National Electronic Interstate Compact Enterprise (NEICE)

By using an electronic data exchange, NEICE, states are expediting the placement of children in safe, permanent families across state lines and reducing administrative paperwork and costs.

What is the NEICE?

The National Electronic Interstate Compact Enterprise (NEICE) is a national electronic system for quickly and securely exchanging all the data and documents required by the Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children (ICPC) to place children across state lines.

The Association of Administrators of the Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children (AAICPC) and the American Public Human Services Association (APHSA), as Secretariat for the AAICPC, developed and implemented the NEICE to support the AAICPC states and jurisdictions in the administration of the compact. NEICE is operated by the American Public Health Services Association (APHSA), as Secretariat to the Association of Administrators of the Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children (AAICPC) and is made possible by grant number 90XA0151 from the Children’s Bureau. The project is also funded by state licensing fees paid by participating jurisdictions.

NEICE Background

NEICE began as a pilot in November 2013 with funding from the Office of Management and Budget through the Partnership Fund for Program Integrity Innovation. These resources were awarded by the Children’s Bureau, in the Administration of Children, Youth, and Families, within the US Department of Health and Human Services as a cooperative grant to APHSA, serving as Secretariat to the AAICPC. Recognizing the success of the pilot and the potential for nationwide, electronic data exchange, in June 2015, the Children’s Bureau awarded an additional cooperative agreement to implement NEICE in every state and jurisdiction.

As of July 2024, NEICE has 46 states and jurisdictions fully operational in NEICE and has MOU agreements with four additional states committed to coming on board. Two additional states are exchanging documents through an ancillary application called the NEICE Secure Document Portal until they can go fully live in NEICE.

The Family First Prevention Services Act of 2018 requires that all 52 AAICPC states and jurisdictions join the national electronic interstate system for processing ICPC cases by 2027; NEICE is the only system meeting this description.  

States/jurisdictions can join NEICE either by installing a NEICE Modular Case Management System on a server they host (MCMS) or by building ICPC functionality into their SACWIS/CCWIS systems and connecting directly to NEICE (the Clearinghouse Direct method.) Please see this map to see which states are participating in the system.

The technical vendor for NEICE is Tetrus Corporation.

Benefits of NEICE

NEICE benefits children involved in potential interstate placements by significantly reducing the time and effort required for ICPC jurisdictions to exchange paperwork, leading to quicker, safer and more secure placements for the children.

NEICE also benefits states and their staff by facilitating efficient communication and timely updates to courts, private service providers, and families. By using NEICE, states reduce paperwork, speed up decision-making, and minimize the time children and families wait for placements determinations and placements. Additional benefits include:

• Reduced risk of lost case documentation through postal mail.
• Improved quality and consistency in the ICPC process across states.
• Enhanced data collection and analysis for better accountability and understanding of case timelines.
• Cost savings in administrative, mailing, and copying expenses, and staff time.

NEICE increases accountability and transparency among all parties involved in the child welfare process, including caseworkers, compact administrators, attorneys, judges, and Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA).

NEICE Evaluation Results

An external evaluation assessed the previous pilots in six ICPC jurisdictions: District of Columbia, Florida, Indiana, Nevada, South Carolina, and Wisconsin. The external evaluator, WRMA, conducted a comprehensive evaluation of the project, and found significant improvements in timelines to permanency for children, and cost savings and efficiency for states.

• Read the NEICE Pilot Evaluation Results (Grant #: 90XA0150)

A subsequent external evaluation of the system was conducted by Child Trends between 2015-2018 also found that the NEICE technology has provided substantial benefits to states and the children in their care.

• Read the Implementation Grant Evaluation Results (Grant #: 90XA0151)

How Can Your State Join NEICE?

To become a member of NEICE, your state will need to do the following:

1. Make sure your state or jurisdiction is a participating member of the ICPC.
2. Sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with APHSA, following ICPC legal and policy requirements.
3. Pay the annual fee and one-time connection fee upon signing the MOU.
4. Choose the NEICE connection method: the NEICE Modular Case Management System (MCMS) or the Clearinghouse Direct method. (see below for connection options)
5. Work with the NEICE technical vendor to develop an implementation timeline.
6. Train staff and plan the rollout of NEICE in your state.
7. Test NEICE in a practice environment.
8. Go live in NEICE and begin exchanging documents and data with other participating ICPC jurisdictions.

Connection Options

NEICE operates on a national information highway called the Clearinghouse, and there are two ways states can connect to that highway.

• NEICE Modular Case Management System (MCMS): Install the NEICE MCMS software on a state server. Users log in to a web-based MCMS application to create, send, and receive cases. States can implement single sign-on and multifactor authentication. States can opt to build an interface with their state system of record to exchange data eliminating data duplication improving data accuracy and quality.
• NEICE Clearinghouse Direct: Develop ICPC functionality directly into your state’s child welfare information system and build an exchange connection to the NEICE Clearinghouse. This option also eliminates data duplication, improving data accuracy and quality.

For technical specifications, contact Lynnea Kaufman at lkaufman@aphsa.org.

NEICE Security

NEICE meets stringent federal and state privacy and cybersecurity standards, avoiding the risks associated with email or postal mail transmission. The system is hosted on the FedRAMP-compliant Microsoft Azure Government Cloud, meeting HIPAA standards. Regular audits and security drills ensure compliance with FISMA and NIST best practices.  For information on NEICE Security, contact Marci McCoy-Roth, NEICE Director.

NEICE Training

NEICE training for the CMS/MCMS enhances the efficiency of interstate placements within the child welfare system. Webinars and eLearning courses improve coordination among agencies, enabling the AAICPC to provide more qualitative data and support for children and families. Monthly live training webinars offer real-time interaction, flexible accessibility, and enhanced engagement through live polls and chat functions. These training methods are powerful tools for effective and efficient learning.

NEICE Participation Fees

There is a one-time technical connection fee and an ongoing annual license fee. For more information, contact Lynnea Kaufman.

Disclaimer

Disclaimer: NEICE is operated by the American Public Health Services Association (APHSA) with the Association of Administrators of the Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children (AAICPC) and is made possible by grant number 90XA0151 from the Children’s Bureau. The contents of this website do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the funder, nor does mention of trade names, commercial products or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. This information is in the public domain.