To: Board of County Commissioners
Through: Philip Savino, Director, Information Technology; Dan Makelky, Human Services
Prepared By:
prepared
Philip Savino, Director, Information Technology
end
presenter
Presenter: Philip Savino, Director, Information Technology; Dan Makelky, Director, Human Services
end
Subject:
Title
3:00 PM *HS Connects Modernization Update
end
Purpose and Request:
recommended action
The purpose of this drop-in session is to update the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) on current status of the HSC Modernization and current expenditures.
end
Background and Discussion: In the first quarter of 2024, Human Services (HS) and IT conducted a capability assessment of HS Connects, which revealed critical security vulnerabilities and compliance deficiencies in digital accessibility. In response, HS and IT collaborated to utilize HS funds to modernize the platform, strengthen security controls in line with modern frameworks, and integrate digital accessibility features to ensure compliance with state regulations. To advance these efforts, the project was launched with the engagement of Open Arc, a private development firm, to evaluate the platform and provide a cost estimate for modernization. HS initially allocated $700,000 for this initiative, covering discovery efforts, cybersecurity enhancements, and the redevelopment of the user interface to support accessibility. Following the discovery phase, the estimated cost of modernization exceeded the original projection by $212,000. To address this, HS and IT worked with finance to identify funding solutions.
Given that HS Connects generates approximately $800,000 annually in subscription revenue, with continued growth expected, it was proposed that the shortfall be covered using funds from Fund 10, to be reimbursed through future HS Connects revenue. The request before the board is to approve this funding approach to sustain the modernization effort, with the understanding that the actual request will be submitted through the quarterly supplemental process.
Fiscal Impact: $212,000 to close the funding gap on the modernization project.
Alternatives: Retain the assets or dispose of them.
Alignment with Strategic Plan:
☒Be fiscally sustainable
☒Provide essential and mandated service
☒Be community focused
Staff Recommendation: No Staff recommendation
Concurrence: IT, HS and Finance