Department of Health and Social Services

DHSS Policy Memorandum 26					October 21, 2002 
Subject: Web Policy  
 
 

I.	Background 
The role of the DHSS website is to provide timely, accurate and useful 
information to the public that will facilitate and uphold the DHSS Mission: "To 
improve the quality of life for Delaware's citizens by promoting health and well-
being, fostering self-sufficiency, and protecting vulnerable populations."
II.	Purpose 
The purpose of this document is to explain the role of the DHSS website, define 
the responsibilities regarding the DHSS website, provide standards for 
accomplishing the role and responsibilities, define appropriate web development 
resources and explain the procedures for publishing web information.
III.	Foundation of Policy 
A.	E-Government Steering Committee Web Standards: On January 22, 
2001, Governor Ruth Ann Minner issued Executive Order 9 establishing 
an Electronic Government Steering Committee. One of the duties charged 
to this committee is to develop a 
"... comprehensive, uniform set of standards for State agencies dealing 
with the issues of technology architecture, privacy, accessibility, and 
content with respect to Internet-based technologies. Agencies shall adhere 
to the standards developed by the Committee...." (Executive Order 9, § 
4(a))
The State of Delaware Web Presentation Guidelines can be found at: 
http://www.state.de.us/sos/gic/information/webstandards.shtml. DHSS has 
adopted all of the State's
?	standards, 
?	guidelines and 
?	issues for further discussion 
as standards since they may become so at any time. Please see Appendix 
A: DHSS Web Standards and Procedures, Section I: State Standards for 
how DHSS has addressed certain state mandated items for uniformity 
across the DHSS website.
B.	Federal Standards: As of June 21, 2001, Section 508 of the 
Rehabilitation Act of 1973 has made it mandatory for the federal 
government or a site provided under contract to a Federal agency, to 
present electronic information, including information on Web sites and 
intranets, so that it can be accessed by everyone. This law is defined and 
implemented by Part 1194 of the Electronic and Information Technology 
Accessibility Standards specifically Subpart B § 1194.22 Web-based 
intranet and internet information and applications (which can be found at: 
http://www.section508.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=Content&ID=12#Web
) 
According to a summary of the standard, found at: 
http://www.section508.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=Content&ID=11#web, 
"The standards apply to Federal web sites but not to private sector web 
sites (unless a site is provided under contract to a Federal agency, in which 
case only that web site or portion covered by the contract would have to 
comply.)" Since DHSS often receives federal funds for projects that may 
be funded and featured on its web site, we must comply with these 
standards for such projects. Since these are good accessibility practices, 
DHSS has also adopted these practices and requires all DHSS web pages 
to comply with these standards.
C.	Department of Technology and Information/Office of Information 
Services (DTI/OIS) Policy: DTI/OIS has developed policies regarding 
web hosting services by DTI. These are defined in the State of Delaware 
Web Hosting Acceptable Use Policy. One of the most specific items to 
note is that it is unacceptable to solicit commercial advertising (Section 
IV. Unacceptable Uses, Item #2). This policy is located on the State 
Intranet at: 
http://intranet.state.de.us/dti/policies/webhosting_acceptable_use.pdf . 
D.	DHSS Web Development Standards: It is the Department’s 
responsibility to uphold and enforce the standards promulgated in the 
policies and standards outlined above. In order to accomplish this goal, 
additional standards and procedures will also be enforced. Please see 
Appendix A: DHSS Web Standards and Procedures, Sections II & III for 
DHSS-defined Standards and Procedures. The DHSS Communications 
Director must specifically approve any deviation from DHSS standards 
and procedures. 
IV.	Responsibility 
1.	The Department and all internal Divisions, offices or other such agencies 
will adhere to and promote the policies and standards outlined in Section 
III above. 
2.	Division Directors will provide the DHSS Communications Director with 
a list of one web relations designee, responsible for the web information of 
his/her Division, and one web developer, responsible for the development 
of web pages. Please note that these two appointees must be two different 
individuals and only the web relations designees may submit information 
for posting to the Intra- and/or Internets to the Communications Director. 
If the web relations designee is unavailable, the Division Director must 
appoint a backup during his/her absence. 
3.	Divisions will be responsible for ensuring the functionality and accuracy 
of their web pages. 
4.	Divisions are responsible for keeping their information current and 
accurate and for ensuring an overall professional appearance. 
5.	The web relations designees, the DHSS Communications Director and 
representatives from Division of Management Services/Information 
Resources Management (DMS/IRM) will comprise the DHSS Web 
Development Team. This team will meet periodically for the purpose of 
discussing the Department's web presence, recommending future 
development, standards and policy and determining the appropriate DHSS 
web template for use throughout the DHSS website. This team will also 
have the opportunity to take proposed standards and policy back to their 
Divisions for review with Division Directors, web developers, etc. 
Committee recommendations will be implemented upon approval of the 
DHSS Communications Director. The designees may not send network or 
application staff as Division representatives to DHSS Web Development 
Team meetings. 
6.	The Office of the Secretary will maintain the information on the calendar 
of events, press release, DHSS Accomplishments, DHSS Newsletters, 
Departmental policy memoranda, Office of the Secretary and the 
Delaware Health Fund Advisory Committee pages. 
7.	DMS will maintain Human Resource information and DHSS job postings. 
8.	Technical questions not covered by this policy, nor by the related 
standards and procedures, will be referred to the Director of DMS/IRM. 
V.	Effect: 
      This policy becomes effective immediately. 
This Department Policy memorandum supercedes all other policies, 
directives, standards, guidelines, procedures or rules related to this subject. 
    Vincent P. Meconi    October 21, 2002 
Vincent P. Meconi, Secretary