About Us

Office of Information Services (OIS)

The DHS Office of Information Services provides the information technology (IT) systems and services that support 10,000 DHS staff and 20,000 partner staff at 350 locations throughout Oregon.

DHS has a very complex technology environment with more than 300 applications programmed in 22 different languages on five platforms using nine database management systems.

These IT systems support programs related to eligibility, benefits, licensing, insurance and claims processing, protective services, public health, hospital management, vocational and rehabilitation services, human resources, finance, and procurement.

OIS also supports 20,000 computers and printers, and provides customer service through the service desk and field technicians embedded in locations outside Salem. The service desk responds to more than 9,500 service requests each month.

OIS provides management support for IT projects, systems architecture and data bases, IT asset management and change management, and coordinates network and computing operations with the Oregon State Data Center.

The OIS organizational structure

OIS consists of the Office of the CIO, a central business services group, and four major operational sections which play vital roles helping OIS accomplish its mission and meet customer goals — Customer Service and Support, Division Solution Support, Enterprise Solution Support, and Technology and Strategy.

Office of the CIO

Rick Howard is the DHS Chief Information Officer (CIO). As CIO of the largest state agency in Oregon, he provides overall leadership, planning, development and delivery of IT services that support 10,000 DHS staff and 20,000 partner staff at 350 locations around the state.

In September 2009, Rick was confirmed by the Oregon Senate as vice-chair of the Oregon Health Information Technology Oversight Council. The council will develop the IT plan for the new Oregon Health Authority, which was mandated by the 2009 Legislature. The new agency will administer health care functions currently within DHS.

As CIO, Rick represents DHS technology interests at both the state and national levels. He's an active member of the Oregon CIO Council, as well as the National Association of State CIOs (NASCIO) and the American Public Human Services Association (APHSA).

Rick is a recognized leader and advocate in the effort to develop a national business architecture for health and human services. Such a framework would help to improve the quality of healthcare across the United States. He's frequently asked to speak at meetings and conferences and has authored articles and reports on the subject for government policy and IT magazines.

Business Services Unit

The Business Services Unit provides central administrative support for OIS, including payroll distribution and financial and position management.

Customer Service and Support (CSS)

CSS is the primary interface to OIS services for DHS employees, partners and other OIS customers. The CSS service desk and desktop support technicians receive and resolve customer issues around the state. Other CSS services include incident and problem management, customer communications, and asset management.

Division Solution Support (DSS)

DSS is responsible for application development, maintenance, and enhancement in support of DHS divisions. DSS is composed of five sections, each managed by a deputy CIO (DCIO). Each section supports specific divisions and program offices to ensure that IT solutions meet their business needs.

The DSS sections and assigned DCIOs are:

Enterprise Solution Support (ESS)

ESS is responsible for support of DHS enterprise-wide application development, maintenance, and enhancement. Other ESS support services include data management, IT security, business process management, IT project support and infrastructure services.

Technology and Strategy (T&S)

T&S provides organizational planning and strategic support, technology standards, policies, and governance. T&S support services include enterprise architecture, strategic planning, research, legislative monitoring, portfolio management, and IT policies and standards.