Service Oriented Architecture Infrastructure Components
The Agency of Human Services (hereinafter called AHS) wishes to procure and install essential
components of a service oriented architectural design as a foundation for its enterprise architecture.
Currently the AHS IT infrastructure is composed of discrete, siloed systems in an aging Information
Technology architecture that can no longer support these programmatic needs. Technology is a key
component of the charge to AHS to redesign its delivery systems to achieve a client centric approach in
the “Challenges for Change: Results for Vermonters” January 5, 2010 report to the Joint Legislative
Government Accountability Committee. Although redesign efforts have been organized around particular
areas or target populations, we can no longer rely on an IT strategy of working sequentially from project
to project, hoping that an initial deployment can grow to serve other divisions or departments. Too often
we found that solutions were unique and had been designed to fulfill a narrow niche and could not be
easily expanded. We have opted instead for a redefinition of the underlying architecture of our
technology solutions. This is particularly important in light of the innovative Medicaid demonstration
projects and home and community based service delivery practices that the state has adopted in
partnership with CMS. This includes two one of a kind 1115 waivers. The first, the Global Commitment
to Health allows the state to use the flexibilities of a Medicaid managed care setting to deliver Medicaid
state plan and other services. Global Commitment operations and information collection are embedded in
every department of the Agency of Human Services. The second waiver, Choices for Care, affords
consumers who need long term care a choice between nursing home care or a customized package of
supports in their own home or community. Choices for Care requires coordination between Department of
Vermont Health Access and the Department of Disability, Aging and Independent Living. These
innovative Medicaid policy and operations efforts demand faster development of critical technologies,
reuse of components across many departments and service types, and improvement in the maintainability
of systems. These advances in information technology (IT) are necessary to support the goals of the
programmatic areas involved in Federal and State Health Care Reform and Medicaid Operations as well
as Vermont’s legislative “Challenges for Change” initiatives.
