Project History

Overview:

The United States Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Administration of Children and Families (ACF) has mandated under section 479 of the Social Security Act that states participate in reporting data required under 45 CFR 1355, 1356 and 1357. This is known as Adoption and Foster Care Analysis Reporting System (AFCARS). In order to meet the intent of the law and the requirements of the CFR, state data collection systems must conform to the data elements required by AFCARS. Data collected by the states will be used in national policy development, program management, congressional decisions, budget projections, trend analysis, technical assistance determinations, background and justification for policy changes and in longitudinal research. These Federally supported projects were called Statewide Automated Child Welfare Systems (SACWIS).

OCS currently maintains two main information systems residing on separate platforms. One is a mainframe based system made up of a set of integrated subsystems; the other is a PC-based system. The mainframe system is accessible in only a few agency offices by a limited number of staff. The system was implemented in 1978 when all of the State's automated information systems were mainframe based. It was originally designed as a limited client information system, facilities management (licensing) system and provider payment system. These subsystems were integrated to the extent necessary to automate invoicing, authorization and issuance of payment to licensed care providers for agency clients. Each of these subsystems has been extensively modified over the years to the point that many of their original functions have been discarded. OCS's provider payment system and facilities management functions are currently the only ones served by the mainframe system.

In 1988, OCS implemented the PC-based client information and case management system (PROBER). The system uses a distributed data base approach based on daily transaction processing through multiple communications mediums with all field databases. Most of the field offices database supports only a single user session. This requires the maintenance of multiple copies of the same database in larger offices where multiple users need simultaneous data input access. All but five OCS field offices are connected to the system via the State of Alaska's wide area network (WAN). Of those five remaining offices three have daily transaction via X.25. The remaining two offices have access to read only data on CD-ROM which is sent to their office on a weekly basis. Any input for their offices have to be sent to a larger office for entry. Although there is a computer on every social worker's desk some social workers do not have access to "view only" PROBER data while other workers have access but have never received training on how to navigate, enter or update data on PROBER. There is some provider information currently available on PROBER and a multi-user version of PROBER has been installed in the Anchorage and Palmer OCS offices. Multi-user versions have not been widely distributed due to the complexity and problems with the multi-user version of PROBER that requires frequent hands-on fixes.

Although PROBER represents a significant improvement over the old mainframe client information system and has been enhanced over the years, the system capability and current feature set do not provide the necessary flexibility to meet current and future requirements. PROBER was the best alternative at the time given available OCS funds and resources.

OCS initiated the development of a SACWIS in 1995. Although this attempt was not successful there has been continuing progress towards the implementation of a viable SACWIS. All line social workers have computers on their desk, ongoing efforts continue to provide computer training, most OCS offices are connected to the WAN and an adoptions database has been developed.

In Fiscal year 2001, there has been a strong commitment by Alaska to see a new SACWIS developed. $5.7 million has been identified to plan, develop and implement Online Resources for the Children of Alaska (ORCA).

ORCA Historical Documentation:

January 7, 2002

ORCA Site Visit team in New Mexico and Utah

A 10-member team of OCS employees is scheduled to visit New Mexico and Utah the week of January 7 to evaluate their child welfare information systems.

Based upon screening criteria set by the ORCA Steering Committee and the ORCA team, New Mexico's FACTS system and Utah's SAFE system were selected as sites for OCS staff to visit and evaluate.

The 10-member team is armed with a draft of Alaska's requirements document, which will be used as a tool to assist them in evaluating how well the Utah and New Mexico systems meet Alaska's desired requirements.

The team represents many areas within OCS, with the largest contingent evaluating the functionality of the system from the social workers perspective.

The team members are:

• Steve Hudson - SW IV - Ketchikan
• Linda Fiechtel - SW IV - Fairbanks
• Tim Huffman - SW IV - Anchorage
• Dave Woodmancy - SW II - Aniak
• Travis Erickson - SW V Anchorage
• Rayna Hamm - CSM - NRO
• Liz Taylor - CCLS II - Fairbanks
• Tom Cherian - Admin. Manager V - Central Office
• Linnea Osborne - Program Officer - Central Office
• Rich Grayson - DP Manager I - Central Office

Business Process Review - Site Visit Teams:

To facilitate the office visits that will occur during the OCS Business Process Review, a team of site coordinators has been formed. These individuals will help guide the ORCA staff members and contract personnel  during the upcoming office visits.

OCS ORCA Staff :

• Project Manager: John Boucher
  Phone: 907-465-8598
  john.boucher@alaska.gov 

• Data Processing Manager I: Rich Grayson
  Phone: 907-465-8598
  rich.grayson@alaska.gov
  

• Administrative Clerk III - Vacant

Work Groups:

• Membership: Field workers, supervisors, managers and Central Office staff who have been selected for their expertise in specific areas of ORCA.
  
• Functions: The recommendations of the Work Groups work will go to the steering Committee for final approval. Work Groups will be representative of state wide field interests.

Discussion:

1. OCS will use vendors, Division staff, and partners to define the state and federal project requirements during the planning, development and implementation phases.
   
2. There will be a technical lead staff as well as a program lead staff working along side contractors.
   
3. The previous work of Team ORCA (1995-1997) will be utilized fully. Some changes to this work will be inevitable since there have been many changes since that time:

• There have been changes in federal and state law.
• DOJJ separated from OCS and are developing their own MIS called JOMIS.
• OCS separated Anchorage into it’s own region, ARO.
• Several additional states have developed and implemented their SACWIS which provides Alaska with new functionality.
• Technology has continued to develop which provides Alaska with many new options in the development of ORCA.
• Small work groups who have expertise in specific or specialized areas will be formed and utilized for short term projects.
• On site development will occur through contractors but along side OCS staff.

August 20, 2001

OCS BPR Gets Underway

OCS recently executed a contract with MTG Management Consultants of Seattle, Washington to conduct the business process review of OCS in advance of developing system requirements for ORCA. MTG will conduct the review and provide technical assistance during the process of developing ORCA's system requirements. MTG will also assist in writing a Request for Proposal for the development contract for ORCA.

In September and early October 2001, MTG and ORCA team members will visit OCS field and regional offices. They will start defining OCS business processes to incorporate into ORCA, and will also identify and remedy some current processes that could be streamlined with a new system.

The primary goals of the process reviews are to:

• Evaluate opportunities to improve operations
• Identify operations that are unique to some areas within the division
• Develop functional requirements for a new information system (ORCA)
• Provide information to identify systems in other states that could be used in Alaska

This is not intended to be an audit of offices for adherence to practice standards, policies and procedures, etc.

In August 2001, OCS executed a contract with a private sector firm, MTG Management Consultants of Seattle, Washington,  to conduct a business process review of the division, develop the functional requirements for the ORCA system, and assist the division developing a Request for Proposal (RFP) to procure the development contractor for the ORCA project. The department's goal is to award the RFP by the end of FY02.

Currently the major milestones in the project plan are:

• May-August 2001- Acquire BPR/QA contractor
• September-October - Conduct business process review
• October-November 2001- Review other State's SACWIS systems
• November- December 2001- Develop System Requirements 
• January 2002- Finalize RFP for state and federal approval
• March 2002 RFP let
• June 2002 - RFP awarded 

Business Process Review Gets Jump Start

Tom Hay, a technical assistance contractor with the National Resource Center for Information Technology in Child Welfare, will be in Alaska in April to help OCS get the Business Process Review process started. Tom and Rich Grayson are scheduled to visit the Anchorage regional and field offices April 25-27.

The tentative schedule for their visit follows:

Friday April 20 AM - Tom Hay arrives at Juneau Central Office 11:00a. Meet OCS management team

Friday April 20 PM- Meet with Research Section to discuss Data requirements for the upcoming Family Services Review
2:00p- end of day - Meet with Gudrun Bergvall for OCS Forms Orientation

Monday April 23- Wednesday April 25 noon- Tom at NICWA Conference in Anchorage

Wednesday April 25 AM- Rich Grayson arrives on AM flight, spends morning getting acquainted with ARO staff and meets contacts that he will make during the visit. Meet with regional Data Processing Staff

Wednesday April 25 PM - Tom Hay arrives at office about 1:30- Rich and Tom talk to Anchorage personnel about their expectations for ORCA

Thursday April 26 AM- Intake
Thursday April 26 PM- Investigations

Friday April 27 AM- Permanency Planning
Friday April 27 PM- Licensing/Administration

Monday April 30- Juneau Central Office

Email the ORCA Project Director: john.boucher@alaska.gov

May 7, 2001

The ORCA RFP hits the Street

Download the RFP in Adobe Acrobat format

A major milestone was accomplished on April 25 when the Request for Proposal for the OCS Business Process Review was released. The RFP will purchase a professional services contractor to conduct a BPR in the areas of:

• case management
• provider payments
• community care licensing and
• supervisory/management reviews

The RFP also contracts for services to develop data models, business rules, requirements, mapping of OCS, and provide technical assistance throughout the planning, development and implementation of ORCA. The contract may be extended to provide a quality assurance component during the development and implementation phases of ORCA.

The current schedule for the RFP process is:

Issue RFP April 25, 2001
Pre-Proposal Conference May 11, 2001
Proposals Due May 30, 2001; 5:00PM AK time
Proposal Evaluation Committee completes evaluation June 6, 2001
State issues Notice of Intent to Award a Contract June 11, 2001
State issues contract June 20, 2001

Contract period ends upon completion of project

Copies of the RFP may be obtained by contacting the Office of Children's Services at P.O. Box 110630 Juneau, Alaska, 99811-0630 or by calling (907) 465-3469, or for TDD (907) 465-3196.

For more information contact the ORCA Project Manager

Download the RFP in Adobe Acrobat format

April 16, 2001

ORCA Project Team Hires Data Processing Manager

The ORCA team is happy to announce the hiring of Rich Grayson, the latest addition to the ORCA Project team. Rich is a 25-year employee of the State of Alaska and has extensive experience with nearly every aspect of the Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development's Data Processing System. His experience with data processing applications from CICS/VSAM mainframe systems to web-based development brings a wealth of technical expertise to the ORCA Project.

Email Rich at rich.grayson@alaska.gov

RFP in Final Approval Stage

In March, the ORCA steering committee met for the third time with the intent of finalizing the RFP to contract for a Business Process Review for OCS, The RFP will purchase a professional services contractor to conduct a BPR in the areas of:

• case management
• provider payments
• community care licensing and
• supervisory/management reviews

The RFP also contracts for services to develop data models, business rules, requirements, mapping of OCS, and provide technical assistance throughout the planning, development and implementation of ORCA. The contract may be extended to provide a quality assurance component during the development and implementation phases of ORCA.

Many OCS staff will be called on to assist in the planning and implementation of ORCA. This will be done through short-term small task specific groups. The ORCA WebPages will be used to keep OCS and other interested parties appraised of ORCA developments and progress.

January 10, 2001

ORCA Project Gets New Leader

After an extended search, OCS hired a project manager late in November of 2000. John Boucher, a long-time employee of the Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development's Research and Analysis Section, was hired to lead the ORCA project effort. During John's tenure at Research and Analysis, his unit won several prestigious national awards for excellence in government.

"Overseeing the ORCA project is an exciting challenge for me," Boucher said. "The main reasons I took this job was that everyone I talked to wanted to see this project succeed. And I'm confident that all of the elements are in place to make the ORCA project a success.

E-mail John at: john.boucher@alaska.gov

The first six weeks have largely been an orientation session for the new project manager. During this time he met OCS managers, Anchorage field office staff, shadowed social workers, and got to know Central Office personnel and OCS business practices.

In December, John traveled to Washington D.C. to meet with the federal project funding oversight group from the U.S Department of Health and Social Services Administration of Children and Families. The meeting was a success and all parties were anxious to see Alaska proceed on the ORCA project. Following the meeting in Washington DC, John traveled to Philadelphia, where he attended a two day training session for Statewide Automated Child Welfare Information System (SACWIS) project managers.

Also in December, the project recruited for a Data Processing Manager position to oversee the technical aspects of the project for the division. Seven applicants are in the pool to hire from and the hiring committee hopes to bring that person on board in January.

In early January the ORCA steering committee met for the first time since the middle of 2000, with a stated goal of getting some traction for the ORCA project. The steering committee approved the writing of an RFP to contract for a Business Process Review for OCS in the areas of:

• case management
• provider payments
• community care licensing and
• supervisory/management reviews

The RFP also contracts for services to develop data models, business rules, requirements, mapping of OCS, and provide technical assistance throughout the planning, development and implementation of ORCA. The contract may be extended to provide a quality assurance component during the development and implementation phases of ORCA.

Many OCS staff will be called on to assist in the planning and implementation of ORCA. This will be done through short-term small task specific groups. The ORCA WebPages will be used to keep OCS and other interested parties appraised of ORCA developments and progress.