Child Welfare XML Workgroup

1
Child Welfare XML Workgroup

• National Child Welfare XML Initiative
• Briefing for
• ITAA Human Services IT Advisory Group
• 5 November 2004
• Bearingpoint Offices
• McLean, VA

2
CWXML Overview

• Introduction
• Background
• CwXML Organization
• CwXML Workgroup Activities
• Future plans
• Contact Information

3
Introduction

• The Child Welfare Extensible Markup Language work
  group, (CwXML), consists of state and industry
  representatives currently examining ways of
  applying XML in child welfare.
• State Participants

• Colorado Kentucky
• District of Columbia
• Massachusetts Ohio
• New Jersey New York
• Rhode Island Texas
• New Hampshire
• West Virginia Missouri

4
Mission

• Develop and promote the adoption and use of
  national non-proprietary Child Welfare XML-based
  vocabularies and schemas for representing and
  exchanging Child Welfare data across
  heterogeneous systems and organizations
  delivering vital services to children and families

5
Background

• First Meeting in August 2001
• Initial gathering included an XML technology
  briefing, analysis of what courts project is
  doing, review of functionality of ICPCV and
  Provider Management, XML.gov, discussion about
  creating a web-site
• Vendor Community participation
• AMS, PWC, IBM, Accenture, DeLoitte, Oracle, TRW,
  Caliber and Harmony
• October 2001
• Idea of ICPC as proof of concept for XML (states
  Participating)
• October 2002
• Decide to move ahead with MA and NH to develop
  ICPC
• April 2003
• Show off ICPC proof of concept to Data Conference
  Attendees

6
Background (cont)

• September 2003
• Team reconstitutes
• Vendor and State participation
• Set new direction to gain momentum and focus on
  formation
• November 2003
• Charter approved by team
• Decide to poll states to see what implementation
  already in place
• February 2004
• XML Survey reveals not a whole lot going on, but
  lots of interest
• Team decides we need ratification process
• April 2004
• Team presentation and update at Data Conference

7
Background (cont)

• May 2004
• Team reviews ratification process
• Team decides to revisit ICPC
• September 2004
• Team ratifies ratification process
• Team decides to finalize ICPC work
• Team decides to move ahead with NCANDS

8
CwXML Team Organization

• Composed of Management and Technology
• Management Committee
• Mary Ellen Bennard - CIO - DSS MA
• Technical Committee
• Angelo Serra IT Manager - JFS OH

9
CwXML Workgroup Activities

• Management Committee mandate
• Creation of a charter.
• Team governance structure.
• Define the Technical and Business Infrastructure.
• Communicate the benefits to Stakeholders.
• Decide on team home and support services.
• Strategy to deal with organizations that have
  already implemented XML.
• Address any legal issues associated with transfer
  of data.

10
CwXML Workgroup Activities (cont)

• Management Activities Completed
• Charter Created (see website)
• Governance model created vis-à-vis Ratification
  Process
• Communications
• Annual Face-to-Face Working Meeting
• Monthly Conference Calls
• E-Mail, US post
• Biggest Challenge Maintaining Momentum

11
CwXML Workgroup Activities (cont)

• Technical Committee mandate
• Decision on DTDs Vs. Schemas.
• Review/research existing implementations.
• Research of relevant standards.
• Data element research as to what exists and what
  we can focus on as a group.
• Creation of Child Welfare Data XML Schema.
• Approval/ratification standards.
• Decision on schema location

12
CwXML Workgroup Activities (cont)

• Technical Activities completed
• Decision on DTDs Vs. Schemas.
• Schemas and DTDs defines the XML document
  structure with a list of legal elements. They are
  mechanisms for one organization, two
  organizations or an entire industry to agree on a
  standard set of names (vocabulary) to identify
  and exchange data.

13
CwXML Workgroup Activities (cont)

• Technical Activities completed
• Review/research existing implementations
• Review/research relevant XML standards
• Review ICPC and prepare for comment period
• Focus on next XML schema to address

14
CwXML Future Plans

• Management
• Conference Participation and Team Meetings
• Outreach
• Inclusion of active participants
• Request for Comment List Compilation
• Meet with interest groups and states
• Technical
• Prepare ICPC for ratification
• Continue work on NCADS

15
CwXML Contact Information

• Management Committee
• Mary Ellen Bennard
• E-mail mare.e.bennard_at_state.ma.us
• 617.748.2222
• Technical Committee
• Angelo Serra
• E-mail serraa_at_state.oh.us
• 614.387.8909
• General Enquiry
• Ruthie Seale (Deputy SITC Program Manager)
• E-mail seale_at_software.org
• 703.742.7145
• Web Site
• http//www.ncritcw.org/xml/intro.html

16
Conclusion

• Thoughts, suggestions or directions?
• Thank you!