‘On the verge of collapse’, state software developed in mid-90s with late-80s tech

INDIANAPOLIS – The computer system the Department of Child Services relies on to process 500,000 child support payments annually runs on technology developed in the late 1980s. The software, Indiana Support Enforcement Tracking System (ISETS), goes down and is so antiquated, it lacks point-and-click capabilities and drop-down menus.

From The Indiana Lawyer Child support network faces fear of collapse

“However, the DCS report described ISETS as “built on dying technology.” Prosecutors who use the system talk about regular glitches and outages that stop all or part of the processing work.

“The concern is one day, ISETS will crash for good.

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“We fear there’s going to be a catastrophe and we will all be helpless,” Owens said. “We’ll look to the Child Support Bureau and give them all the support and prayer we can to get ISETS up and running.”

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“When ISETS goes down, the money does not flow to the families. Household budgets can quickly get choked so utility bills can go unpaid and food cabinets can go bare. In turn, the custodial parents can become anxious if they do not receive their payments, and the situation can be exacerbated when they call the local prosecutor’s office for answers only to be told they will have to call back later because workers cannot access the system.

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“For roughly an hour, Owens and his team waited to gain access. He said in general the blood pressure and fear rise slowly, but once the outage hits 20 minutes, the anxiety skyrockets.”

Indiana Democratic Party Chairman John Zody noted former DCS Director Mary Beth Bonaventura’s warning of a system on the verge of collapse.

“How many times will Governor Holcomb ignore the warning signs?” said Zody. “Failing to head this off will cost hundreds of thousands of Hoosiers. This is a governor taking a political risk instead of doing what’s right for abused and neglected children.”

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