Veterans Application System Receives Golden GOVIT Award and Two Other Projects Recognized as Finalists
12/16/2022 9:00:00 AM
On December 8, 2022, three technology efforts associated with the State of Minnesota and Minnesota IT Services (MNIT) were honored as award winners and finalists for the Golden GOVIT Awards. The awards program, part of the Government IT Symposium, recognizes government agencies and individuals that advanced government technology through collaboration, innovation, service, and individual leadership. Minnesota's celebrated efforts included:
Two projects tied to MNIT were honored with the Golden GOVIT Service Award for their efforts to deliver digital information and transactional services that make a difference in the lives of citizens. The Veterans Application Tracking System, a collaboration between MNIT and MDVA, won the award, and Workforce One eSignature, a collaboration between MNIT and DEED, was a finalist.
MNIT and MDVA improved the Veterans Application Tracking System (VATS) to process claims. The VATS-Claims unifies MDVA's Field Operations and Claims Offices for case management, secured claims/document submittal to the Department of Veterans Affairs, appeals of claims decisions to the USDVA's Board of Veterans Appeals, and management of related forms and documents.
To learn more about VATS, visit the MDVA website.
MNIT and DEED's Workforce One (WF1) Team developed an eSignature functionality in Workforce One, a web-based case management application used to track employment and training services provided to more than 100,000 Minnesotans. This helped Minnesotans get paperwork signed quickly and virtually. Before eSignature it could take a month to get paperwork signed, which could delay someone's ability to get childcare benefits or to start training or a new job. The eSignature functionality in WF1 allows staff to easily send documents from the case management system to customers, which they can sign in a matter of minutes.
To learn more about Workforce One, visit the DEED website.
MNIT and MDVA were a finalist in the Collaboration category for their work on the Veteran Service Bonus Program. This category recognizes organizations that use shared resources to create a new product or program, resulting in improved service delivery to individuals, families, and communities.
On May 6, 2022, the Omnibus Veterans and Military Affairs bill provided $25M for a Veteran Service Bonus Program payable to eligible Veterans who served from 9/11/01 to 8/30/21. MDVA partnered with MNIT and MMB to facilitate this program for eligible Veterans, currently serving service members, or Veterans' beneficiaries. Within 60 days of bill passage, the teams developed an online system that processed veteran applications from entry to payment. To date, payments to 17,125 individuals totaling $18.5 million are helping veterans and their families, fueling community economies across the state, and increasing awareness of veterans' services.
To learn more about this program, visit the MDVA website.
