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Case Study: WebDG
Institutions: Virginia Tech, Purdue University
Govt' Partner: IndianaÕs Family and Social Services Administration
Funded Since: 6/1/00
DG Amount to date: $499,998
Abstract: See Project Profile
dgOnline Article: "Streamlining Social Services: Mapping the Maze with Metadata"
Home Page: WebDG
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Case Studies
" COPLINK
" Quality Graphics
" WebDG
" Urbansim
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CHALLENGE
 Indiana social services have numerous computer systems serving the same clients. Identical data on multiply-served clients exists in non-interchangeable formats, costing caseworkers time and agencies money. Clients must visit several agencies, defeating program goals of making them more independent.
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PARTNERSHIP
 Digital Government partners IndianaÕs Family and Social Services Administration with computer researchers at Virginia Tech and the Purdue Research Foundation, under a 3-year, $500,000 grant. The Indiana Department of Workforce Development and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services give their support.
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RESEARCH
 Scientists and state IT engineers collaborate to organize multiple dissimilar databases under a uniform interface. This lets agencies retain autonomy and control over their data while choosing how to give other agencies and the public remote access without compromising client privacy. They write a special markup language enabling caseworkers to tailor social-service packages to each clientÕs needs.
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RESULTS
 Research is continuing. When it is fully developed, the system will significantly reduce the time caseworkers waste navigating incompatible database systems and allow clients to handle multiple social-service needs at a single location.
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