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Family Assistance Customer Files

RDA Number
1717
Effective Date
Record Series Abstract
Records include but not limited to confirmation of identity, address, income, citizenship, client notices, benefit issuance amount, disposition of case information, request for benefit replacement, customer interview and other supporting documentation.
Record Series Active
Yes
Cut Off at End of
Other
If Other, Explain
Files are cut off when the Federal Government notifies the State that the records are no longer needed and or when the client is deceased or reaches their 80th birthday.
Total Retention Years
80
Total Retention Months
0
Retention End Action
Destroy
Disposition Notes
Data collected is used to create an electronic Customer Case File. In addition, Child Support, Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF), Disability Determination Services (DDS) and DHS Office of Inspector General (OIG), utilize the data collected in ACCENT in their respective program functionality. At any time during the life of a customer, one could apply for or have an indirect or renewed need for benefits or claims. Customer information in the ACCENT database allows the agency to determine the necessary and allowable benefit assistance to be awarded, or other financial obligations required to be reimbursed by the customer. If there is, or has been, a program violation, the agency will serve notice to the household and all records maintained accordingly.
Record Location
Customer files are located within State servers and computers.
File Arrangement
Alpha and Numeric
Media Format Generated
Electronic
Media Format Stored
Electronic
Date Range
1992 to Current
Allotment Code
34500
Annual Accumulation
Electronic: 737 gigabytes
Current Volume
Electronic: 1500 gigabytes
Record Value
Administrative
Fiscal
Legal
Audit Requirements
Both
Information Shared Outside the State
Yes
Shared Agencies
United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), United States Department of Health & Human Services (HHS), Office of Child Support Enforcement (OCSE), Internal Revenue Service (IRS)
Essential Record
Yes - Original
Essential Record Stored
The essential record is housed in the ACCENT database.
Essential Record Media Type
Electronic
Confidential
Yes
Confidential Legal Citation
7 C.F.R. 272.1 & 274.5, 45 C.F.R. 75.365, DHS Rules 1240-01-13-.01 & 02
Does this Record Series Contain Sensitive Information?
No
Agency Retention
80 years
Records Center Retention Period
80 years
System Name
ACCENT
Hardware Description
IBM ZOS z/OS 02.02.00 Mainframe
Software Description
IMS Data Base; COBOL, TELON Software
System Location
IBM Data Center Boulder, Colorado
Backup Procedures
Database backups are taken each weekend and are kept for 6 weeks in the IBM secured data center. Our disaster recovery is managed by the Kyndryl DRTOOL. Our Disaster Recovery backups are included in the DASD flash copies written to a virtual tape system (VTS). These VTS pack backups are available to the primary IBM data center in Boulder CO. and the backup site in Sterling Forest, NJ.
Disaster Recovery
The goal of the Disaster Recovery is to restore the use of the ACCENT system to the user community as quickly as possible following any disaster which impacts the availability of this system to the users. Recovery of this system must be given a high priority since it impacts the delivery of benefits to our clients. Workers use interview sheets to complete offline interviews when ACCENT is not available. Staff are trained how to conduct an interview in the unlikely event that ACCENT is not available.
Data Migration Description
All modifications and enhancements to ACCENT programs must be made in the development region. Unit testing is performed in this same region, using test data created by the programmers and functional tests created by the analysts. Once a program has been successfully unit tested by the programmers and functional tests created by the analysts the program is compiled into the acceptance test region for testing by acceptance test staff. Acceptance test consists of state office policy staff and DHS analysts. A program must pass formal acceptance testing before it can be moved into the production region. The migration of all new or changed code is controlled through the Member Migration Form which must be signed by the ACCENT Project Director or backup, the Acceptance Tester and the Acceptance Test Team Manager.
Records Management Division (RMD)
09-01-2022
No recommended changes.
Tennessee State Library and Archives
08-31-2022
No recommended changes.
Comptroller Audit Review
09-08-2022
We have reviewed RDA 1717 from an audit standpoint. We concur with the recommended retention and disposition specifications.
Agency Records Officer
09-08-2022
We are moving forward with agency signature process, thank you.
RMD Director
09-12-2022
RDA 1717 is a request to revise an RDA. The retention period will change from permanent to eighty years and then destroy. The format will be electronic. The Title, Abstract, Disposition Notes, and Worksheet have been updated. Recommend approval of the request to revise RDA 1717.
Public Records Commission
10-05-2022
PRC approves RDA 1717