Iowa Leads National Shift in Child Welfare Technology, Launches Federal Incubator
Des Moines, Iowa – – A first-of-its-kind partnership between the U.S. Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds, and the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services is poised to modernize how Comprehensive Child Welfare Information Systems (CCWIS) are developed and implemented nationwide. The collaboration establishes Iowa’s VISION system as a national model and launches ACF’s Child Welfare Technology Incubator, designed to assist other states in scaling similar innovations.
The partnership, announced today, represents a significant step forward in addressing longstanding challenges within child welfare technology. Historically, many projects have resulted in large, inefficient systems that failed to meet the needs of frontline staff or provide reliable data for improving outcomes for children and families. The goal is to move away from these pitfalls and embrace a more collaborative, innovative approach.
“To make good decisions that center the best interests of children and families in child welfare, we need strong technology, data, and analytics infrastructure,” said ACF Assistant Secretary Alex J. Adams. “The Trump administration is proud to partner with Governor Reynolds to modernize child welfare technology and ensure prudent use of taxpayer dollars while improving child welfare outcomes.”
Iowa’s success in rapidly implementing the VISION system is central to this new national strategy. The system was developed with a user-centered design, prioritizing continuous improvement and adaptability. Officials anticipate VISION will alleviate the burden on caseworkers by replacing a slow, outdated mainframe with a more efficient and user-friendly platform, allowing them to focus on direct support for children and families.
“Iowa is proud to partner with ACF to lead the transformation of child welfare technology in ways that will empower caseworkers, improve services, and most importantly, make a difference in the lives of children and families in need of support—not only in our state, but across the entire nation,” said Governor Reynolds. “Iowa’s Child Protective Services and Information Technology teams, together with our partners, are developing a system that will fundamentally change child welfare services for the better.”
The partnership also directly supports ACF’s “A Home for Every Child” initiative, which aims to improve the ratio of available foster homes to children in foster care. Improved data quality from the VISION system is expected to drive better decision-making, leading to increased foster home recruitment and retention, as well as more effective prevention efforts.
“For too long child welfare technology projects have been an expensive bridge to nowhere,” said Cody Inman, delegated commissioner for the Administration on Children, Youth, and Families. “We applaud Governor Reynolds’ leadership accelerating this CCWIS modernization effort and hope our partnership paves the way for other states to prepare, adopt, and implement new infrastructure.”
Building on Iowa’s experience, the newly launched Child Welfare Technology Incubator will provide targeted technical assistance to states seeking to modernize their CCWIS. The Incubator will offer scalable blueprints, accelerated documentation review, and a platform for states to receive feedback on planning and implementation tools. ACF hopes this proactive approach will enable states to move faster, build more effective systems, and ultimately deliver better outcomes for children and families across the country.
The Incubator’s services include strategic CCWIS advisory to refine state roadmaps, accelerated documentation review to streamline federal approval processes, targeted readiness support focused on governance and stakeholder alignment, and solution strategy guidance to help states evaluate technical options. The overarching goal is to foster modern, resilient systems that better serve communities and improve the lives of vulnerable children and families.
More information about the Child Welfare Technology Incubator is available on the ACF website: acf.gov/cb/training-technical-assistance/state-tribal-info-systems/child-welfare-technology-incubator.
