About the Division of State Systems

The Division of State Systems (DSS) serves as the focal point for the development and operations of statewide automated child welfare information systems (SACWIS) for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. DSS currently is a division of the Children's Bureau, which is a bureau of the Administration on Children, Youth and Families, a key component within the Administration for Children and Families.

Among its many responsibilities, DSS coordinates ACF's development and implementation of SACWIS-related strategies and policies, conducts child welfare automated systems assessments, reviews funding requests and acquisition documents, and sponsors training, initiatives and programs. The Division supports child welfare state systems projects through partnerships and collaborative efforts, and technical assistance activities, such as this website.

Please send electronic copies of your submission to the analyst(s) that work with your State. It ensures that we receive the document, it alerts us to the pending submission, and allows us to start reviewing the document sooner than if we had to wait for the receipt of the hard copy.

For future formal submissions, please use the following guidance:

Submissions sent to the Division via the U.S. Postal Service should be addressed as follows:

Christine M. Calpin
Associate Commissioner
Children's Bureau
370 L'Enfant Promenade, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20024

Attn:
Mr. Terry Watt, Director
Division of State Systems
Room 8136, 1250 Maryland Avenue SW

Submissions sent to the Division via alternative couriers (FedEx, UPS, etc.) should be addressed as follows:

Christine M. Calpin
Associate Commissioner
Children's Bureau
8th Floor
1250 Maryland Avenue SW
Washington, D.C. 20024

Attn:
Mr. Terry Watt, Director
Division of State Systems
Room 8136

As the Portals Office Building at 1250 Maryland Avenue is a privately owned building, there may not be anyone available to receive a Saturday delivery.

Submissions that request Federal financial participation from multiple operational divisions within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services should be addressed as follows:

Mr. Curtis L. Coy
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Administration
Administration for Children and Families
370 L'Enfant Promenade, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20447

Attn:
Mr. James Blackie
State Systems Coordinator for HHS

ASSIGNMENTS

Please note carefully in the assignment list below that there has been a significant re-ordering of the state assignments as of October 2008:

Terry Watt, Director, Division of State Systems

Geeta Mannes	Mark Jazo	Peter Howe	Rick Konkolewski	Thom Carroll
Florida	Alabama	Alaska	Arkansas	Arizona
Indiana	California - New	Colorado	Delaware	California - Old
Iowa	Georgia	Hawaii	Illinois	Connecticut
Louisiana	Kansas	Michigan	Maryland	Idaho
Minnesota	Kentucky	Montana	Nevada	Maine
Nebraska	Mississippi	New Jersey	New Mexico	Massachusetts
North Dakota	Missouri	Ohio	North Carolina	New York
Texas	New Hampshire	Oklahoma	South Carolina	Rhode Island
Washington, DC	Tennessee	Oregon	South Dakota	Utah
Wisconsin	West Virginia	Pennsylvania	Virginia	Vermont
		Puerto Rico	Washington
		Wyoming

Please understand that the above assignments are subject to change at any time based on staff composition, current workload, and other relevant factors.

States are encouraged to contact their analyst by telephone or electronic mail regarding, among other things:

Automated child welfare information system planning, design, development, installation, and operations
Advance Planning Document content and submission requirements
Information technology procurement and contract content and prior approval requirements
SACWIS assessment process and requirements