Algoma District Services Administration Board

CAO / Director Finance Joint Report - May 2004

Supporting Software

The focus of this month’s report will be an overview of the automated systems which support the work of each program and the program support functions.  All programs are heavily dependent on automated systems which mean that the availability of these systems is crucial for program delivery. For certain functions we utilize standard business software.  Most legislated programs also have specially developed software which the province requires that we utilize.  The ongoing operation of these software programs requires an extensive and highly developed Wide Area Network for their functioning.  An updated description of the WAN network will be the subject of another report.

This highly automated environment relies on both internal and external resources.  Internally the system is managed on a daily basis by the Senior Systems Supervisor – Harry Stewart and the Systems Supervisor – Larry Burling.  Many installation and set up functions are also done by Computer System/Property Maintenance Assistant – Eugene Latulippe.  The Director of Finance –Keith Bell oversees the daily functionality of this technical team as part of the Program Support functions.  The CAO and Director of Finance lead system strategic planning and rollout planning.  Externally we rely on Unique Data Systems which has been providing highly specialized network support and recovery functions to this Board for several years.

Children’s Services

The primary piece of software supporting the Child Care Fee subsidy portion of the Children’s Services Units activities is called the Ontario Child Care Management System (OCCMS).  The primary functions of this system are:

     Child Care Fee Subsidy application

     Determination of financial eligibility for fee subsidy

     Attendance reporting

     Determination of subsidy payable to providers 

     Statistical reporting

This particular software was originally developed in York Region and then improved by the Ministry of Community and Social Services with extensive input from Consolidated Municipal Service Managers (CMSMs).  Staff from ADSAB continue to participate  in the refining of this software.  ADSAB was also one of the early implementation sites as the software was being rolled out provincially.  Although use of OCCMS was initially discretionary it is now a mandatory program for CMSMs.

The software creates a local but not a provincial data base.  It is located on a server in our head office and is thus independent of communications problems external to the ADSAB WAN.  Overall it is seen by staff as being well designed, highly functional and stable.  It is an excellent example of municipal innovation and municipal / provincial collaboration.

There are ongoing updates which are implemented using innovative web based training techniques.  The system continues to develop as users define new requirements.  In Algoma, development is continuing related to the Child Care providers being able to access the system to directly input information such as attendance.  To facilitate this we have assisted Child Care providers with surplus computers, dedicated WAN connectivity, technical support and training.

Emergency Medical Services

The primary software which records the land ambulance activity is called Ambulance Call Reporting Plus commonly referred to as ACR Plus.  This software was developed by a private firm working directly with an EMS Delivery Agent in southern Ontario. 

It is not a mandatory program but this software or an equivalent is used by all EMS Delivery Agents.  The program provides for gathering of statistics on calls and their outcomes.  It is an essential Management tool for both monitoring response times and the quality of service.  This data is an essential component of risk management in EMS.

A paper based ACR is used to record call information as soon as possible after the call and prior to the end of the shift.  The data is then entered into a local (Head office database) from each base.   In the future, new technology will allow for the on-line input of data on portable devices.

The Ministry of Health and Long Term Care operate another system call Ambulance Dispatch Data Access Service.  The provincially developed and funded system records the dispatch and response functions. The data in this system is entered at the provincially run Central Ambulance Communications Centres (CACC).  This database is not reliable but it is the basis on which the province proposes that we distribute cross border billing costs and First Nation’s payments.

During 2004 we are implementing scheduling, time record and payroll software called JBS Time Management software.  This private sector developed software was also developed in close partnership with EMS delivery Agents.  27 of the 49 EMS Delivery Agents use this system.  The software relies on local card readers which record the check in and check out times of paramedics.  The software links to the AccPac payroll system software.  The software also facilitates scheduling by allowing staff to see schedules far into the future.

North Intake Screening Unit

The North Intake Screening Unit (NISU) depends on the provincial developed and imposed Service Delivery Model Technology (SDMT) for the taking of stage one of the two stage application for Ontario Works.  SDMT will be discussed at some length in the following section on Ontario Works.   It is important to note however that the productivity at all Intake Screening Units is seriously undermined by the complexity of the Ontario legislation, the resulting complexity of SDMT and the many problems with the SDMT software.

NISU also uses software connected to the Bell ICE solution.  NISU and three other screening units (4 of 7) utilize the ICE solution to manage telephony issues at the ISU.  Bell ICE which specifically designed for call centres is seen as meeting many of the needs of the ISU operating environment.

The monthly performance summary is driven by the ICE software.

It reports on the following statistical elements:

Calls Offered

Calls Abandoned

Calls Answered

% answered in less than 60 seconds (Ministry standard is 80%)

Average Wait Time

Average call length

Number and percentage of enquiries

Cases Screened

Cases Forwarded for Stage #2 Verification

Screen Out rate - Number and percentage

Chose to Discontinue - Number and percentage

Conclusions of Ineligibility at Stage #2

This report is shared by the Ministry with each host ISU and with all CMSMs.  It is the primary tool tracking performance.  The reports it generates are used by the Ministry, the ISU and the CMSMs receiving ISU services.

Ontario Works

The primary piece of software supporting the delivery of Ontario Works income support and employment programming is called Service Delivery Model Technology (SDMT).  Prior to SDMT there were two provincially developed mandatory systems supporting Ontario Works. The Case Worker Technology (CWT) provided income support functionality while jobLink provided employment support functionality.  ADSAB was involved in the early implementation of both of these systems.  We were the second site after Metro Toronto to implement CWT and we were the first Northern Ontario Site to use jobLink.

SDMT was developed by the province through a common purpose procurement contract with a private firm then called Anderson Consulting.  There was extensive consultation with CMSMs and significant direct involvement by staff of ADSAB.  Unfortunately, very little of the advice provided actually made it into the new system.  Anderson was paid some $243 million for its work purportedly from the savings on unpaid assistance and administrative savings.  SDMT was rolled out province wide following pilot rollouts in Hamilton and Niagara Region.

The broad consensus of users is that this system is a failure. It does not meet the needs of users, is incredibly and unnecessarily complex and it was rolled out province wide when it should have been stopped at the pilot stage.  Because it relies on live keying to a single provincial database it is susceptible to both local WAN problems and to province network problems.  It is full of unresolved issues and temporary workarounds. 

Poor SDMT performance and the unnecessary complexity of the Ontario Works legislation are roadblocks both to reducing administrative costs and to refocusing the program towards employment.  It is so bad, that we have seriously offered to reduce costs by returning to a manual check write system.  Whether the continuing efforts by the Ministry to rescue this product will be successful is not clear.  It is a stunning example of the failure of a public/private sector common purpose procurement project and has been severely criticized by the Provincial Auditor.

Social Housing

Despite the fact that Social Housing was provincially administered, had hundreds of thousands of tenants and properties and cost billions  there was no central automated system at the time of downloading.  This was shocking. 

Not only was there no central data base, there were no local or Regional databases either.  There continues to be no common application form for housing or for the Rent Geared to Income (RGI) subsidy. This was ignored as the province wrote the Social Housing Reform Act which requires central data collection for several of its provisions.  The lack of a common application is a major impediment to portability of information between jurisdictions.  It also effectively precludes the Social Housing intake function being done through the Intake Screening Units.

Initially, the Ministry promoted / funded a private sector software program called YARDI.  This software had several tenant tracking and property management features.  YARDI did not meet this Board’s needs because it did not interconnect to our AccPac accounting software.  Because Yardi did not provide RGI testing functionality, Web based RGI functionality was also purchased under a contract with Nipissing DSSAB.   YARDI also did not support the new mandatory Wait Lists.

Since our transfer date of September 2001 we have used a locally created Word document as the application.  Various other Excel spreadsheets and Microsoft Access databases have support the mandatory Waiting Lists.  In late 2003 and ongoing in 2004, we are implementing private sector software called InfoTracker.  This software meets all of our needs related to RGI, tenant management maintenance schedules and property management.   Most importantly, InfoTracker can be fully integrated with AccPac. 

Movement to this new software will simplify the work of the Integrated Services Access Unit (ISAU) staff who presently must work in several programs concurrently to complete a Social Housing application and RGI subsidy request.  It will also facilitate the work of the clerical staff that manage the housing waiting lists, facilitate communications with tenants and acknowledge the receipt of rents. There is a great deal of work to be done in early 2004 to get the data transferred from the various locations and to get the training completed.  We have high hopes that this comprehensive software will meet our needs.

Program Support

Microsoft Office

Originally we used WordPerfect and an e-mail program called GroupWise as the main internal office supports.  As Microsoft Office products improved and as they became dominant in the marketplace we changed to their product.  This change vastly improved our ability to share information with other jurisdictions and improved the movement of documents to and from websites. 

Management staff regularly uses the main components of the office suite including Word, Excel, Internet Explorer and PowerPoint.  Specific Management staff also use Access for database creation and Publisher for Web publishing.  Training to maximize the value of these programs is ongoing.  This suite of programs has been crucial to the development of the Management group and core to productivity improvements.  Interconnectivity to Microsoft programs is a key factor as we assess both hardware and software.

AccPac

In the past we used relatively unknown accounting software called RealWorld.  This software was replaced in the fall of 2000 as we prepared for the huge volume increases with the downloading of programs from the province.  In consultation with the Board’s auditors, we began the very lengthy and complex migration to AccPac.  Our Director of Finance - Keith Bell who was trained as a certified AccPac Installer.

We have been very happy with the performance and scalability of this product.  As a result, we have required interconnectivity to AccPac as we reviewed other commercial software.  This was a determining factor in software for both Social Housing and Human Resources.

There are a variety of technical software tools which our two technical staff use to monitor the system and to implement changes.  They include:

Callware – voice mail

BackupExec – for backup of system

RightFax – takes faxes and sends them to email

OmniPro – charter recognition software for scanning documents for the Web

HP Scanner Software – scanning software

Front Page – web design software

What’s Up Pro – monitors devices/routers/printers across network

Citrix – operating system for thin clients in all locations

Citrix Manager software – allows for management of Citrix servers

Windows 2003 Server – operating system

Windows XP – workstation operating system

Windows2000 – workstation/laptop operating system

PC Anywhere – allows for remote control of workstation – user support

Citrix ICA Client – thin client program that installs on workstations/laptop to use Citrix Metaframe applications

MicroSoft SQL – runs database programs such as HR and Child Care Software

Pervasive Software – runs database for AccPac

HTLM programs that interface with wireless bridges

Tree Size Professional – for management of data/folder size

EI Interface – allows for access to HRDC Employment Insurance database

MECA – allows access to a database of support payments for Family Support Worker activities

Antivirus software – installed on all computers and updated on a daily basis

GroupShield – antivirus software for Exchange (email sever)

Exchange – email server software

NT Mail – external email server program

Adobe – pdf file reader/creator

Shiva Access Manager – control/allows dialup (remote) access to network

APC Software – used for uninterrupted power supply devices

Human Resources

The human resource activity mushroomed as the provincial downloading proceeded.  We went from a staff of 35 to 147 within a span of three years.  With the larger staff it became clear that we were going to need HR software to facilitate record keeping and to ensure compliance with the collective agreement.  In 2003 we identified AccPac Human Resource component software which is fully compatible with our existing system. This is a basic HR software package but one which we feel will meet most of our needs. The implementation of this software will occur during 2004.

Summary

As time permits, it is our intention to provide an onscreen summary of these software programs to the Board at a regular Board meetings.   A considerable amount of the program and legislative controls which impact on this Board are embedded in the program software.  These internal error checking and audit functions are part of the Board’s overall risk management strategy.

David Court – CAO

Keith Bell – Director of Finance