NASCIO Awards

AWARDS & RECOGNITION

2001 Awards: Service Applications

RECIPIENT New Mexico: eChild Support
[Download Nomination - Word]
The New Mexico Human Services Department partnered with Accenture to develop an Internet-based solution to enable parents and employers to perform tasks and exchange information that until recently could only be handled on the phone or in person with agency staff. Through the use of the Department's Web site, http:// childsupport.hsd.state.nm.us, clients now can apply for child support services, inquire about child support payment status, view payment history, provide address updates, provide "leads" on non-custodial parents, and utilize direct deposit.

The Web site was developed using component-based architecture, and works in conjunction with the Child Support enforcement division's existing legacy mainframe system. The architecture is scalable, robust, easy to adopt, and incorporates proven standards and common routines.

Due to the sensitive nature of the child support enforcement data, security was of paramount importance for this project. The State of New Mexico designed security components to protect access to the application, network/ servers, and mainframe. The NM eCSE web site is a bi-level security site. It allows users to access general information about child support without requiring them to log on to the system. To access specific information on cases, users are required to request a Logon Id and Personal Identification Number to access the Web site.

The eChild Support Web site has increased productivity of child support case workers, and has resulted in fewer calls to the department's Customer Service Unit. Direct deposit authorization has reduced check printing and personnel costs. The site has also reduced the cost of client contact. Approximately 80% of calls to child support enforcement agencies are payment-related: parents wanting to know what they owe or where their check is, and employers with questions about wage withholding or new hire reporting. Placing the answers to these questions on an eChild Support Enforcement site reduces the resources an agency expends on these necessary but time consuming inquiries.

With the NM eCSE system implementation, child support staff can also shift from a focus on handling common inquiries to a focus on unique problems and complex cases. The result is improved outcomes in cases that in the past would not get the attention they needed, while at the same time giving staff more challenging and rewarding careers.

Other Nominations:
Click on the link to download program submission.

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Kansas
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New Jersey
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