Child welfare predictive analytics systems
It is a clone of this request.
| Tracking # |
21-RTKL-155 |
| Submitted | April 30, 2021 |
| Est. Completion | June 7, 2021 |
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Communications
From: Todd Feathers
To Whom It May Concern:
Pursuant to the Pennsylvania Right to Know Act, I hereby request the following records:
1) Contracts with any company, nonprofit, or other entity that currently provides software to the department that includes predictive analytics models for child welfare (i.e., models designed to identify home placement risk, abuse risk, human trafficking risk, etc.). This should include contracts for CCWIS or comparable systems that include predictive models as well as project descriptions for any models created in-house.
2) Data dictionaries for all child welfare predictive models used by the department, including those provided by outside entities as well as in-house models. Data dictionaries are documents commonly created for predictive models and databases. They describe the categories of data that are inputs (age, gender, etc.) and outputs (risk level, etc.) of predictive models. They are equivalent to headers on a spreadsheet, and do not include actual data.
3) A list of all memorandums of understanding (MOUs) and/or data sharing agreements with state or local agencies for the provision of data that is incorporated into the department's child welfare predictive models. Should the department not maintain a list of these MOUs, I will accept copies of the MOUs themselves.
4) Any differential impact assessments, validation studies, or comparable documents that describe the accuracy of child welfare predictive models used by the department. This should include any documents that describe common measures of predictive accuracy, such as area under the curve (AUC).
5) All department policies, employee manuals, and guidelines describing how employees can and/or should use child welfare predictive models.
6) All governance board, committee, or outside expert reviews assessing the efficacy of the department's proposed or current child welfare predictive models.
Should you have questions regarding any aspect of this request, please don't hesitate to contact me.
I ask that all fees be waived as I am a journalist and intend to use the requested records to publish articles in the public interest. In the event you choose to impose fees, I request a detailed breakdown of the fees, including the hourly wage of each employ involved and an explanation justifying the employee hours required to fulfill the request.
Should you choose to reject this request or redact portions of it, I ask that you provide a detailed breakdown of the statutory exemptions and associated case law underlying your decision to withhold each/any portions from public review.
I would prefer the request be filled electronically, by e-mail attachment if available or CD-ROM if not.
Thank you very much for your help, and I look forward to receiving your response to this request within 5 business days, as the statute requires.
Sincerely,
Todd Feathers
From: Department of Human Services
Good afternoon,
The PA Department of Human Services received your below Right-To-Know Law (RTKL) request.
The RTKL requires a request to be set forth with "sufficient specificity to enable the agency to ascertain which records are being requested," including the subject matter of the request, the scope of the documents sought, and the timeframe for which records are sought. Your request does not identify a timeframe for the records you are seeking. Therefore, the department requires the following clarification in order to proceed with your request:
* A finite period of time for which records are sought.
Your prompt response to this email will be appreciated so that the department can continue working on your request.
Thank you.
Andrea Bankes | Administrative Officer
Agency Open Records Officer
Office of Administration
Department of Human Services
Room 234 Health & Welfare Building | Hbg PA 17120
Phone: 717.787.3422 | Fax: 717.772.2490
www.dhs.pa.gov<http://www.dhs.pa.gov/>
Creating partnerships to deliver quality services to customers through collaboration, consultation and supports.
From: Todd Feathers
Hello,
My request clearly states that I am seeking records regarding predictive models currently in use. As such, there is no need to specify a timeframe.
Todd
From: Department of Human Services
Good evening,
Only part 1 of your request states "currently": "Contracts with any company, nonprofit, or other entity that currently provides software to the department that includes predictive analytics models for child welfare (i.e., models designed to identify home placement risk, abuse risk, human trafficking risk, etc.)."
Parts 2 through 6 of your request do not include a finite period of time for which records are sought. Therefore, please clarify if you are seeking the current data dictionaries for all child welfare predictive models used by the department, including those provided by outside entities as well as in-house models; a list of all current memorandums of understanding (MOUs) and/or data sharing agreements with state or local agencies for the provision of data that is incorporated into the department's child welfare predictive models; any current differential impact assessments, validation studies, or comparable documents that describe the accuracy of child welfare predictive models used by the department; all current department policies, employee manuals, and guidelines describing how employees can and/or should use child welfare predictive models; and all current governance board, committee, or outside expert reviews assessing the efficacy of the department's proposed or current child welfare predictive models. If not, please clarify the time period of the records you are seeking for parts 2 through 6 of your request.
Thank you.
Andrea Bankes | Administrative Officer
Agency Open Records Officer
Office of Administration
Department of Human Services
Room 234 Health & Welfare Building | Hbg PA 17120
Phone: 717.787.3422 | Fax: 717.772.2490
www.dhs.pa.gov<http://www.dhs.pa.gov/>
Creating partnerships to deliver quality services to customers through collaboration, consultation and supports.
From: Todd Feathers
Hello,
All parts of my request apply to software, models, etc. that are currently in use. For example, item #6 of my request applies to all records described relevant to products currently in use, regardless of the timeframe, but not to products that are not currently in use.
Todd
From: Department of Human Services
Thank you.
Andrea Bankes | Administrative Officer
Agency Open Records Officer
Office of Administration
Department of Human Services
Room 234 Health & Welfare Building | Hbg PA 17120
Phone: 717.787.3422 | Fax: 717.772.2490
www.dhs.pa.gov<http://www.dhs.pa.gov/>
Creating partnerships to deliver quality services to customers through collaboration, consultation and supports.
From: Department of Human Services
Good morning,
Attached is the PA Department of Human Services' interim response to your Right-To-Know Law request.
Andrea Bankes | Administrative Officer
Agency Open Records Officer
Office of Administration
Department of Human Services
Room 234 Health & Welfare Building | Hbg PA 17120
Phone: 717.787.3422 | Fax: 717.772.2490
www.dhs.pa.gov<http://www.dhs.pa.gov/>
Creating partnerships to deliver quality services to customers through collaboration, consultation and supports.
From: Muckrock Staff
To Whom It May Concern:
I'm following up on the following Pennsylvania Right to Know Act request, copied below, and originally submitted on April 30, 2021. You previously indicated that it would be completed on June 7, 2021. I wanted to let you know that I am still interested in the following documents, and to see if that date was still accurate. You had assigned it reference number #21-RTKL-155.
Thanks for your help, and let me know if further clarification is needed.
From: Department of Human Services
Good morning,
The date is still accurate. The department will respond to your request by June 7, 2021.
Thank you.
Andrea Bankes | Administrative Officer
Agency Open Records Officer
Office of Administration
Department of Human Services
Room 234 Health & Welfare Building | Hbg PA 17120
Phone: 717.787.3422 | Fax: 717.772.2490
www.dhs.pa.gov<http://www.dhs.pa.gov/>
Creating partnerships to deliver quality services to customers through collaboration, consultation and supports.
From: Muckrock Staff
To Whom It May Concern:
I'm following up on the following Pennsylvania Right to Know Act request, copied below, and originally submitted on April 30, 2021. You had previously indicated that it would be completed on June 7, 2021. I wanted to check on the status of my request, and to see if there was a new estimated completion date. You had assigned it reference number #21-RTKL-155.
Thanks for your help, and let me know if further clarification is needed.
From: Department of Human Services
Good morning,
Attached is the PA Department of Human Services' final response to your Right-To-Know Law request.
Andrea Bankes | Administrative Officer
Agency Open Records Officer
Office of Administration
Department of Human Services
Room 234 Health & Welfare Building | Hbg PA 17120
Phone: 717.787.3422 | Fax: 717.772.2490
www.dhs.pa.gov<http://www.dhs.pa.gov/>
Creating partnerships to deliver quality services to customers through collaboration, consultation and supports.
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