While IT Optimization provided the standardization necessary to drive economies of scale through infrastructure consolidation (server, storage, mainframe, and network), the State of Ohio is now focused on the next step – IT innovation.

With the signing of Executive Order 2019-15D, Governor Mike DeWine established the statewide focus on IT innovation. The goal is to make State government a more effective and efficient leader in using technology to improve customer service and save tax dollars. The governor, lieutenant governor, and state chief information officer (CIO) are working together to make IT innovation a top priority. They are committed to improving the lives of citizens and state service delivery through innovative technologies.  

While great progress has been made since the signing of the executive order, there is more to be done. The IT Innovation Technology Strategic Plan for 2020-2022 continues to build on the successes of the past, supporting the vision of the DeWine-Husted Administration. IT Innovation will streamline and modernize State IT through a focus on digital experience, data analytics, enterprise shared services, on premise or in public clouds, and collaboration.

The strategy focuses on one team, with one goal - to leverage technology to better serve the people of Ohio.

Government Technology Honors Team Ohio   - 4.2.2021

Team Ohio, Lieutenant Governor Jon Husted and State CIO Ervan Rodgers, were recently honored with a place in Government Technology’s list of the Top 25 Doers, Dreamers and Drivers. Each year, Government Technology recognizes outstanding technology innovators in the public sector that work hard to make government better. 

Team Ohio was recognized for its statewide innovations in IT and the leadership provided during the pandemic. Some of the efforts mentioned by Government Technology include the data and analytics work that was done by the Ohio Department of Health and the InnovateOhio Platform (IOP) team in support of critical COVID-19 reporting and information sharing. IOP was also recognized for its work with state agencies to standardize websites and create a data platform that supports essential services such as background checks for firearms and opioid abuse reporting. 

For additional details on Team Ohio’s recognition, visit Government Technology

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OAKS Modernization Project – Go-Live was a Success - 3.8.2021

We are pleased to share that the Human Capital Management (HCM) and Financials (FIN) applications of the Ohio Administrative Knowledge System (OAKS) have been upgraded. 

The project, also referred to as OAKS Modernization, was a success and went live on February 16, 2021. We thank you for your participation and continued partnership in working through any initial issues as the system launched.

What changed?

This project was predominately a technical upgrade, which also brought a new look and feel to the user interface.  

There are some notable areas of process improvement to benefits life events, the benefits manage proof process and ePerformance. In addition, there are new search capabilities for OAKS FIN and HCM as well as the accessibility for both via mobile devices. Most other changes are simply navigational and minor differences in appearance.  

How can I learn more about the upgraded features? 

To become familiar with key changes, all employees can now view videos called “What’s New in HCM” and “What’s New in FIN.” For employees that may travel on state business, updated Travel and Expense Training is also available. 

To see what is changing in HCM follow this link What’s New in OAKS HCM. Tip: If you are having trouble playing the video, remember to disconnect from the VPN.

The “What’s New in OAKS FIN” video and the Travel and Expense Training may be accessed via Ohio Learn, follow the instructions below.  

1. Navigate to: myOhio > My Workspace > Ohio Learn and click on the next to the words Ohio Learn to access the system.
    
2. On the menu bar at the top of the page, select Training Catalog, and then click on Statewide Training by Topic. 
    
3. In the Search the Statewide Catalog search box, type What’s New for the “What’s New in OAKS FIN” video and click FIND.  For the Travel and Expense Training, type  Travel in the search box and click FIND
    
4. .Select the video, What’s New in FIN and click Launch. Select Travel and Expense Training and click Launch. 

For an additional resource to assist FIN users, please click here to access the OAKS FIN Process Manual.   

There has been a great deal of work accomplished since this journey began in April 2020. This project helped us realize the next step in achieving the State’s vision to provide the latest business improvements through the OAKS software.  

We appreciate your support throughout our transition and thank you for being great partners in this upgrade!

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Husted Announces Pilot Aimed at Broadband Expansion - 2.8.2021

Lt. Governor Jon Husted, Director of InnovateOhio; Matt Damschroder, Director of the Ohio Department of Administrative Services; John Carey, Director of the Governor’s Office of Appalachia; and community business and economic leaders announced a new pilot project aimed at expanding broadband using existing technology through Multi-Agency Radio Communication System (MARCS) towers located in Scioto and Jackson Counties, in Southeastern Ohio.

The MARCS towers are part of a statewide, wireless, digital communication network that allows emergency and law enforcement personnel to communicate instantly during emergencies. The project announced today will give Internet Service Providers an opportunity to apply for a grant through the state to attach to six towers in Scioto and Jackson Counties, ultimately providing low-cost internet to unserved households in the area.

"I challenged our team to come up with new ideas on how we could use existing state assets to extend high-speed internet services to those who need it—today we are delivering on that challenge,” Lt. Governor Husted said. “This project has the potential to help internet service providers extend broadband to hundreds of thousands of families and businesses who need it.”

“Our 350 towers across Ohio are part of a system that is used more than 50 million times each month by 2,800 public service agencies,” said Director Damschroder. “We are excited to be part of this pilot project and to see if our towers can provide even greater service to Ohio’s citizens.”  

The Development Services Agency (DSA) opened a grant application for telecommunications providers to locate on one of these towers, at no cost to the provider. DSA will evaluate companies based upon the speeds that they will provide, the equipment used to provide the service, the range of the signal, as well as the cost of the service to the end user. The goal is to find a solution that will both bring internet to places that currently lack service and do so at an affordable price.

The grant application period opened on January 22, 2021, and will close at 5 p.m. on Friday, February 26, 2021. Grants will be awarded no later than March 31, 2021.

Visit development.ohio.gov for additional details.

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IOP, in Partnership with State Leaders and Agencies, Announce the Launch of DataOhio Portal - 1.11.2021

On December 7th, the InnovateOhio Platform (IOP), partnering with the Ohio Departments of Health, Higher Education, Rehabilitation and Correction, and Youth Services, announced the launch of the DataOhio Portal.

Powered by data securely hosted on the InnovateOhio Platform, the DataOhio Portal is a public-facing portal which displays datasets from across partnering agencies. The DataOhio Portal is a first-of-its-kind State technology that allows agencies and stakeholders, as well as the general public, access to key State of Ohio data and associated reports. 

The initial launch of the DataOhio Portal includes:

• Over 200 public and secured datasets, with nearly 100 available to the public for the first time.
• Over 25 ‘Made with Ohio Data’ featured projects, highlighting successes across state agencies leveraging data to make an impact on Ohio lives and communities.
• Over 100 interactive visualizations, making data more consumable and easy-to-understand.

The DataOhio Portal delivers value for partners and the public:

• Increases transparency by significantly expanding access to key State of Ohio data. 
• Empowers the public by putting data into the hands of key partners, local governments, researchers, reporters and citizens. 
• Informs policy and state programs to better serve Ohio communities.

“By working with our State agency partners, we’re able to deliver a powerful tool that provides unprecedented access to a wealth of data,” said Director of the Ohio Department of Administrative Services Matt Damschroder. “Good data can be used to make good decisions, and we look forward to seeing how this tool will help shape Ohio’s future.”

The DataOhio Portal’s key functions and features for state agencies and partners ensure a seamless, secure and efficient experience, by leveraging technology and capabilities offered by the InnovateOhio Platform, including:

• Data from multiple agencies is consolidated into a single, intuitive catalog that provides detailed descriptions and the ability to access, save and / or share datasets.
• Enhanced data visualizations, powered by Tableau, allow users to view data in a more consumable way and to analyze data most relevant to them.
• A secure and traceable data sharing experience for the State and its partners that leverages OH|ID technology.

The DataOhio Portal will continue to undergo capability enhancements and onboarding of additional datasets, with the vision of it ultimately becoming Ohio’s single source for data. 

Discover what data is available on the DataOhio Portal today, and consider your agency’s involvement in the future, by onboarding data and submitting “Made with Ohio Data” projects. Contact Platform@InnovateOhio.gov to get started.

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ODJFS Launches New Child Support Mobile App - 11.7.2020

The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS) released a new mobile app that gives users secure and easy access to their child support case information. It is available for free on mobile devices through the Apple App Store or Google Play Store.

The ODJFS Office of Child Support collects and distributes nearly $2 billion annually to more than one million Ohio children. The program is administered locally by 88 county child support enforcement agencies.

“This new mobile app will give Ohioans we serve quick and easy access to their case information anytime and anywhere,” said ODJFS Director Kimberly Hall.

The Ohio Child Support mobile app allows users to:

• Register to access child support case/order and account information.
•  Make a payment by credit card or view instructions for making payments from their checking or savings account, either electronically or through the mail.
• Choose how to receive payments by enrolling in direct deposit or the Ohio child support debit card program.
• Review their payment history for the last 24 months.
• Receive payment notifications and alerts.
•  View case details for their Ohio child support cases.
• View and update their personal information, including contact, employment, health insurance and child information.
• Contact their child support worker by safely and securely sending messages.
• Find their local child support agency information, including phone number, address, website and directions

 

IT Engagement Model

With a focus on IT innovation and in support of the 2020 IT Innovation Technology Strategic Plan, the Department of Administrative Services (DAS) Office of Information Technology (OIT) established an IT Engagement model that includes the Technology Advisory Council (TAC) and Technology Advisory Groups (TAG).

The IT engagement process will facilitate the identification of various DAS OIT and agency supported Innovation Committees (IC) that will assist in realizing the principles and goals of the TAC and TAG. 

Technology Advisory Council (TAC):

The TAC membership includes a core group of DAS OIT leadership and six agency chief information officers (CIOs).

The guiding principles of the TAC include: innovation, enterprise perspective, economy of scale (cost containment), collaboration, strategic alignment, business value, and customer service.

Technology Advisory Groups (TAG):

The TAG consists of six groups to champion the top technology priorities, each group is supported by a DAS OIT subject matter expert. These priorities include: Cybersecurity & Risk Management, Digital Services/Digital Government, Cloud Services, Data Management & Analytics, Identity & Access Management, and Workforce.

The guiding principles of the TAG include: enterprise perspective, collaboration, actionable engagement, efficiency/reduction of redundancy, innovation, and value.

The TAG, associated chairs, and partner agencies are organized as follows:

Technology Advisory Group (TAG)	Chair	Members
Cybersecurity & Risk Management	Jeff Swan Natural Resources	Adjutant General Administrative Services Higher Education Lottery Public Safety Secretary of State
Digital Services/Digital Government	Michelle Burk Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities	Administrative Services Agriculture Bureau of Workers’ Compensation Insurance Transportation
Cloud Services	Scott Brock Development Services Agency	Administrative Services Commerce Environmental Protection Agency Ohio Facilities Construction Commission Inspector General Mental Health & Addiction Services
Data Management & Analytics	Nate Huskey Health	Administrative Services Attorney General Auditor of State Developmental Disabilities Education Medicaid Treasurer of State
Identity & Access Management	Venu Pallerla Public Utilities Commission of Ohio	Administrative Services Aging Budget and Management Public Defender Taxation Ohio Turnpike and Infrastructure Commission
Workforce	Jason Sankey Job and Family Services	Administrative Services Industrial Commission Legislative Information Systems Rehabilitation & Correction Veterans Services Youth Services

 

IT Innovation Resource Documents

 IT Optimization Archive Information