Changing Role of HMIS Within the Framework of HEARTH

1. Changing Role of HMIS Within the Framework of HEARTH

2. Overview • History of HMIS • HMIS Proposed Rule • HMIS Notices • State Perspective- Utah • CoC Perspective- Mississippi United to End Homelessness

3. What is HMIS? • A Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) is a locally administered, electronic data collection system that stores longitudinal person-level information about persons who access the homeless service system • HMIS is HUD’s response to a Congressional Directive to capture better data on homelessness

4. Open vs. Closed System • Open HMIS- Providers are able to search for a client and see where they have received services • Closed HMIS- Providers are only able to “see” their own clients- cannot tell where they are receiving other services • Many systems have moved from closed to open or are a hybrid

5. Why HMIS is Important? • National data on homelessness is critical for HUD reporting and informs key policy decisions • Every CoC is required to implement an HMIS and is scored on this obligation as part of the annual CoC Competition. • Local HMIS data can be used to inform local planning and drive the local decision making process • HMIS can support individual case planning and service coordination among providers entering data

6. HMIS Proposed Rule • Provides for the establishment of regulations for HMIS • Adds a new part to the CFR – 24 CFR Part 580 • Makes corresponding changes to HUD’s regulation for ESG, SPC, and SHP

7. HMIS Proposed Rule • Responsibilities for HMIS Administration • Responsibilities of the CoC • Duties of the HMIS Lead • Eligible Activities • Carrying Out HMIS Activities

8. HMIS Eligible Costs • Need to look at funding source regulations to determine what is eligible • HMIS Lead Only eligible activities • HMIS Lead and Contributing Homeless Organization (CHO) eligible activities

9. Eligible Costs – ESG recipients or subrecipients Eligible HMIS costs include: (i)Purchasing or leasing computer hardware; (ii) Purchasing software or software licenses; (iii) Purchasing or leasing equipment, including telephones, faxes, and furniture; (iv) Obtaining technical support; (v) Leasing office space; (vi) Paying charges for electricity, gas, water, phone service, and high-speed data transmission necessary to operate or contribute data to the HMIS;

10. Eligible Costs – ESG Recipients or Subrecipients (vii) Paying salaries for operating HMIS, including: (A) Completing data entry; (B) Monitoring and reviewing data quality; (C) Completing data analysis; (D) Reporting to the HMIS Lead; (E) Training staff on using the HMIS; and (F) Implementing and complying with HMIS requirements;

11. Eligible Costs – ESG Recipients or Subrecipients (viii) Paying costs of staff to travel to and attend HUD-sponsored and HUD-approved training on HMIS and programs authorized by Title IV of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act; (ix) Paying staff travel costs to conduct intake; and (x) Paying participation fees charged by the HMIS Lead, as authorized by HUD, if the recipient or subrecipient is not the HMIS Lead.

12. Eligible Costs – HMIS Lead • Eligible Costs for HMIS Lead Agencies: (i) Hosting and maintaining HMIS software or data. (ii) Backing up, recovering, or repairing HMIS software or data. (iii) Upgrading, customizing, and enhancing the HMIS. (iv) Integrating and warehousing data. (v) Administering the HMIS system. (vi) Reporting to providers, the CoC, and HUD. (vii) Conducting training on using the HMIS system or a comparable database, including traveling to the training.

13. State ESG Recipients Who Are HMIS Leads • 576.202 (a) States: • “…If the recipient is a State, and has been identified as the HMIS lead by the CoC, the State may use funds to carry out HMIS activities set forth in 576.107 (a)(2).” • This is HMIS Lead costs NOT costs associated with contributing data, or end-user costs.

14. HMIS Rule- CoC Responsibilities • CoC is responsible for making decision about HMIS management and administration • Required Duties: • Designate HMIS Lead • Select HMIS software • Develop governance charter • Work with HMIS Lead to develop policies and procedures

15. HMIS Rule- HMIS Lead Responsibilities • Ensure operation and participation by grantees and subgrantees • Conduct oversight of the HMIS • Work with CoC to develop HMIS policies and procedures • Execute written Participation Agreement with each Contributing Homeless Organization (CHO) • Serve as applicant to HUD for grant funds to be used for HMIS lead activities • Monitor and enforce compliance • Develop security and data quality plans and a privacy policy

16. HMIS and DV providers • HMIS Rule specifies that “victim services providers shall NOT directly enter or contribute data into an HMIS if they are legally prohibited an HMIS.” • Victim service providers that are recipients of funds that require participation in HMIS must use a comparable database.

17. HMIS and Legal Services • HMIS Rule specifies that “legal service providers may choose not to use HMIS if it is necessary to protect attorney-client privilege.” • Legal service providers that are recipients of funds that require participation in HMIS must also use a comparable database, if they do not use the CoCs HMIS.

18. HMIS Notices • Data Standards • Governance Standards • Security Standards • Software/Technical Standards • Data Quality Standards • Privacy Standards

19. History of HMIS Data & Technical Standards HMIS Data Standards were developed by focus groups of community stakeholders, researchers, technology experts and consumers Data and Technical Standards were initially published in July 2004 Sections 2 and 3 of the original standard were replaced in March 2010 while the remaining sections of the 2004 standard remain in effect Focused on standards, not development of a system

20. History of HMIS Data Standards • What the HMIS Standards Don’t Do: • Set a specific software to be used • Limit a CoC or HMIS from requiring the collection additional data elements • Limit a CoC or HMIS from requiring additional client privacy and system security protections • Limit a CoC or HMIS from adding additional functionality (beyond HUD purposes) • Stay static (they are updated periodically)

21. HMIS Data Standards • There are 3 data element categories outlined in the March 2010 Revised HMIS Data Standards • Program Descriptor Data Elements (PDDE) • Universal Data Elements (UDE) • Program-Specific Data Elements (PSDE) • The Data Standards define specific, allowable responses for each data element • Not all the data in the Data Standard are required to be collected by every program • Each program will collect at least a subset of data

22. HMIS Compliance • Before HEARTH: • Monitored HMIS via SHP • HMIS-dedicated SHP grants (budget only) • Now, under HEARTH: • Monitor HMIS via HMIS Rule and HMIS Notices

23. Questions? Karen DeBlasio Desk Officer/HMIS Subject Matter Expert Office of Special Needs Assistance Programs (SNAPS) U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development 202-402-4773 Karen. M.DeBlasio@hud.gov

24. State Perspective • TAMERA KOHLER • Director, State Community Services Office • Utah Housing and Community Development Division

25. History of Utah HMIS • UTAH was an early adopter of HMIS creating a vision and mission approved at a statewide summit in 2003. • In 2004 the first agency began inputting data into a statewide system that served 3 Continuums of Care.

26. History of Utah HMIS (cont’d) • 2009 brought significant change to Utah’s HMIS • State of Utah became the Lead Agency for HMIS to better support the increasing needs of a statewide system. • HPRP and the new HEARTH Act requirements created a need to assess our software and system platform.

27. The Process of Changing Software • HMIS Steering Committee • RFP Process • Understanding Need & Capacity • Attention to Reporting & Compliance • Timelines

28. New HMIS Model • JULY 01, 2011 we went live Statewide with new system • Open sharing model • Robust privacy and security model • One universal client record statewide • Data Quality focused • Report focused- APR, AHAR, PIT, HIC • VA and ESG programs as well as other funded programs added.

29. Benefits of Change • Acceptable AHAR reports for all 3 CoC’s from the new HMIS system (within first 3 months). • Ability to map and track 125 programs, multiple funding sources, 60 organizations and 125 active users in the system. • Agencies are able to create their own data reports from the system. • Sheltered PIT/HIC from new HMIS system. • Ability to easily produce unduplicated counts statewide. • Ability to add new programs and reporting requirements quickly and easily.

30. Where to Focus • Attention to DATA QUALITY is EVERYTHING! • All reports run on the data that is inputted, • If you want ease in reporting, • To be competitive in the grant process, • Focus, Focus, Focus on Data Quality. • “Under HEARTH, there will be an even greater emphasis on data and the use of HMIS. CoCs should assess their data tools, counting methodologies, and HMIS and determine if changes and/or improvements need to be made.” Ann Marie Oliva

31. PIT, HIC, AHAR & APR • The State of Utah’s HMIS team produces the PIT, HIC & AHAR for all 3 continuum and supports the APR’s for HUD CoC programs. • HMIS creates an Unmet Need report from the PIT & HIC for strategic planning of housing capacity and need. • Under HEARTH, performance and compliance will be a significant part of the competitive selection process. CoC’s should use these reports in their competitive process on a local level.

32. Using Reports as a Check & Balance • These 4 reports are the core elements of an AHAR: • PIT • HIC • APR’sData Quality • These report outcomes should support one another.

33. Funding Based on HMIS Data • The AHAR is a great report to share with those entities that make funding decisions on homeless housing programs. • Post PIT, HIC & AHAR on your websites, make these available to other departments or reference this report in your annual State Homeless Report. • Because there is no client level data included, these reports can and should be shared. • At SCSO we use the PIT, HIC & AHAR during strategic planning of our 10 year plan to end chronic homelessness.

34. HEARTH New HMIS Role • This is an exciting, challenging and important time for HMIS: • Under HEARTH, performance and compliance will be a significant part of the competitive selection process. There will be an even greater emphasis on data and the use of HMIS in supporting these measurements. • Be prepared to provide new and more in-depth performance measurement reports and to support the needs of CoC leadership for analysis of your homeless system and programs.

35. The Last Word • And remember: • All reports run on the data that is collected, • If you want ease in reporting, • To be competitive in the grant process, • Focus, Focus, Focus on Data Quality.

36. Questions? • Tamera Kohler • Director, State Community Services Office • State of Utah • 801.526.9329 • tkohler@utah.gov • Thank you!

37. Continuum of Care Perspective • Ledger Parker • Program Director • MS United to End Homelessness

38. MUTEH HMIS Structure • MUTEH covers 71 counties in MS • Large rural coverage area • Began using HMIS in 2008 • MUTEH generates the AHAR, HIC, and PIT • Many privately funded faith-based shelters • HMIS currently tracks 27 programs and 87 users

39. MUTEH HMIS preparation for the HEARTH Act The HEARTH Act allowed MUTEH to reevaluate our current HMIS implementation and make necessary changes

40. MUTEH HMIS Barriers • Non implementing faith-based agencies • HMIS participating agencies not participating in HMIS • Users log in sporadically • Poor data quality • Not current • Not complete • Program leaders were concerned with HMIS only at APR

41. The AHAR Measurement MUTEH decided that the AHAR requirements would serve as the baseline for MUTEH’s HMIS expectations under the HEARTH Act

42. MUTEH’s HEARTH-Inspired Solutions • Trainings must be convenient, frequent, and required • HMIS must give feedback to agencies through regular reporting • Technical Assistance must be provided to address problem areas

43. MUTEH Training Changes • HMIS policies were updated to require users to attend trainings biannually (twice per year) • Training sessions are held regionally and are hosted by different participating agencies • Webinars are used as often as possible to host trainings • HMIS tracks how often each user attends training • Used to monitor agencies’ utilization of HMIS • Reported back to program directors

44. A Quick Description of MUTEH Reports • We use the KISS principle • Realized complex reports were not having effect (or being read at all) • Keeping reports simple allowed for clear direction to be given • We make reports widely available • Distributed at meetings, emailed to membership, and posted at muteh.org

45. A Quick Description of MUTEH Reports • Aesthetics are considered important • Data is more interesting when it looks nice • Reports can be designed in such a way to emphasize certain data • Program staff seem to be more concerned with their appearance when the report is clear and designed well

46. A Quick Description of MUTEH Reports HMIS reporting should offer feedback on agencies’ performance in HMIS, however it should report well beyond HMIS utilization. Our reporting must eventually use HMIS data to steer homeless systems to meet the performance measurements outlined by HEARTH.

47. Monthly and Quarterly Progress Reports • Focus on: • Data Quality • Program Unit Utilization • Staff Usage • Length of Stay • Program Outcomes

48. MUTEH Technical Assistance • Ask agency staff to have quarterly conference calls with HMIS staff (online meeting) • HMIS staff review MPR/QPR with staff • Discuss new features • Troubleshoot problem areas • HMIS Staff use multiple web applications to be available to agencies (join.me, google chat, HMIS helpdesk, online meeting, etc)

49. In Closing “The goal is to transform data into information, and information into insight” - Carly Fiorina (Former President of HP)

50. Questions? • Ledger Parker • Program Director • MS United to End Homelessness • 601.960.0557 • lparker@muteh.org