Leveraging Enterprise Architecture for Improved IT Procurement

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This brief seeks to present an overview of how the discipline of Enterprise Architecture (EA) can be used to improve and lower costs of state IT procurement. The degree of EA maturity in states can vary as much as the very rules that govern IT procurement, but a closer look will provide guidance on alignment of these vital functions of government. As stewards of tight budgets, it is imperative that state chief information officers (CIOs), state procurement officials, and other state leaders find the best values and are accountable for IT investments. State leaders should consider the benefits of aligning IT procurement and enterprise architecture not only as a way to deliver IT services more effectively, but also as a way to find savings through streamlined investments. This brief was developed in partnership with TechAmerica and with contributions from the National Association of State Procurement Officials (NASPO).

 

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A Golden Opportunity for Medicaid IT Transformation: State CIOs and the MITA Framework

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This is an unprecedented time for health IT in the United States, and the backbone of achieving lower costs, better health outcomes, and system interoperability relies on an enterprise view. In response to the CMS release of Medicaid Information Technology Architecture (MITA) 3.0, the NASCIO Health Care Working Group has formulated guidance to states as they navigate Medicaid IT transformation. NASCIO continues to be an advocate for enterprise solutions and view the MITA framework as a way state CIOs can decouple legacy systems and break down existing silos in state government. State CIOs grasp the importance of modernizing the Medicaid enterprise in a way that is flexible, interoperable, and takes into consideration emerging technologies like cloud computing. In addition to emphasizing conformity to the MITA vision, the report calls attention to emerging security threats in the states and the importance of protecting personally identifiable information and personal health information.

 

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Capitals in the Clouds Part IV – Cloud Security: On Mission and Means

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This brief presents an emphasis on the cultural and organizational aspects of cloud computing. “Cloud services” imply shared services. When agencies come together to share such a resource there will necessarily have to be an evaluation of the variance in security policies in place in the various partner agencies. Engaging external cloud services can be quite risky if such services have not been properly vetted by state security staff. Much education, awareness, and ongoing communication will be required to ensure state government employees are fully aware of the risks of external cloud services. The imperative for states is to stay connected and maintain the dialogue, sharing intentions and solutions, as state government moves forward with adoption of cloud services. Cloud is not the only solution or avenue for sharing resources. When it is the right solution, it must be employed with proper attention to the security aspects of cloud services, particularly with external cloud services.

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Capitals in the Clouds Part III – Recommendations for Mitigating Risks: Jurisdictional, Contracting and Service Levels

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Cloud computing will continue to be an invaluable resource for state and local governments in their efforts to rationalize and optimize computing resources. Cloud computing should be seen as an IT innovation that can support rationalization and optimization of business services as well as IT services. Due diligence prescribes the necessity of exploring and evaluating jurisdictional issues in order to ensure long term sustainability and growing adoption of collaborative government operations in state and local government.

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The Heart of the Matter: A Core Services Taxonomy for State IT Security Programs

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To ensure that IT security remains robust in the current difficult budget environment, the National Association of State Chief Information Officers (NASCIO) has identified a taxonomy of core, critical IT security services to facilitate the analysis of requirements, sourcing options, and costs for delivering appropriate security. For each of the twelve services that were identified, the brief includes a description, a list of the key activities associated with the service, and a list of tools that commonly support service delivery.

 

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Capitals in the Clouds – The Case for Cloud Computing in State Government Part II: Challenges and Opportunities to Get Your Data Right

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Cloud computing brings with it opportunities, issues and risks. One major consideration that must be addressed is the management of data – governance, stewardship, consistency, ownership and security. Data is the lifeblood of state government operations and critical for service delivery. With the fiscal stress and operational pressures that are driving state and local governments toward serious consideration and adoption of cloud computing, the data must not be ignored. These pressures must be managed intelligently to avoid pushing government into a future situation that could constitute greater cost, and more difficulty in achieving interoperability of government lines of business and government jurisdictions.

 

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The 2011 State CIO Survey

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NASCIO partnered with TechAmerica and Grant Thornton LLP to survey state and territorial chief information officers (CIOs) on their most challenging issues and significant opportunities. At a high level, the survey reveals this to be a time of evolving roles, changing organizational capabilities and demanding workloads for the CIOs. The themes that emerge from the 2011 survey results center on consolidation, collaboration, clout and change — a new state CIO agenda. The report, which is the second Annual Survey of State Chief Information Officers, is titled: “A New C4 Agenda: Perspectives and Trends from State Government IT Leaders.”

 

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State CIO Top Ten Policy and Technology Priorities for 2012

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Each year NASCIO conducts a survey of the state CIOs to identify and prioritize the top policy and technology issues facing state government. The CIOs top ten priorities are identified and used as input to NASCIO’s programs, planning for conference sessions, and publications.

 

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Sustainable Success: State CIOs and Health Information Exchange

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While NASCIO has continued to track the role of the State CIO in Health Information Exchange (HIE), the recently released issue brief highlights the importance of a sustainable public HIE. Included in the brief are best practices for creating potential revenue streams, considerations for systems development, and innovative options that may reduce maintenance and lower costs. State CIOs and state policy officials need to consider the business drivers that will ensure that revenues exceed costs to plan, implement and operate an interoperable HIE. State CIOs recognize that there is no better opportunity than now for carrying out these goals, but continued ingenuity will be imperative in ensuring a state-run HIE is independently sustainable when public grants may no longer be available.

 

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State Cyber Security Resource Guide: Awareness, Education, and Training Initiatives

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For the 2011 observance of National Cyber Security Awareness Month, NASCIO has updated its Resource Guide for State Cyber Security Awareness,Education, and Training Initiatives. The guide includes new information from our state members, who provided examples of state awareness programs and initiatives. This is an additional resource of best-practice information, together with an interactive state map to allow users to drilldown to the actual resources that states have developed or are using to promote cyber awareness. It includes contact information for the CISO, hyperlinks to state security and security awareness pages, and information describing cyber security awareness, training, and education initiatives.

The Resource Guide is a work-in-progress that should provide a valuable reference resource for Cyber Security Awareness Month, as well as the ongoing planning of security awareness and training efforts state programs may undertake thereafter.

 

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