Northwoods recaps a week with the human services technology community and looks ahead to welcoming everyone to our hometown in 2027
What does it take to turn promising technology into real progress for the people serving others?
That question echoed through Spokane from September 27–30 at the IT Solutions Management for Human Services (ISM) Education Conference & Expo. Produced by APHSA, it’s the largest human services technology event in the country.
Four members of our team, Michael Drabek, Amy Drapcho, Frank Kohstall, and Kevin Zhang, spent the week connecting with fellow HHS professionals, catching up with customers and partners, and sharing a look at what’s ahead for Northwoods.
Here’s what we heard.
AI Is Moving From Promise to Practice
AI was everywhere. But the conversation has matured.
Agencies from Texas to Missouri to Arizona shared how they’re putting AI to work, from helping residents get answers faster to surfacing insight buried in years of case records.
The common thread: AI works best when it supports people, not when it replaces them. And it’s only as strong as the data and policy behind it.
That aligns with how we think about AI for caseworkers. It should return time to workers without removing responsibility or professional judgment.
Want to keep the conversation going? Join us on November 4, 2026, for APHSA’s webinar, From Caseload to Capacity: How AI Empowers the HHS Workforce, and How to Choose the Right Partner to Get There. National experts, including product and customer voices, will share what’s working in agencies today and the key questions HHS leaders should ask to find a trustworthy AI partner.
Accuracy Is a Shared Priority
With H.R. 1 tying state costs to SNAP payment error rates, accuracy is now a budget issue, not just a compliance measure. States including Oregon, Massachusetts, and Maryland shared how they’re responding.
The takeaway? Better accuracy doesn’t come from adding more tools. It comes from giving eligibility workers the right information at the right moment.
Child Welfare Is Focused on Well-Being
Child welfare conversations looked beyond compliance and toward what children and families need to thrive: connected systems for permanency, collaboration across state lines, and faster access to critical information.
Often, the challenge isn’t a lack of data. It’s how long it takes to find it.
It’s one more reason child welfare technology must move from compliance to connection.
At the Booth and Around the Table
At the Northwoods booth, we talked all things AI in child welfare and shared a few sneak peeks of what’s next, including new solutions for economic assistance and child support and innovations designed to make the everyday experience better for caseworkers (Talk to Your Case, Grove, and Policy Assist.) And yes, plenty of our famous bears found new homes.
We also joined the invite-only lunch hosted by the Human Services IT Advisory Group (HSITAG), am advisory group that has helped industry and government collaborate since 1993.
The working session brought states and vendors to the same table. A few themes came through clearly:
- Procurement constraints are limiting for states and vendors alike.
- Open communication matters. Both sides need room to iterate and stay flexible.
- Modularity works. Modernization is strongest when agencies combine best-in-class solutions and build on the strengths of multiple vendors.
Building with customers, not just for them, starts with conversations like these.
“You know what gives me hope?” said Amy Drapcho, Senior Manager of External Affairs at Northwoods. “When so many people come together to solve problems for social workers, caseworkers, and the HHS workforce.”
See You in Columbus!
The week ended with news close to home: ISM 2027 is coming to Columbus, Ohio, Northwoods’ hometown.
During the closing session, Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther welcomed attendees in a recorded video message, inviting the human services technology community to his city next year. We couldn’t be more excited.
Columbus is home to our team, and we can’t wait to show the human services community everything our city has to offer.
Thank you to APHSA, the ISM Planning Committee, and every partner who made Spokane a success.
Technology alone doesn’t transform human services. People do.
We’ll see you next year in Columbus!
