Human Services Domain

Effective information sharing is critical to the success of a coordinated Human Services (HS) system. The purpose of the NIEM HS domain is to support information sharing and promote interoperability between and across social service providers at the federal, state, tribal, and local levels. Standardized data and information exchanges help fulfill the following Human Services goals:

• Improved service delivery for clients;
• Reduced errors and improved program integrity; and
• Improved administrative efficiency.

Leveraging NIEM for Human Services

NIEM offers a proven approach for developing standardized, reusable information exchange packages and is being adopted across federal, state, and local government. The NIEM HS domain leverages the NIEM tools and processes which serve as reusable resources for new exchange development efforts so that content can be modeled in an agile and interoperable manner. Existing NIEM standards and IEPDs can be leveraged to help develop exchanges among the Human Services community of interest (COI). The experience and knowledge of NIEM practitioners will also help accelerate adoption.

Human Services Domain Content

The NIEM HS domain will complement the NIEM core with data common to human services, including financial, case status, and eligibility data. The HS domain provides harmonized data elements into the NIEM HS domain data exchange model.

Human Services Domain Activities

The NIEM HS domain is a component of a human services movement toward interoperability. The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) has made it a high priority to create and encourage greater collaboration and service integration among programs and agencies. Service integration or interoperability of human service programs offers opportunities to improve client outcomes, lower costs, and enhance operational efficiencies.

This domain will initially seek to leverage data from state and local interagency cooperative projects and recommended data exchanges described in federally prescribed state system development and certification guides.

Contacts

Human Services Domain Steward Manager:
Joseph W. Bodmer, MPM, PMP
Director
Division of State and Tribal Systems
Office of Child Support Enforcement
Administration for Children and Families
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
370 L'Enfant Promenade, SW
Washington, DC 20447
Phone: 202-690-1234
Email: joseph.bodmer@acf.hhs.gov

NIEM Human Services Domain Lead:
David Tabler
Senior Management Analyst
Division of State and Tribal Systems
Office of Child Support Enforcement
Administration for Children and Families
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
370 L'Enfant Promenade, SW
Washington, DC 20447
Phone: 202-401-6502
Email: david.tabler@acf.hhs.gov

Key Participating Organizations: Management level resources from state, local, and tribal governments, and federal human service program offices, plus representation from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Food and Nutritional Services/Supplemental Nutrition Assistance program (FNS/SNAP).

Human Services Domain Communities of Interest

Participants representing federal, state, tribal and local human services communities of interest (COI) will provide the breadth and depth of knowledge and opportunities to develop seamless data exchanges.

How to Participate

Business and technical workgroups for NIEM Human Services domain governance are currently being formed. For information, contact david.tabler@acf.hhs.gov.

Resources

ACF Interoperability Initiative Website: http://www.acf.hhs.gov/initiatives-priorities/interoperability