). The functions within the Office of Management and Finance (OM&F) that are associated with the Child Welfare, TANF, and Childcare programs will be incorporated within ACESS as well.

Over the past few years there has been major changes to the business environment in which the Department of Social Services operates. The implementation of the TANF and Child Care block grants have provided the State with new options, opportunities and responsibilities for defining and managing social services programs. There are new expectations for all of the agencies operations to define, measure and meet performance expectations that are part of the legislative and budget processes. There are new mandates promulgated by legislation at the state and federal level directing greater cooperation and collaboration across program lines to provide coordinated services to families. There are expectations that require changes to the programs that address the burgeoning needs of abused and neglected children and their families. These needs have been heightened by the increased demands placed upon the child welfare system as a result of personal responsibility expectations, family instability and more devastating family problems, as well as more general societal problems such as unemployment, poverty and violence.

The Department initiated a Statewide Automated Child Welfare Information Systems (SACWIS) project in the fall of 2000 and developed a detail design over the subsequent two years. As the Department began to assess the best way to approach the development of the design DSS discovered that much of the enhanced functionality being sought was also needed and appropriate to other program areas. An approach was developed in accordance with the Technology Master Plan issued by the Office of the Chief Information Officer for the State of Louisiana that would use a commercially available off the shelf product as the base for developing ACESS. Efforts were undertaken to modify the federally approved SACWIS Advanced Planning Document to include the new approach. Over the last year a team from the Child Welfare, TANF, Child Care, Fiscal Services, and Information Services sections of the Department have been working on planning activities directed towards the development of ACESS.

ACESS is envisioned to provide a comprehensive case management and eligibility system that provides web access for clients, staff, providers and other business partners. It is expected to provide automation for all of the primary business functions for the program areas and many of the administrative functions necessary to support staff and administer. ACESS will have to interface with many other systems internal and external to the Department of Social Services.

The design concepts are based on several underlying goals which were established by the Administration for Children and Families. These are:

• Provide States with automated support to meet all federal reporting requirements including AFCARS, NCANDS, TANF Data Collection, and Child Care Data Collection, plus support for other financial and program reporting required by the federal regulations for the program areas included.
• Provide for the support of system interfaces and integration necessary for the coordination of services with other federally assisted programs and for the elimination of paperwork and duplication of data collection and data entry.
• Provide more efficient, economical and effective administration of programs within the State. This includes program management and administration for all services and case processing.
• Reduction of redundancy of data entry, data retention, and system functionality across program lines.
• Provide for a development environment that will allow the system to be more responsive to change in program requirements than the current environment.
• Provide a user friendly interface for the first line staff that work with the system.

The design concepts are similarly based on several underlying goals of the Office of Community Services, Office of Family Support, Office of Management and Finance, and Information Services. These concepts are designed to: a) assure accurate tracking of clients and providers served by the agency; b) assist in the evaluation and planning for the needs for all clients; c) assure that accurate and prompt payments are made to providers and staff within the provisions set forth in policy; and d) maintain the legally required levels of confidentiality and data security.