In the summer of 2002, several members of the cwXML Work Group discussed the need for XML to move from a discussion topic in conference calls and meetings to a real business and technical solution for exchanging child welfare data. The Work Group decided that the project needed a business function within child welfare that could serve as a model and a starting point to develop XML standards and to use XML to exchange data. Several business functions were suggested and after some discussion, the Work Group chose the Interstate Compact for the Placement of Children (ICPC) as the model for this purpose.

Once ICPC was chosen as the model to develop XML standards, the next step
was to identify states and other Work Group members who wanted to participate in developing those standards and creating a prototype XML data exchange. The states of Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Kansas – along with Deloitte Consulting, Dynamics Research Corporation, and American Management Systems - agreed to move forward with this and represent the ICPC
Committee.

Since the fall of 2002, the ICPC Committee has been meeting on a regular basis to develop an XML prototype for ICPC. Doing this has required essentially two things: that XML standards be developed for the data that states exchange on the ICPC 100A and 100B forms and that the right hardware and software be in place to make that exchange happen. To be sure, there is a lot of information in addition to the 100A and 100B forms that is exchanged between states for ICPCs. However, the ICPC Committee has focused on exchanging the 100A and 100B forms since they are the two most common and standard forms that all states use for ICPC.

As of this writing, the ICPC Committee has developed the XML standards and definitions for the data that are on the 100A and 100B forms. The Committee is in the process of developing the technical prototype to exchange this data among the three participating states. The work products you see linked to this ‘What's New’ page represent part of what has been accomplished thus far.

Stay tuned for more updates and more information as the ICPC Committee moves
forward with the prototype.