Policy & Practice October 2018

technology speaks

By Anita B. Light and Courtney A. Lee

Technology Tool Supports Better Outcomes for Children and Families

O riginally conceived by several members of the Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children (ICPC), The National Electronic Interstate Compact Enterprise (NEICE) is a national electronic system for transferring ICPC data across state lines quickly and securely. It success- fully meets the need for a single system to function among the diverse contexts of states’ technology infrastructures. With thirty-seven states currently live or onboarding to the NEICE, children are being placed quicker and with increased transparency and account- November 2013, the American Public Human Services Association (APHSA), the Association of Administrators of the ICPC (AAICPC), and Tetrus (the NEICE technical vendor) have made continuous system improve- ments and developed technology options for implementing the NEICE in states across the nation. These improvements—affecting all states that onboard—are consistent with the Comprehensive Child Welfare Information System (CCWIS) mod- ernization requirements with many options capable of being adapted to the state’s needs or preferences while still maintaining the integrity of the system. In consultation with the NEICE team, states can select the technology platform that best aligns with their system. 1 When making decisions about options—modular or building ability into permanent homes. Technology Platform Options to Work for All States Since its launch as a pilot in

an interface directly to the NEICE Clearinghouse that provides a secure electronic pathway for information exchange between states—each state needs to consider how their connection will meet the requirements identified by the CCWIS guidelines. How the NEICE Was Developed APHSA, in conjunction with the AAICPC, developed and implemented the NEICE with pilot funding from the Office of Management and Budget, through the Partnership Fund for Program Integrity Innovation. In June 2015, recognizing the success of the pilot and the potential for nation- wide electronic data exchange, the

Children’s Bureau awarded a coopera- tive agreement to APHSA and AAICPC to scale the NEICE for national applica- tion. When the grant ended May 31, 2018, the Children’s Bureau extended the grant and implementation period thru May 2019. The cooperative agreement grants have provided for continued technical improvements, support for increased security costs, enhanced helpdesk support, and helped defray the training and technology-related costs associated with onboarding. Going forward, onboarding and training costs will fall to the state and will be assessed based on the state’s need for technology assistance and paid directly to the technical vendor.

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