Pennsylvania Selected as Finalist for Two National IT Awards

Statewide Radio Network and Child Support Portal Selected by NASCIO

HARRISBURG, Pa., Aug. 16 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Pennsylvania Statewide Radio Network and the state's Child Support Portal are among the 33 state IT initiatives selected as finalists for the 2010 Outstanding Achievement in the Field of Information Technology Awards presented by the National Association of State Chief Information Officers (NASCIO).

The awards recognize states that have implemented exceptional programs which have made an important contribution to the operation of state government.

"These initiatives are just two examples of Pennsylvania's leadership and innovation in information technology, " said Brenda Orth, chief information officer for the commonwealth.  "In challenging economic times, it is more important than ever that our IT investments deliver high-quality, cost effective services to citizens."

The Pennsylvania Statewide Radio Network, known as PA-STARNet, provides public safety and emergency response dispatch, as well as wireless voice and data communications, to the State Police, PennDOT and more than 20 other state and local government agencies, regional task forces and business partners.  It replaces a number of aging and disparate radio systems with an interoperable platform that enables emergency managers to communicate and coordinate resources more effectively.

The Department of Public Welfare's Child Support Portal provides comprehensive child support customer service and information delivery. It allows users to update their personal information, such as their address and phone number, submit "tips" about the location of parents who owe child support, and receive email reminders of upcoming court dates, payments due and more. It has allowed case workers to focus greater attention on essential tasks such as locating absent parents, establishing orders and monitoring compliance.  

NASCIO received 134 nominations from 30 states for consideration for this year's awards.  Winners in 10 categories will be announced on September 27.  

Media contact:  Dan Egan, 717-772-4237

Editor's Note: To learn more about the NASCIO Awards and view all of the finalists, visit http://www.nascio.org/awards/2010awards/.

SOURCE Pennsylvania Office of Administration