NASCIO recognizes innovative state IT projects

Three digital government projects were among the nine awards to receive special recognition this year from the National Association of State Chief Information Officers.

NASCIO, an organization representing state CIOs, announced Oct. 29 the winners of its 2002 Recognition Awards for Outstanding Achievement in the Field of Information Technology.

Rock Regan, 2001-02 NASCIO president and CIO of Connecticut, said the record number of nominations in this year's competition demonstrates that services and programs using information technology "are rapidly and successfully being implemented to increase efficiency, cost effectiveness and service delivery at the state government level."

The winning projects were selected from 127 nominations from 33 states. NASCIO's awards committee, composed of state and private-sector members, chose the winners.

The awards are given annually to state IT programs that have created proven, cost-effective and innovative solutions in operating state government. The categories, winners and brief project descriptions are:

*Accessibility ? Fast Transcription and Captioned Telephone Technology Trial. From Wisconsin. A project to provide better telecommunications access to people with disabilities.

*Communications infrastructure ? Telecommunications Open Partnerships for Arizona. A project to improve broadband telecommunications offerings for citizens, governments and businesses in the state.

*Digital government, government to business ? The District of Columbia Business Resource Center. A project to provide a one-stop shop for businesses in the district.

*Digital government, government to citizen. Educator Licensure and Recruitment. From Massachusetts. A project to increase the number of educators in the state.

*Digital government, government to government. Washington State Combined Application Program. A project to increase the number of aged, blind and disabled adults who participate in the food stamp program.

*Enterprise information architecture. Using the Enterprise Data Warehouse to Improve Delivery of Health Care Services. From Michigan. A project to meet the challenge of tracking individual clients and provide better decision support capability.

*Innovative use of technology. ClinicStation: Improving the Health Care Enterprise with Web Services. From Texas. A project to improve timeliness and reliability of patient information.

*Security and business continuity. Business Continuity and Recovery Services. From North Carolina. A project to ensure the continued delivery of critical services in the event of disaster.

*State IT management initiative. State of Iowa Return on Investment Programs. A project that evaluates the benefits of IT in state government.