Arizona’s Child Protective Services lost case full of files

December 11, 2013

Businesses have the responsibility to protect their stakeholders because they have a large collection of private information. Companies usually have a records management and disposal strategy, but time and again, there have been instances where this information is exposed.

Having an electronic data processing and paperless filing system can greatly improve security at an organization because files are protected by server logins and passwords. Such a situation occurred at the Child Protective Services (CPS), a government agency in Phoenix, Arizona, the Wall Street Journal reported.

CPS is responsible for protecting children from abuse, which requires a slew of confidence in itself. However, they were notified that an individual came across a large portion of its records inside of a box within an alley in the middle of city. This poses a plethora of risks to the organization and the families that it is trying to protect.

Contents of the package included photographs of children, medical records, Social Security numbers and addresses.

The state’s Department of Economic Security told the Journal that they are “extremely concerned” about recent discoveries because the way these documents were thrown out goes against state and federal laws, and “anyone found to be involved in wrongdoing will be held accountable in accordance with the law.”

One of the best ways an organization can protect itself from a future data breach is if it implements data capture services. A paperless filing system can greatly improve records management.

Tab Service Company is a Chicago based company with over 53 years of experience as a data processing service provider.  We provide businesses with outsourcing solutions for document scanning services, data entry services and mailing/lettershop services.  As an SOC2-approved organization, we apply industry-best practices to our approach with clients.