ECM FAQ

Advantages of an integrated Enterprise Case Management system include:

• Promoting effective communication among stakeholders at all levels
• Strengthening the connection between DHS, counties, families, and providers
• Improving the participants’ experience and helping to better ensure their needs are effectively met
• Providing a more holistic view of the people being served

Once implemented, DHS anticipates many benefits, including but not limited to:

• Improved access to complete case information
• Integrated repository for storing and managing documents
• Reduced data entry time through automation capabilities
• Reduced duplication of personal records and documentation
• Increased mobile capabilities for access to data in the field and the ability to easily collect information
• Enhanced collaborative tools for participating organizations
• Improved ability to more quickly react to changes in policy, laws, and regulations
• Improved and more flexible reporting capabilities, including dashboards and ad hoc queries
• Improved portal functionality for individuals and families to access the status and other information related to their case

• For services related to Intellectual Disabilities, Autism, and Early Intervention, the use of the Enterprise Case Management (ECM) system will be mandatory, similar to how counties currently utilize the Home and Community Services Information System (HCSIS)/PELICAN-EI.
• For services related to Mental Health, counties will be required to enroll individuals in, and provide management data to, ECM either by using ECM as the primary case management system or by interfacing with ECM to upload required enrollment and case management data.
• For Child Welfare, agencies will be required to use the Child Welfare Case Management system under former Governor Wolf’s Executive Order, which mandated the implementation of a statewide child welfare case management IT system. 

This will be determined by Accenture, the System Integrator (SI) vendor, during the Discovery Sessions.

Training execution will be targeted by subsystem and stakeholder groups. All stakeholder training needs will be considered as part of a broader implementation plan and include the use of a variety of training delivery methods. Stakeholders will be informed in advance of training when the sessions are scheduled so they can plan accordingly. 

The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS) is committed to protecting the privacy and security of individuals' health information in compliance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). The department employs a range of administrative, technical, and physical safeguards to prevent unauthorized access to this information.

If you want to allow someone else to view your case information in the Enterprise Case Management (ECM) system, you or your legal guardian must provide formal consent. This typically involves completing a consent form or authorization within the system or through your case worker. You can choose who has access and whether they can see all or just specific parts of your case.  User consent will be the foundation of our security efforts, and DHS ensures that the information is accessible only to those you have approved, under HIPAA privacy standards.

The details of each phase are not yet defined; however, DHS anticipates that counties will play an active role. The respective Program Office staff will engage stakeholders as the implementation phases approach.

Child Welfare Information Solution (CWIS), IV-E QA, and County Child Welfare Case Management Systems. CW CM stakeholders will document user stories to capture the functionality needed for additional systems that may be consolidated under CW CM.