This op-ed piece by former Minnesota Finance Director and quality guru Peter Hutchinson explains in non-technical language how Information Technology (IT) could benefit the state.
A child welfare IT system based on his principles would provide caseworkers with better information to do their jobs.
Most importantly, it could track whether child protection and foster care are helping children do better, for example by reducing their level of trauma and getting back on track developmentally.
Minnesota child welfare workers now spend over 50% of their day entering data into the current IT system, known as SSIS. A system that reduced this to a more reasonable 20% would effectively add about 350 caseworkers statewide without increasing the budget.
IT is improving results in many sectors of society. Why not for children too?