The Rhode Island Department of Human Services has successfully restored its RIBridges system after a cyberattack.
The Rhode Island Department of Human Services has restored its RIBridges system, which manages social services eligibility and applications, four months post-cyberattack. The attack led to disruptions in public benefits management, but essential access remained mostly uninterrupted. State officials are now focused on upgrading technology systems to enhance resilience, budget requests for modernization have been initiated, and trust in digital services needs to be rebuilt.
Providence, Rhode Island — The Rhode Island Department of Human Services (DHS) has announced that its RIBridges system, which manages eligibility and applications for social services and the state’s health insurance marketplace, is fully operational once again, four months after suffering a major cyberattack. The breach forced the DHS to handle public benefits, including food stamps, manually on paper for several weeks, significantly disrupting operations.
The cyberattack, attributed to cybercriminals, occurred from mid-December to January, leading to the suspension of online services. As part of recovery efforts, the RIBridges system was brought back online in phases, starting with backend operations before restoring the customer interface. By March 29, the HealthyRhode mobile app had also been restored and updated, now available for download on major platforms such as Google Play and Apple’s App Store.
Despite the significant setbacks caused by the cyberattack, access to essential benefits remained largely uninterrupted. However, issues with provider payments were reported, prompting state officials to reassess the technology requirements of health and human services agencies. This situation has led to forthcoming budget requests aimed at modernizing and upgrading the necessary systems.
In a significant development, the Rhode Island House of Representatives is currently engaged in budget-making processes for health and human services agencies for the fiscal year commencing on July 1. A total of $31 million has been requested for a capital plan aimed at replacing the RIKidsBridge system, used by child welfare workers. Additionally, the Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS) has requested $62 million to enhance its Medicaid information management system, which would be partially funded through state revenue and federal funds.
There are also concerns surrounding an income verification system that aims to automate eligibility checks for benefits applicants. Challenges have arisen regarding an $8.9 million contract with Experian to implement this system, which has yet to be finalized, consequently delaying its rollout. Furthermore, a $91 million initiative to replace the state’s payroll system has also encountered difficulties, raising alarms about potential reductions in the federal match rate for Medicaid projects. Experts have indicated that this match rate could decrease from the current 75%-90% to potentially 50% under a new congressional budget led by Republican lawmakers.
Amid these developments, the DHS has emphasized its commitment to ensuring customer access to benefits remains a guiding principle. Nevertheless, following the cyberattack, engagement with both the mobile app and online customer portal has declined, thus state officials are initiating efforts to rebuild trust and encourage technology adoption among users.
The restoration of the RIBridges system is a significant milestone for the DHS, not only in reconnecting users with essential services but also in addressing the pressing technology needs exposed during the cyberattack. As the state moves forward, continued vigilance and investment in modernizing systems are expected to play a critical role in enhancing the resilience and efficiency of Rhode Island’s health and human services.
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