SPRINGFIELD – The National Association of State Chief Information Officers (NASCIO) has named the Illinois Department of Innovation & Technology (DoIT) the recipient of the 2026 NASCIO State IT Recognition Award in the Information & Communications Technology category for its project, "The Power of Touch: Modernizing Safety for Blind Students."
“This award reflects the dedication of our teams and partners to deliver technology that directly improves safety for students,” said Illinois Department of Innovation & Technology Secretary and State CIO Brandon Ragle. “We’re honored by NASCIO’s recognition and proud that this project is making a measurable difference at the Illinois School for the Blind.”
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The initiative modernized emergency communication at the Illinois School for the Blind, an Illinois Department Human Services supported campus where many students cannot rely on sight or sound, and staff often provide hands on support during critical moments. DoIT implemented the CENTEGIX CrisisAlert system, a wearable one touch device that sends precise real time location information to responders. In its first year, the system supported seventeen emergency incidents and reduced response times from six or seven minutes to just three or four.
The NASCIO State IT Recognition Awards honor projects that use technology to solve critical business problems, improve service delivery, and create meaningful impact for residents. This year, DoIT was selected from nearly 130 nominations submitted by states and territories across 11 award categories.
For more information about the NASCIO Awards and a complete list of recipients, visit https://www.nascio.org/news-advocacy/news/.
