Connections Vision Document
Vision Document
Connections
- Draft -
Version 3.0
January 22, 2007
Table of Contents
1.0 Introduction
2.0 Stakeholders
2.1 Description
2.2 Needs
3.0 High Level System Overview
3.1 Features
3.2 Other Requirements
4.0 Shared Vision
4.1 Description
4.2 Benefits
4.3 Assumptions
4.4 Constraints & Dependencies
4.5 Risks
4.6 Alternatives
5.0 Summary
Appendix 1
Revision History
- 1 -
11/13/20181:01:47 PMDRAFTConfidential
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ConnectionsVision Document
1.0 Introduction
The Department of Human Services, Division of Community Health and Prevention (the Department) has initiated a project to modernize the Cornerstone and eCornerstone systems. The Department has determined that the combined modernized system will be called Connections – which reflects the important role the system plays in service delivery. The Connections project will require the services of a Vendor to assist the Department in design, development, and implementation efforts. A Vendor will be selected through the State of Illinois’ procurement process in response to a Request for Proposals (RFP). To procure the best possible Vendor for this effort, the RFP must effectively communicate the high level system requirements for Connections.
Over the last several months a “Hot Team”, consisting of staff representing all areas of the Department impacted by this effort, has collaborated to identify the high level requirements. The members of the Hot Team represent stakeholders of the Connections project. Their collaboration efforts were guided by the Department’s Office of Management Information Services through a team of Business Analysts supported by Use Case writers. The Rational Unified Process – which includes the creation of Use Cases – was used to develop the system requirements for the RFP.
The critical first step in the identification of high level requirements is the creation of a shared vision of the Connections project. Stakeholders and key sponsors must share a clear vision of the objectives and scope of the project. The purpose of this Vision Document is to capture the shared vision and to provide a foundation for the requirements analysis.
Goals for the Vision Document:
- Establish stakeholders needs
- Develop a shared understanding of the problems to be solved
- Capture high level system features required to fulfill the needs
- Identify assumptions, risks and constraints that will impact the system
- Document the shared vision in a manner understandable to all stakeholders
The Vision Document serves the project to ensure that efforts remain focused throughout the process of capturing system requirements, developing the RFP, evaluating Vendor proposals and ultimately implementing the Connections system.
2.0 Stakeholders
Stakeholders are the source of the project’s requirements. They are groups of individuals who will be impacted by the outcome of the Connections project.
2.1 Description
There are three broad categories of stakeholders impacted by the Connections project — Administrators, End Users and the Families / Individuals who are recipients of the services supported by the system. In the brief descriptions of stakeholder categories that follow, key sponsors and individual Hot Team participants are identified for each business area within the stakeholder categories. Hot Team members are directly involved in identifying requirements through Joint Application Design (JAD) sessions, reviewing the Use Cases, and approving the high level requirements documents for the RFP, as well as working with the selected Vendor during development and implementation efforts. Key sponsors provide overall direction and support for Connections throughout the project.
2.1.1 Administrators
The administrators listed below have a vested interest in Connections:
- IDHS Division of Community Health and Prevention (DCHP)
DCHP administers 61 programs that work together to serve Illinois’ families across the state. The DCHP program administrators use the information collected by the current Cornerstone system to manage these service programs, direct funding, and make informed decisions about the future of the programs. - Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH)
IDPH has several programs that are impacted by Connections. - Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services (IDHFS)
As the state Medicaid agency, IDHFS interacts with the programs for transfer of information for Medicaid claims and monitoring of adequacy of service delivery. - Office of Management Information Services (MIS)
As the entity in the Department responsible for all technology related efforts, MIS will be directly impacted by Connections. - Department of Central Management Services (CMS)
Since CMS is the entity responsible for technical infrastructure support, they will be involved in the project. Although CMS will not participate directly in JAD sessions, they will be involved in review and signoff of various project components.
Division of Community Health and Prevention
Key Sponsors:
- Steven Guerra, Director of Community Health and Prevention
- Ralph Schubert, Associate Director, Program Planning and Development
- Melissa Wright, Associate Director, Community Support Systems
- Dr. Myrtis Sullivan, Associate Director, Family Health
Hot Team Participants:
- Regional Administration Bureau of Community Support Services – Mary Amberger, Barbara Shipp, Eric Turner, Christie Richardson, Catherine Hobson, Marilyn Green
- Bureau of Performance Support Services – Jo Anne Durkee, Jeff Peddycoart, Kyle Garner
- Bureau of Family Nutrition – Steve Strode
- Bureau of Child and Adolescent Health – Denise Simon
- Bureau of Maternal and Infant Health – Doreen Wright
- Bureau of Part C Early Intervention – Ann Freiburg
- Bureau of Community Health Nursing – Cynthia Wilson
- Bureau of Youth Services and Delinquency Prevention – Karrie Rueter
- Bureau of Community Based and Primary Prevention – Kim Fornero
- Office of Fiscal Support Services – Dan Blair
- Bureau of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Prevention – Doris Garrett
Illinois Department of Public Health
- Immunization Section – Teri Gorsek
- Office of Women’s Health – Allen Griffy
- Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program – Susan Williams
- Oral Health – Julie Janssen
- Genetic Screening
- Newborn Metabolic Screening – Claudia Nash
- Newborn Hearing Screening – Barb Deluka
Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services
- Bureau of Maternal and Child Health Promotion – Deb Saunders
Office of Management Information Services
Key Sponsors:
- Robert Daniel, Chief Information Officer
- Keith Schoonover, Acting Bureau Chief, Applications Development
- Cornerstone Development - Julie Hagele
Central Management Services
Key Sponsors:
- Kevin Rademacher, Chief Technical Architect
2.1.2 End Users
For the most part, the current Cornerstone and eCornerstone systems are directly “used” by community-based service agencies – local service providers. For many of the programs, the system supports the operations of service delivery at these community-based agencies. In the Hot Team, Department Regional staff will represent the end users from the perspective of their knowledge of local operations of service delivery utilizing the experience they have in providing technical assistance and support to the local users of the current Cornerstone system. At key points in the Connections project, direct input from community-based service agency end users will also be elicited. This will initially be addressed by meeting with a representative group of agencies, who currently use the system, at the beginning and end of the high level requirements definition phase. End users will become more directly involved in the detail design and implementation phases.
End UsersRepresentatives for End Users
- Region 1 - Cook County Health Department - Sandy Martell; Mercy Family Health Center - Carol Bradford; Sinai Community Institute - Steven Foley; and WACA - Lee Smith
- Region 2 - Kane County - Mary Lou England, Administrator
DuPage County - Maureen McHugh, Interim Executive Director
Kevin Helwig
- Region 3 - Knox County – Rhonda Peterson
- Region 4 - Sangamon County - Jim Stone, Administrator
- Region 5 - Southern Seven Health Department - Nancy Holt, Administrator
2.1.3 Families / Individuals – Customers / Consumers
The families / individuals involved with the programs of the current Cornerstone and eCornerstone systems are also considered stakeholders. Throughout this document the families and individuals are referred to as “customers”. Customers are represented by all Hot Team members.
2.2 Needs
The Cornerstone system was first developed during the early 1990’s to meet the federal reporting requirements for the Healthy Start Case Management program in the city of Chicago. It later evolved to include statewide programs for Family Case Management and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC). Since its initial implementation the system has been expanded to meet the requirements of several other maternal and child health programs administered by the Department and IDPH. While the system meets the needs of the programs, the technology architecture upon which it is built is dated. The current technology architecture has limited the Department’s ability to expand the system to address new programs and change business processes. The Department recognizes that upgrading the technology will improve the way the system addresses the needs of the programs and offer opportunities to take advantage of new business processes.
Several years ago, the Department began implementing new service programs on an Internet based platform – eCornerstone – rather than expanding the existing Cornerstone system. Although eCornerstone has been a successful project for the Department, it does not meet the complex requirements for all the programs supported by the current Cornerstone system. There are also several ancillary systems which support business functions related to programs in Cornerstone. The Vendor Management, Food Package and CARMEN systems provide support for WIC Vendor Management functions, creation of WIC Food Packages and billing for Teen Parent Services providers respectively. The technology architecture of these systems is outdated. In addition to encompassing the eCornerstone system, the Connections project will address these systems to provide an integrated system for the Department.
The Department has used the Cornerstone and eCornerstone systems to improve the performance of community-based service delivery organizations through the routine reporting of management information. Connections must maintain current data collection capability and enhance the Department’s ability to monitor and improve grantee performance.
The need to modernize Cornerstone has been recognized as a beneficial project for several years. The Department has now identified funding and assembled the resources to move forward with the Connections project.
The Department has developed an Integrated Prevention Framework to guide the interaction of the Department, communities and providers to achieve integrated and effective prevention services. Guiding principles have been established for the Integrated Prevention Framework which will be recognized in establishing the shared Vision for Connections. These Guiding Principles are as follows:
- Stake-Holder Driven: Integrated prevention efforts are directed by those who have the most at stake, allowing communities, families and individuals the right to evaluate and choose their own solutions.
- Participatory: Integrated prevention efforts strive to include and involve all communities, families and individuals in all stages of such efforts, and should ensure equal opportunity for access to the prevention process and systems.
- Science-Based: Integrated prevention efforts should be evidence-based, demonstrating through a critical, scientific review that such efforts are safe and effective. In addition, models or programs should be modified to meet the needs of communities, families and individuals to which the efforts are applied.
- Dynamic: Integrated prevention is an energetic, constantly changing process that evolves through collaboration. New strategies continuously emerge through open-minded questioning of our science-based knowledge.
- Justice-Driven: It is necessary that integrated prevention efforts acknowledge inequities in our social systems and services and to dedicate targeted actions toward those with the greatest needs, as well as serving all residents.
- Focused on Community Competency: Integrated prevention agents commit to developing the competency of communities, building the ability of communities, families and individuals to take responsibility for their own lives.
- Collaborative: Every integrated prevention effort involves all possible parties that are needed to effect change and requires a commitment to work together cooperatively for the greater good of the community. Integrated prevention agents realize their responsibility to be a part of unified, cohesive prevention system.
- Data-Driven: Accurate knowledge of the current state of a community, organization, family or individual receiving prevention services is necessary throughout the integrated prevention process; including during planning, implementation, delivery and completion.
- Accountable: Government agencies and community and provider organizations that serve communities, families and individuals are held accountable for integrated prevention outcomes through clear performance criteria and standards.
The Integrated Prevention Framework identifies three “Core Integrated Prevention Actions” that local agencies are to engage in and that Connections must be able to support and capture. These are the actions used in any prevention effort and with any level of system,
including individuals, families, communities and organizations. The three core actions are:
- STRENGTHEN – Assist the participant to increase their ability to direct their own efforts toward self-sufficiency and growth. This may include education, skill building, and other capacity-building efforts.
- CONNECT – Assist the participant to access the network of resources and to interact effectively throughout all interactions with the network members.
- SUPPORT – Provide direct services or support to assist the participant to acquire healthy behaviors, or to stabilize or maintain health and well-being. Support may include guidance, intervention, and concrete or other assistance.
Connections must support the Integrated Prevention Framework; during the past year, preliminary work has been initiated to capture the needs and goals for the new system in the context of the Integrated Prevention Framework. The results of this preliminary work are summarized below as a basis for establishing stakeholder requirements. This list is an identification of what “needs” to happen for Connections to be successful, a brief description of the current situation and a high-level resolution.
Need / Priority / Current Situation / ResolutionSTRQ1 Support the operations of the service delivery of the existing programs in Cornerstone, eCornerstone, Vendor Management, Food Package, and CARMEN systems / High / Cornerstone, eCornerstone, Vendor Management, Food Package and CARMEN meet the fundamental requirements of these programs / All existing program requirements will be addressed
STRQ2 Provide capabilities for integrated service delivery among programs / High / Sharing of information among agencies and clinics is cumbersome / Store all information centrally for access locally
STRQ3 Provide for seamless coordination with the Early Intervention Central Billing Office functions / High / Linkages between Cornerstone and CBO for the EI program are cumbersome / Create the system so that interaction and interfaces with the EI CBO are transparent to end users
STRQ4 Facilitate access to services for Customers / High / Sharing of pertinent service delivery history information about a customer is not directly facilitated / Reduce requirements for duplicate entry of information on customers and share service information to provide easier access and identification of needs
STRQ5 Facilitate the addition of new service delivery programs in the system / High / New programs require extensive system modifications / Establish system-wide functions that can be used by all programs and provide capability to tailor functions to meet needs of individual programs in a timely manner
STRQ6 Allow agencies to manage levels of care for an individual customer / High / Agency managers must work within existing system parameters / Provide capability to override predefined levels of care
STRQ7 Facilitate case management by allowing for family based service delivery / High / Cornerstone does not support family based service delivery / Allow case managers to enter and maintain information by family as well as by individual customer
STRQ8 Enhance the information collected about customers from external sources – immunizations, newborn screening, blood lead information, Medicaid information / High / Information is imported from various sources in time limited fashion / Expand the ability to accept information from external sources using standard technologies and improve the timeliness of imports whenever feasible
STRQ9 Enhance the information sent to external sources – immunizations, etc / High / Information is exported to various sources in time limited fashion / Expand the ability to export information to external sources using standard technologies
STRQ10 Track service intensity levels between agencies, programs and geographic areas / High / Service information is collected but not easily tracked across the system / Provide system-wide view of service levels (this was added based on discussions around needs associated with Family Case Management restructuring)
STRQ11 Maximize Medicaid reimbursement for funded services / High / Medicaid is claimed wherever feasible in current system design / Enhance Medicaid billing as part of service reporting for both direct claims and administrative claiming
STRQ12 Systematically monitor and alert case managers to significant changes in customer status / High / Monitoring is dependent upon case manager review / Develop automated system triggers to red flag customer status changes that need attention or intervention based on business rules built into the system. These triggers could be the result of internal events within the system as well as external data
STRQ13 Automate process for referrals and follow-up / High / Referrals are often handled manually and entered as case progress notes / Allow referral information to be systematically exchanged with agencies whenever feasible
STRQ14 Provide a solid technical architecture for ongoing viability of the system / High / System is based on dated technology and not expandable / Use new technology architecture to ensure long term viability
STRQ15 Provide greater reporting capabilities at the local level / High / Local users have FoxFire to create reports / Allow for local data exports and expanded standard reporting based on parameters
STRQ16 Provide greater reporting capabilities at the central level / High / Users have access to Cornerstone data on a limited basis / Expand access by central program administrators to data kept in the system
3.0 High Level System Overview