By KEN KUSMER

Associated Press Writer

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — State computer problems this week shut down the processing of child support payments, welfare and other programs, cutting off the flow of money, food stamps and other benefits that parents and other recipients depend on.

State workers were able to revive one of the two affected computer databases, at the Family and Social Services Administration, by Wednesday afternoon, said Gerry Weaver, the state’s chief information officer.

The other database, affecting child support payments processed by the Department of Child Services, remained down Wednesday, but agency officials said they hope to start sending payments to custodial parents again by Friday.

The delays created frustration among many people. Nancy Griffin, a volunteer advocate, said an Indianapolis woman who just lost her job and has been trying to obtain food stamps to feed three children was turned away at a state welfare office both Tuesday and Wednesday.

“She was in tears when she called me at 8:30 this morning,” Griffin said Wednesday. “Nothing can happen because the system is down. This morning she was told she can sit and wait or she can come back tomorrow or another day.”

At the Department of Child Services, hundreds of parents worried about support payments flooded a toll-free number to check on payments, said Cynthia Longest, the agency’s deputy director for child support.

“It’s been overwhelmed,” Longest said.

Nevertheless, she urged non-custodial parents, employers and county clerks to continue sending in support payments.

“They should not stop. They should not delay because of this issue. They should continue to make payments,” Longest said.

“We’re hoping right now that the payments will go out Friday,” she said. Custodial parents using debit cards might start seeing payments as soon as Friday afternoon.

A system used to back up the state computers created the problem.

Weaver said the state uses a computer at Indiana University’s main campus in Bloomington to back up the mainframe on the state government campus in downtown Indianapolis. The information exchange crashed Monday night, and when it came back up, it corrupted the two databases at DCS and FSSA.

State technicians have put in temporary safeguards to prevent a recurrence until the problem is diagnosed and the state can install permanent safeguards, Weaver said.

“We are taking every step we can to make sure it will never happen again. It shouldn’t have happened and it won’t happen again,” Weaver said.

Over at FSSA, even though the database was restored Wednesday, it wasn’t at full speed.

“It’s up and running but it’s just really slow now,” spokeswoman Lauren Auld said late in the afternoon.

The database contains information for programs including food stamps, Medicaid and the Healthy Indiana Plan, the new health insurance plan for low-income adults, FSSA Secretary Mitch Roob said.

No data was lost in the crashes, officials said.

Posted 7/10/2008