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Deltek Pulse: Health care and social services in review – April 2013

Posted on: May 1, 2013 | Posted By: Aila Altman
Related Categories: Electronic Health Record, Grants, Health IT, Contract Awards, Contract Opportunities, State & Local, Health Care, Social Services, Legislation

April saw the release of a tenth round of Health Insurance Exchange (HIX) Establishment Grants, awarded to Arkansas ($16.5 million), Hawaii ($128.1 million), Illinois ($115.8 million), New Hampshire ($5.4 million), and Rhode Island ($9.8 million). Details about states’ plans for these funds are explained here. On a related note, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ (CMS) also announced the availability of new funding to support navigators in states with federally-facilitated or state-partnership HIX models. Activity also picked up in states that received funding for model design through CMS’ state innovation model (SIM) initiative, including Texas and Iowa.

Notable solicitation releases in April included:

The District of Columbia Department of Health Care Finance (DHCF) released an RFP for a Medicaid Information Technology Architecture (MITA) State Self-Assessment (SS-A). Deltek will provide updates about the future procurement of a Medicaid management information system (MMIS) here.
The Rhode Island Department of Administration, on behalf of the Department of Human Services (DHS), released an RFP for maintenance and operations of the InRHODES eligibility system.
Three states released RFPs for pharmacy benefits management (PBM) services, including the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services (CHFS), Mississippi Department of Health (DOH), and the Indiana Department of Administration (DOA).
New Hampshire’s Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) released an RFP for SIM planning services.

Notable contract awards in April included:

The Mississippi Department of Health (DOH) awarded its Patient Information Management System (PIMS) contract to Siemens Medical Solutions for just more than $3 million.
The Hawaii Department of Human Services awarded the Electronic Health Record (EHR) Incentive Program contract to Xerox for nearly $9 million.
The Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services (CHFS) awarded its Health Insurance Exchange (HIX) Call Center project to Xerox. Deloitte is building the state’s HIX through a contract awarded in October 2012 for more than $100 million.
The Alabama Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation awarded the Integrated Health Record System contract to CoCentrix.
The Connecticut Health Insurance Exchange awarded its Small Business Health Options Program (SHOP) project to HealthPass.

Big news surfaced in Louisiana with the cancelation of a $29 million contract with Deloitte for the replacement Medicaid Eligibility Determination System (MEDS), originally awarded in April 2011. The state’s Office of Contractual Review cited the original RFP included a preference for a .net solution while Deloitte's contract proposal uses Microsoft Dynamics. The Department of Health and Hospitals (DHH) asked for an additional requirement for the system that was outside the original scopeand warranted a new RFP release. Prior to becoming the secretary of DHH, Bruce Greenstein was managing director of Worldwide Health for Microsoft. Greenstein also hired another Microsoft employee, Zachery Jiwa, to be DHH's chief technology officer, but he left the department in November 2012. DHH now plans to release a new RFP for the replacement MEDS.

Looking to May and the upcoming summer months, we anticipate activity will pick up in states participating in the SIM initiative as CMS approves states’ proposals, of which many have now undergone changes after initial review from CMS. We also anticipate an influx of contract awards for HIX navigator programs, particularly with CMS’ announcement of the availability of federal funding for navigators. States in federally-facilitated or partnership HIX models may also begin to draft legislation and plan for takeovers of additional HIX functions in the future, such as the recently enacted House Bill 1508 in Arkansas.

Not a Deltek subscriber? Click here to learn more about Deltek's GovWin IQ service and gain access to a free trial.

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Sequestration Effects on State and Local Opportunities

Posted on: February 27, 2013 | Posted By: Joanna Salini
Related Categories: Grants, Department of Homeland Security, Budget, State & Local, Justice/Public Safety, Sequestration, Congress

Several state programs could be in jeopardy beginning March 1^st if the sequestration takes place. Programs that rely more heavily on grant funding through FEMA, such as emergency preparedness and disaster recovery, are more likely to be affected. Although, at this point, it is hard to determine the long-term effects; sequestration could potentially stunt any progress that has been made on these programs.

As previously highlighted by Kristin Howe, sequestration will have an impact on the public safety sector. Funds that have been set aside for relief of disasters such as Hurricane Sandy could be cut including the Disaster Relief Fund (DRF). In addition, state 911 programs and emergency communication plans could also feel the aftermath of sequestration. States including: Massachusetts, California, Colorado, Michigan, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Kentucky, Florida, Kansas, New Hampshire, North Carolina, South Dakota and New Jersey have all been making diligent efforts to implement or upgrade current 911 technologies to Enhanced or Next Generation systems. Some of these projects have already been put on hold in order to secure additional funding. Sequestration could potentially prolong that process.

Cuts to homeland security could diminish funds to the Assistance to Fire fighters Grant (AFG) program as well as state and local law enforcement grants from the Justice Department such as the Justice Assistance Grant (JAG). These cuts could harm a variety of information sharing initiatives taking place in Arizona and Kansas as well as offender management projects taking place in Kansas, Oregon, Connecticut and Vermont.

Analyst’s Take

It will be interesting to see how sequestration could affect the extent to which localities move forward with projects. Many localities who have expressed desire to update 911 systems and emergency communication capabilities are prolonging their efforts in order to align with the state. Sequestration may diminish trickling funds and localities may instead look for opportunities to piggyback off statewide contracts.

Vendors should also note that there are other ways to get around DHS grant funding for projects such as NG911 and emergency communications. While there are other grant options available for NG911, many state agencies may choose to rely on increased surcharge collections to obtain additional funding.

GovWin IQ subscribers can read further into sequestration here. Non-subscribers can gain access with a GovWin IQ free trial.

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Armed guards and video surveillance: A quest to further secure our schools

Posted on: February 22, 2013 | Posted By: Joanna Salini
Related Categories: Grants, Contract Opportunities, Forecasts & Spending, Emerging Technologies, State & Local, Justice/Public Safety, Homeland Security

In the light of the recent shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., governments across the United States are in hot debate over how to implement stricter security standards within our nation’s schools. This proactive approach to school security has led to the proposition of using armed security personnel such as police or trained guards to prevent the occurrence of any future tragedies. Another option brought to the table involves the implementation of extensive video surveillance networks in schools. Both approaches to increasing public safety standards have led governments to draw additional funds to help thwart these types of incidents.

Agencies across the nation, including the state of Virginia, are calling for budget discussions in efforts to restore funds that were previously cut for officer presence at schools. While personnel costs remain an expensive investment for governments to maintain, many feel the benefits will outweigh the extra costs in the long run.

Due to cost concerns, many states and localities are also considering arming teachers and other school staff to supplement having to hire additional law enforcement officers. This recommendation has generated a lot of questions among policymakers regarding liability, types of weapons, training, and standards that would differentiate between school staff and police officers. Schools are also considering hiring additional school resource officers (SROs), which are certified law enforcement officers assigned to a school district. The House Appropriations Committee has also announced a proposal for the inclusion of additional money to increase SRO presence within schools.

The spike in personnel needs also parallels the call for additional technology resources; some schools are considering increased surveillance measures such as linking video systems to police departments. While schools already utilize video surveillance systems for preventing criminal activity such as vandalism and theft, this is a first step to linking real-time feeds to law enforcement centers.The city of Atlanta, Ga., proposed integrating Atlanta Public Schools into the police department’s growing surveillance network. The goal is to have live video feeds transmitted into the city’s video integration center that is actively monitored by officers, and increase response efforts to any school-related catastrophe. By using this method, departments may have to increase their expenditures on employees to monitor the video feeds.

Analyst’s Take

These various steps to enhancing school security will surely offer vendors an opportunity to build business in the public safety market. Armed-personnel presence may push governments to purchase additional technology such as mobile/portable radios, and officer-worn cameras to improve operations. On the other hand, vast surveillance networks in schools could lead to the formation of private-public partnerships and additional systems integration with public safety departments. Cities and counties may even begin generating funds for the build out of real-time crime centers.

As part of continuous efforts to partner law enforcement and school districts, many schools will be eligible for additional grant funding for public safety infrastructure. Vendors should be on the lookout for grant programs that may be created or expanded, including the SRO program, to assist localities in paying for additional resources.

GovWin IQ subscribers can read further about surveillance projects here. Non-subscribers can gain access with a GovWin IQ free trial.

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HHS releases $1.5 billion to states for exchange efforts

Posted on: January 17, 2013 | Posted By: Amanda White
Related Categories: Government Reform, Grants, Health IT, Forecasts & Spending, Policy & Legislation, State & Local, Health Care

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released a whopping $1.5 billion in funding to states to help fund initiatives around setting up their health insurance exchange, or should we say, “health insurance marketplaces,” as rebranded by HHS. The department believes the new name will help with marketing and raising public awareness of these upcoming systems. Here’s a breakdown of today’s awards:

Level-One Exchange Establishment Grant Recipients

Delaware - The Delaware Department of Health and Social Services received $8,536,543; activities will include supporting the review of qualified health plan applications in March 2013.

Iowa - The Iowa Department of Public Health received $6,844,913; activities will include developing an in-person assister program that will provide services to educate consumers about their health plan options.

Michigan - The Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs received $30,667,944; funding will be used to support the state’s Consumer Assistance Partnership Program.

Minnesota - The Minnesota Department of Commerce was awarded $39,326; funding will be used to support the technical infrastructure of the state’s information technology solution.

North Carolina - The North Carolina Department of Insurance received $73,961,296; funding will be used to support the implementation of the state’s healthcare reform module.

Vermont - The Vermont Department of Health Access received $104,178,965; funding will be used to complete projects necessary to meet the exchange certification requirements and ensure the system will be operational by October 2013.

Level-Two Exchange Establishment Grant Recipients

California - The California Health Benefit Exchange received $673,705,358; funding will be used to help build administrative and operational infrastructure.

Kentucky - The Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services received $182,707,738; funding will be used to develop a comprehensive consumer and stakeholder engagement and support network.

Massachusetts - The Commonwealth of Massachusetts Health Insurance Connector Authority received $81,256,970; funding will be used to support the transition of the Health Connector to an Affordable Care Act-compliant, state-based exchange.

New York - The New York State Department of Health received $185,822,357; funding will be used to support marketing and outreach efforts.

Oregon - The Oregon Health Insurance Exchange Corp received $226,472,074; funding will be used to cover costs associated with testing, training and implementation of the IT user interface through the October 2013 enrollment date.

Be sure to check out Deltek’s brand new Health Insurance Exchange Vertical Profile Application. The expanded coverage gives vendors a competitive edge by extensively tracking states’ progress in HIX implementation. As always, be sure to follow Deltek’s Health Care and Social Services Team on Twitter @GovWin_HHS, or connect with us through LinkedIN.

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REAL ID compliance deadline nears

Posted on: January 10, 2013 | Posted By: Joanna Salini
Related Categories: Grants, Department of Homeland Security, Contract Opportunities, Policy & Legislation, State & Local, Homeland Security

On January 15, 2.2 million licensed drivers in the state of Iowa will have the option to possess a REAL ID. Iowa is among 13 states that have met the legal requirements necessary for implementing a REAL ID program. While many states are still opposed to any REAL ID legislation, those that have expressed interest will begin administering REAL ID cards on a voluntary basis beginning next week.

Efforts to implement REAL ID programs stem from the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) REAL ID Act of 2005, which proposes and regulates the inclusion of information and security features into each issued driver’s license/ID card. According to the Center for Immigration Studies, as of February 2012, 35 states expressed a commitment to comply with REAL ID requirements. Five of those states – Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, South Dakota and Tennessee – have submitted compliance packages to the Department of Homeland Security. Ten states have expressed interest in improving secure driver’s license and identification standards, but are opposed to any REAL ID legislation.

Much opposition toward these programs is due to fear that REAL ID will eventually lead to the creation of national databases. Other issues center on the costs associated with compliance. Estimates have demonstrated that the cost of a REAL ID program will cost about $11 billion over five years. The cost burden has caused states to rely on available government grants to help fund their program. The DHS has awarded more than $200 million in available grants since 2008 to help fund implementation efforts. Total grant allocation has increased since first introduced in 2008. Initially, the only states that received funding were those that submitted proposals detailing how available funds would be used; these were termed “priority” states.

While REAL ID remains off the radar of federally mandated programs, it is expected in the coming years that some federal agencies and/or buildings will only accept a driver’s license in compliance with REAL ID standards. The current law is expected to be phased in over several years as drivers wait until their current license expires.

Analyst’s Take

Most states have generated some support for more stringent standards for DL/ID documents in efforts to curb identity theft and fraud as well as prevent future acts of terrorism; therefore, it is likely that many states will be committed to upgrading their current DL/ID systems in the coming years.

Although some states have flat out rejected any movement toward REAL ID programs, there may still be selling opportunities available for vendors. Michigan and New York are among a few states that have chosen to enhance existing security features to their current ID programs through an Enhanced Driver’s License (EDL) program. EDL has become a likely alternative to REAL ID due to lower implementation costs, and vendors should note that specific guidelines for obtaining EDL may vary from state to state as different forms of identification may be required.

Vendors should also make note of which states have applied for or have received grant funding to assist with REAL ID implementation efforts. January 15 may launch many state agencies to upgrade a multitude of systems including information-sharing databases that may need to be linked with state systems.

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Deltek pulse: justice/public safety and homeland security December review

Posted on: January 4, 2013 | Posted By: Kristin Howe
Related Categories: Grants, narrowbanding, Contract Awards, Contract Opportunities, Procurement, Technology Trends, State & Local, Justice/Public Safety, Homeland Security, Sequestration, NG911

The most common technologies and services procured across states and localities in December were fire alarm and suppression systems, security/cctv systems and 911 systems. The word cloud below provides a visual interpretation of key-term frequency.

911 systems: 6 solicitations
Security/ CCTV systems: 19 solicitations
Fire Alarm or Suppression Systems: 19 solicitations

Public safety communications for cities and counties around the country hit a turning point in December. While there were numerous trends throughout 2012 – from an increase in the use of NG911 technologies, to public safety institutions beginning to use cloud-based options for computer-aided dispatch (CAD) records management systems (RMS) – one trend exceeded them all: narrowbanding.

December was the final month localities had to meet the FCC’s narrowbanding requirement or request waivers if they had no hope of doing so. Even those granted waivers were required to have concrete plans in place about how and when they expect to meet the deadline, and localities worked diligently to put those in place. Several localities announced plans to replace or upgrade their radio systems in the near future, and others made definitive decisions about how they would be moving forward with those projects. Fulton County, Ga., released an RFP on December 28 for its radio system, and Carroll County, Md., made the decision to move forward with its radio system without the aid of a consultant. Despite the passage of the narrowbanding deadline, many counties and cities will still be looking to upgrade their radio systems in the coming months and years, as a large number have not yet met the FCC’s requirements.

Radio solicitations were not the only ones released in December; several states and larger localities also moved forward with large-scale projects that had been in the works. The city of Freemont, along with Dodge County, Nebraska, released an RFP for 911 call processing equipment. Massachusetts released an RFP for its electronic filing project two years after the RFI was issued. The state also released a solicitation for an inmate phone system for all facilities run by the state corrections department.

Numerous requests for information for major projects were also released in December. Kansas released an RFI for E911 GIS for all of the state’s public safety answering points (PSAPs), and Vermont issued a statewide RFI for an automated vehicle locating system for the Department of Public Safety.

The widespread release of solicitations highlights one of December’s main trends: increased clarity regarding the direction of projects. Across the county, it seems as though decisions were finally being made about how to proceed with projects. Florida finally canceled its initiative to develop a federated security plan after releasing an RFI in July 2011, and in Alaska, development of a solicitation for a case management system has officially begun.

The last major trend of December involved, unsurprisingly, increased interest in emergency notification systems. After the devastating weather phenomenon experienced in 2012, from July’s derecho to Superstorm Sandy, localities are beginning to realize the importance of being able to contact citizens at a moment’s notice. The increase in electronic communications has underscored the need for communities such as Honolulu, Hawaii, and Illinois State University to branch out in how they communicate with citizens.

Analyst’s Take

Vendors should be on the lookout for more solicitation releases in the coming months. It is likely that departments will issue RFIs to gather budget information for projects they hope to pursue in the coming fiscal year, which begins for most states and localities on July 1. Many departments will also begin assembling their budget proposals if they have not done so already, and they will require a clear picture of expected costs. This may also be the reason for the rise in solicitations. Often, departments are required to use the funds they have been granted before the end of the fiscal year, or they risk losing them. By releasing RFPs now, it is likely that they are counting on being able to award them and sign a contract prior to the beginning of the fiscal year.

Many local agencies are also taking the fiscal cliff and sequestration into account as they make decisions about what projects will move forward. While the fiscal cliff was averted earlier this week, the bill passed acted only as a stopgap measure, and sequestration is still very much a reality. Congress only has until March 1 to pass additional measures to keep sequestration from going into effect. Agencies are therefore likely to continue working quickly to utilize any federal grant money they were given for this year. Should sequestration take effect, this grant money may be reduced or eliminated completely; so many communities are seeking to upgrade systems now in anticipation of the reduction in funds that may come next year.

These factors help explain the increased clarity on whether projects will be moving forward, as it will be imperative for solicitations to be released in the next few months to ensure that localities have time to conduct a complete evaluation period prior to the end of the current budget cycle. For those working on larger, multiyear projects, or that are allowed to carry over funds, it is still likely that procurement and program officers will be looking to move forward with projects as soon as possible. Expect solicitations to be released sometime toward the end of Q1 or beginning of Q2 so that agencies will be ready to award projects once FY 13 funds become available in July.

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Vendor landscape in relation to JPS contracts won

Posted on: November 26, 2012 | Posted By: Joanna Salini
Related Categories: Grants, Contract Awards, Contract Opportunities, Procurement, Technology Trends, Budget, State & Local, Justice/Public Safety, Homeland Security

Vendors looking for business opportunities in the justice/public safety (JPS) market are more likely to turn their heads toward California and Texas. According to Deltek’s database, a majority of JPS contracts awarded over the last three years have taken place in these states. Vendors seem to have picked up on this trend, as California and Texas are also home to many JPS vendors’ headquarters.

Deltek compiled a list of vendors who sell a multitude of JPS technologies, including radio communications, 911, surveillance and analytics. Most vendors who sell these technologies are primarily located in California, Texas, Florida, Virginia and New York, as shown below.

Over the last three years, the greatest numbers of awarded JPS contracts have come out of California, Texas, Washington state, Florida, Massachusetts, Virginia and New York. This is most likely due to the fact that these states have larger budgets and greater populations. Many of the darker-shaded states are home to some of the most populated cities in the United States. In addition, major cities within California, Texas, New York, and Massachusetts were among the top recipients of UASI grants in both FY 10 and FY 11, including New York City, Los Angeles, Houston, Dallas/Fort Worth and Boston. Allocations for 2012 show that cities in New York, California and Florida will be among top recipients.

There is also strong correlation between where JPS contracts are being won and where the majority of vendors’ headquarters are located. This is likely due to vendors seeing greater business opportunities in these areas, and catering the majority of their marketing to these states.

The map shown below better depicts the correlation between vendor locations to contracts awarded in each state over the last three years. The vendor-to-contract ratio is pretty close, as shown by the darker states having the greatest number of both awarded contracts and vendors.

Analyst’s Take

Most vendors are focused on larger states such as Texas and California. Vendor location is highly important for business since vendors find greater benefit in locating where they can lobby for more contracts. Vendors looking to expand business, whether through relocation or setting up an additional office, may consider doing so in states that sign the most contracts.

Larger companies may have shied away from setting up headquarters within some of the centrally located states, not because they can’t win business, but because some of these states house small cities and counties that have an allegiance to home-based companies. The JPS market is traditionally more localized; therefore, smaller companies, though less likely to win a plethora of contracts, are more likely to win business with localized cities and counties. This also holds true nationwide. Many smaller governments like to localize their purchases, which in turn stimulates the economy and creates a ripple effect of generating more local business and creating more jobs.

Still, with most massive statewide initiatives such as radio communications, there is less of a trend toward vendor location, as states tend to consider top technology providers regardless of where they are located.

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American Education Week: Race to the Top District grant a new local level market driver

Posted on: November 15, 2012 | Posted By: Randi Powell
Related Categories: Education, Innovation, Grants, Contract Opportunities, Forecasts & Spending, Procurement, Technology Trends, State & Local

The successful federal Race to the Top (RTTT) grant, established as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), has created a new $400 million grant competition targeting local education agencies (LEAs), called Race to the Top District (RTT-D). RTT-D, much like its state-centric counterpart, is intended to push education reform and innovation; only this time, it is targeting classroom learning. This new market driver is expected to influence growth in the procurement and development of education data systems. Applying LEAs that hope to win RTT-D funds will have to meet the stated requirements surrounding education data systems identified in the grant’s request for applications (RFA), such as:

At a minimum, use a robust data system that:

Uses an individual teacher identifier with a teacher-student match
Has the capability to provide timely data back to educators and their supervisors on student growth

Additionally, the LEAs should have the capability to:

Allow parents and students to export their information in an open data format
Demonstrate the ability to measure student progress and performance against college- and career-ready graduation requirements
Ensure student education records comply with FERPA
Receive and/or match student data from preschool through 12th grade and higher education

Lastly, LEAs are required to:

Implement a teacher, principal, and superintendent evaluation system by no later than the 2014-2015 school year

The U.S. Education Department (USED) has received intent-to-apply notices from 892 LEAs representing 48 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Priority will be given to LEAs in states already awarded RTTT funds. In December 2012, the USED is expected to announce only 15-25 awards, spanning four years and ranging from $5 million to $40 million, based on the size of the LEA’s student population. In order to be eligible, LEAs must also:

Have at least 2,000 students, with 40 percent or more who qualify for free or reduced-cost lunches
Apply the funds toward learning strategies that personalize education in all or a set of schools, within specific grade levels, or select subjects
Must obtain a signoff of support from the district superintendent or CEO, local school board president, and local teacher union or association president (where applicable)

Analyst’s Take

The future of the RTT-D grant competition depends on the success of this first installment. However, much like how the RTTT fueled major education innovations at the state level, RTT-D is expected to do the same at the local level. Over the next four years, applicant LEAs, whether they are awarded or not, will strive to make the investment in required and recommended education data systems just to vie for the extra federal funds. Like a lottery jackpot, most of the 892 applicant LEAs will not win this or any future RTT-D grant funds they apply for, but the possibility is enough to make the comparatively small risk of investing in systems, solutions, and services that could get them closer. The USED is using RTT-D like the proverbial rabbit in a greyhound race – not all will win, but they will run!

Based on the RTT-D requirements listed above, specific types of RTT-D related opportunities are likely to become more prevalent, such as:

Teacher/administrator performance tracking IT systems
Analytic and reporting tools
Interoperable education data systems
Unique identifier systems/solutions
Integration services
Identification and access management solutions

Remember to stay connected to Deltek’s General Government Services team via Twitter @GovWin_GenGov for more updates on trends, analysis and opportunities in the public education IT market.

---------------

This Week in Deltek's American Education Week Blog Series:

Monday, November 12th - American Education Week: Top education opportunities and trends, 2012

Tuesday, November 13th - American Education Week: K-12 virtual learning procurement, 2012

Wednesday, November 14th - American Education Week: State and local education data systems, 2012

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Analyst Panel Discussion on Crime Technologies and Grants

Posted on: November 1, 2012 | Posted By: Kristin Howe
Related Categories: Grants, Procurement, Technology Trends, State & Local, Justice/Public Safety, Homeland Security, Social Media

While police officers are often categorized as crime helpers or crime solvers, their job has increasingly become about preventing crimes from happening in the first place. Officers are not alone in this effort as many departments are opting to purchase various technologies that are known to modify behavior and reduce crime. Surveillance systems, red-light cameras, and drones are increasingly being used to keep citizens in line, similar to physical police presence. The below video discusses the growing crime prevention market and provides tips on how vendors can work to increase their market share. The video also offers insight into what communities around the country are doing to pay for these new technologies.

Anyone with questions about this market is encouraged to submit inquiries to StateLocalResearch@deltek.com or through Twitter @GovWinPubSafety. The questions will be addressed in a follow-up blog.

Personnel

Historically, personnel costs have consumed most law enforcement agencies’ budgets. Police employment continues to rise with population and will continue to drive the public safety market. Still, law enforcement agencies will continue to look at technology such as surveillance to supplement boots on the ground, increase public safety and achieve cost savings.

Police employment has risen more than 60 percent in the last 20 years – 200 percent at the federal level, and about 50 percent at the state and local level. A significant spike on the federal side can be attributed to the post 9/11 securitization that took place across the country. State and local growth can be attributed to general population increase. Over the past 20 years, three to four police personnel have been employed per 1,000 residents.

Surveillance

Some of the most well-known and understood technologies used to prevent crime are that of surveillance systems. Many cities have begun utilizing this technology to keep citizens safe, whether through the use of CCTV systems installed by agencies themselves, or through larger, more complex networks of both private and public security cameras that officers can access in the event of an emergency.

Red-light cameras and speed cameras have also become increasingly common safety tools. Red-light cameras can be used by cities to both increase revenue and improve safety by placing them where a large number of accidents take place.

Another method of enhancing safety is through the use of domestic drones. A multitude of vendors have already developed drones for use overseas, and the race is on to adapt them for domestic use in the coming years.

While surveillance systems certainly have many benefits, their usage is not without concern. Numerous civil liberties organizations, including the ACLU, have expressed concern with their usage and the security of data captured. With the likely increase in drone usage, this debate is not likely to cool down anytime soon.

Predictive Policing

Predictive policing has provided departments with a more innovative way to target criminal activity and utilize resources more efficiently. Predictive policing solutions including crime analytics and hot-spot identification allow departments to determine which areas are more susceptible to criminal activity as well as predict future occurrences. By receiving information in real time, departments are able to have a more proactive and less reactive approach to fighting crime, which leads to faster response times and increased arrests.

Predictive policing solutions are custom built to an agency’s infrastructure. By utilizing a complete solution, agencies can analyze different variables such as the nature of 911 calls received as well as the types of crimes reported in each location. This data is then further analyzed to identify crime patterns and problem areas to strategize officer deployments. Predictive policing can also incorporate the addition of new programs such as open-access networking, social media and gunshot detection location systems.

The market for predictive policing has grown over the past decade and will continue to be at the forefront of the public safety technology market, particularly for its ability to be linked with other data sources that feed into a real-time crime center including CCTV, GIS mapping software, and traffic monitoring equipment.

Grants

As agencies consider different ways to prevent crime, whether through new technologies like CCTV or with more police officers on the street, there will always be one constant: money. Agencies must find funding within capital budgets, general budgets, bonds or other sources. When these areas come up short, federal grants are also an option.

In fiscal year 2012 (FY12), the Department of Justice (DOJ) awarded more than $600 million in grants to agencies for crime prevention initiatives. It remains to be seen what type of funding levels will be made available to states in FY 13. The DOJ requested $1.8 billion for FY 13, $200 million less than in FY 12, and with the possibility of sequestration occurring on January 2, 2013, that request could be reduced significantly. State and local agencies must be prepared to deal with fewer grant dollars while at the same time figuring out how to best improve crime-prevention methods. The use of emerging technologies will be essential to every agency, large or small.

Questions about this video can be submitted to StateLocalResearch@deltek.com or through Twitter @GovWinPubSafety.

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Hurricane Sandy: FEMA, social media and first responders

Posted on: October 30, 2012 | Posted By: Evan Halperin
Related Categories: Grants, Federal, State & Local, Justice/Public Safety, Homeland Security, Social Media

As states along the East Coast begin cleanup efforts from one of the most destructive storms in history, we examine how Hurricane Sandy stands out compared to other recent weather catastrophes. During previous national disasters such as Hurricane Katrina, there was no Twitter or Instragram that put breaking news in the hands of civilians. People around the world had to wait patiently by their TVs and computers for the latest images of New Orleans completely underwater, or devastating earthquake damage in Haiti. Despite widespread Internet use and the growing use of smartphones, news still wasn’t quite instant.

Yesterday, in the face of one of the biggest natural disasters to hit the East Coast, people took pictures, shot videos, sent tweets, and posted to Facebook, all in real time. According to Mashable, Instagram users posted 10 Hurricane Sandy photos per second. Photos coming in at 60 a minute and 3,600 per hour provided more than 86,000 images in a 24-hour period. And this is just one of many social media sites.

While it is difficult to quantify how these pictures, tweets, Facebook messages, etc. affected the response times of first responders, or how many lives were saved, it is clear that news stations and first responders benefit from seeing where an emergency is in real time. In Manhattan, the 911 system was completely overloaded due to the receipt of 10,000 calls per hour; the city typically receives 1,000 per day. Using social media tools to send emergency images to news stations or police Twitter accounts was essential and will continue to be a vital component in rescue efforts.

Another piece of the puzzle that must be examined is that of disaster-relief funding. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has provided coordinated disaster relief across the United States since 1978. Though the powers bestowed upon FEMA have changed, it is still a regional agency that not only coordinates relief, but provides funding to state and local governments to support restoration and other emergency efforts. While many people have differing views on what FEMA should provide as a sub-agency of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), after large-scale disasters like that of Superstorm Sandy, local governments need help. Should funding be provided by states themselves? Should FEMA, with its larger infrastructure, be the one to determine the funding provided after a natural or other disaster? I’ll let you decide.

When looking at funding levels in recent years, you will see a clear downward trend. Over the past two years, there has been a 43 percent reduction in FEMA grants that pay for disaster preparedness. Additionally, should sequestration occur in January 2013 as planned, an additional 8.2 percent of disaster relief would be cut. One point in favor of letting FEMA provide emergency services and funds is that states in the red don’t have any funds for large-scale restoration. On the other hand, should the federal government sink deeper in debt to help? Again, it’s a matter of opinion.

As we look back on Hurricane Sandy months and years from now, the widespread destruction and loss of lives will be on many people’s minds, but we should also not forget the outpouring of social media response that curtailed even greater damage. State and local governments can now inform citizens instantly about closures and other situations that require real-time information. Disaster relief and rescue will never be the same.

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