D.10.3 - Social services

Social Services are designed to provide meaningful opportunities for social and economic growth of the disadvantaged sector of the population in order to develop individuals into productive and self-reliant citizens and promote social equity.

Included in this category are social welfare services extended to children and adults with special needs, such as the orphaned, neglected, abandoned, disabled, etc. Such services include family life education and counseling, adoption, guardianship, foster family care, rehabilitation services, etc. Note: This mission does not include services that are primarily for income support (Income Security) or are an integral part of some other mission area (e.g., Health, Workforce Management, etc.). The recommended provisional categorization of the social services information type follows:

Security category

D.10.3 - Social services = {(confidentiality, Low), (integrity, Low), (availability, Low)}

Confidentiality Low

The confidentiality impact level is the effect of unauthorized disclosure of social services information on the ability of responsible agencies to provide meaningful opportunities for social and economic growth of the disadvantaged sector of the population in order to develop individuals into productive and self-reliant citizens and promote social equity. The consequences of unauthorized disclosure of most social services information would have a limited adverse effect on agency operations, agency assets, or individuals. Special Factors Affecting Confidentiality Impact Determination: Exceptions that might have a potential for more serious consequences include privacy information processed in training and employment systems (e.g., information required by the Privacy Act of 1974 or other statutes and executive orders to receive special handling to protect the privacy of individuals). The Privacy Act Information provisional impact levels are documented in the Personal Identity and Authentication information type. Other exceptions include unauthorized disclosure of information that might assist criminals to perpetrate fraud, particularly with respect to income security disbursements. This can result in assignment of a moderate impact level to such information. Recommended Confidentiality Impact Level: The provisional confidentiality impact level recommended for social services information is low.

Integrity Low

The integrity impact level is based on the specific mission and the data supporting that mission, not on the time required to detect the modification or destruction of information. The consequences of unauthorized modification or destruction of social services information would have, at most, a limited adverse effect on agency operations, agency assets, or individuals. Unauthorized modification or destruction of information affecting external communications (e.g., web pages, electronic mail) may adversely affect operations and/or public confidence in the agency, but the damage to the mission would usually be limited. Another threat is that of unauthorized modification of information to support fraudulent activities. This might result in harm to individuals, but not to agency operations or missions. Recommended Integrity Impact Level: The provisional integrity impact level recommended for most social services information is low.

Availability Low

The availability impact level is based on the specific mission and the data supporting that mission, not on the time required to re-establish access to social services information. The effects of disruption of access to most social services information or information systems would have, at most, a limited adverse effect on agency operations, agency assets, or individuals. Recommended Availability Impact Level: The provisional availability impact level recommended for social services information is low.