DHS Youth HMIS Session

1. DHS Youth HMIS Session September 2009 0

2. Connecting to the Webinar • You can listen using your computer or calling in by phone • Phone: 312-878-0222, access code 573-422-861 • Use the bar on the right side to ask questions. We will respond either directly, as part of the webinar to the audience in general, or follow-up after with you directly. • Please fill out the evaluation at the end of the webinar. www.hmismn.org

3. Funder Update • Kathleen will give an update www.hmismn.org

4. Required Data Elements Basic Demographics Birth date important Can enter household information Entry/Exit Program start and end dates-pull people into reports Assessments Fill out DHS Youth Step 1at program entry using Back Date Mode DHS Youth Assessment-start and completion dates www.hmismn.org

5. Fiscal Year changes • Each fiscal year, state funders review HMIS processes and data entry requirement • Based on this funders make a few system changes effective July 1 • Information made available to users through our website and email newsletter www.hmismn.org

6. General HMIS communications Funders often email information directly to main contacts at agencies about user groups and reporting All information also available on our web site Email newsletters to all users and main contacts usually quarterly and as needed as other issues come up (let me know if you aren’t getting this) Check out the “News Flash” section in ServicePoint www.hmismn.org

7. Client consent • Make sure all clients are given the client notification and consent form to sign • Can be signed by any age youth on their own • Consent helps us gain an understanding of homeless system • How clients moves through system helps funders understand if programs are meeting goals • Still very important youth feel comfortable with what is happening with their information and have the option to be anonymous in the system www.hmismn.org

8. Foster Care Youth Now Entered in HMIS • Make sure to follow correct consent procedures • New Providers added to the system to track these youth separately • Make sure to use the correct entry/exit for these youth • Update foster care youth already entered to correct provider for reporting

9. Universal Profile • Make sure to complete basic demographics for all clients served • Some changes in recent upgrade • New “Date of Birth Type”: select if full or approximate birth date recorded. Two best options. • Don’t know and refused added for Gender and Race (and other questions in system). Only use if client doesn’t know. Best practice to always make every effort to collect. www.hmismn.org

10. Universal Profile cont. • Household information • Used to group household members together, mainly for couples or families with children • For clients on their own please skip. Reports programmed to account for them as singles.

11. DHS Youth Step 1 • Fields help with understanding participant’s situation at entry • Enter using Back Date Mode-match to program entry date- doing this incorrectly seems to be causing most data quality problems • Double check before entry saves time. Doing it wrong the first time leads to a lot of extra work. • Domestic Violence questions new this fiscal year www.hmismn.org

12. DHS Youth Step 1-new with upgrade • Living situation last night-new options • Rental by client with VASH housing subsidy • VASH=Veteran Affairs Supportive Housing • Rental by client with other Non-VASH housing subsidy-use this option • Owned by client with housing subsidy • Safe Haven=supportive housing serving homeless persons with severe mental illnesses who are mentally ill, on the street, and haven’t participated in supportive services.

13. Barriers information • Make sure to ask these questions of clients close to entry and record with rest of information on DHS Youth Step 1 assessment. • Skipped or mis-entered quite often. Enter using back date mode. • Section on housing now dropped • Information collected for all household members but entered together on head of household’s record www.hmismn.org

14. Barriers Assessment • Complete all three sections based on status when program starts • All sections are important and should be assessed • Make sure “Assessed” selected if any answers are completed in the sub-questions (some discrepancy in reporting) • “Not Assessed” should be used very rarely in cases where youth is not open about info or disappears before a complete set of information is obtained www.hmismn.org

15. Barriers Assessment cont. • You may get more details as you get to know youth-update as needed in these cases-use Back Date Mode • Update information in back date mode linking to program start date www.hmismn.org

16. DHS Youth Outcomes Fill in dates and other relevant information as each milestone is complete/by the end of the quarter You don’t need to be in backdate mode-you aren’t matching this info to program entry Enter in date youth starts working on an outcome, even if they are doing it for the second time Make sure data is updated for each quarterly report with dates in that quarter www.hmismn.org

17. DHS Youth Outcomes cont. • Dates, cont: • Only record outcomes completed related to DHS program • Program is trying to get a sense of what the funding has been able to help youth accomplish • Counting report pulls dates in reporting period only www.hmismn.org

18. Changes in format: sub-assessments • Advanced Independent Living Skills Group Training • Record sessions completed each quarter separately. • Start date=beginning of quarter • End date=end of quarter • Rental Assistance • Record amount of rent assistance received. • Start date=beginning of assistance • End date=end or change of assistance date www.hmismn.org

19. Additional Outcomes Questions • Selective Service Registration • Collect for male youth 18+ only • Register for military service • Post secondary education-two new options • Completed FAFSA? • Applied for Education and Training Voucher?

20. Additional Outcome Questions • Disability Income Assistance • Housing-new outcome • Developed Alternative Housing Plan? • Connection to Caring Adult-answer yes to one to complete: • Completed permanency pact? • Conducted relative search? • Completed family group decision making? www.hmismn.org

21. Additional Outcome Questions • Written Notice of Foster Care Benefits to age 21 • New section added with upgrade. Record date youth received information www.hmismn.org

22. How to update or correct assessment info • Correcting mistakes in the assessment section is important • Reports can’t understand two sets of information linked to the same date • To update, click on the “H” (History) next to a question • Click on the trash can to delete the wrong information and leave only the correct information • If the only problem is the date is wrong, no updates are needed using the “H”-just re-enter the information with the correct date www.hmismn.org

23. Entry/Exit Make sure to add entry/exits This is how reports pull clients Exit information now part of reporting Make sure to include reason leaving and destination Tenure, Subsidy and Destination combined in one question Old exit information transferred-check Refer to entry/exit to make sure you are using the right date for back date mode www.hmismn.org

24. Report Changes • Changes in reporting based on current upgrade is in process, but will be finished very soon • Can continue to use to check the majority of information

25. Report dates Three different possible prompt dates: Effective date= today’s date (not in all reports) Start date = start date of report Report end date= 1 day after end of report period Report ends December 31st, use January 1st Mis-entered report dates is a common cause of report problems www.hmismn.org

26. Understanding data checking reports Basics of report quality Make sure everyone who should be is showing up Demographics section lists all participants and counts them Age needed to show up correctly on other sections of the reports Check for missing information Usually is a blank, but can be highlighted as red Helpful to run the counting and data checking to look for missing www.hmismn.org

27. Understanding data check reports cont. • Demographics • Use this section to check and make sure data is entered completely and correctly for this set of data • All on this report is required (excluding secondary race and household type) • Numbers in Programs • Focuses on entry and exit dates • Groups people into categories on counting report www.hmismn.org

28. Understanding data check reports cont. • Universal Elements • Focuses on top section of DHS Youth Step 1 Assessment • Highlights missing in red for key data. All is required. • Exit tab used to check information at exit • Includes all participants and any exit info to make sure nothing has been missed • Check to make sure those who exited have exit dates and information www.hmismn.org

29. Example reports Review sample demographics data checking reports www.hmismn.org

30. Youth Assessment reports Data check reports now divided up by milestones on first tabs to better see the status for each person and how it corresponds to the counting reports Counting reports summarize date fields: Yes (completed in report period) In process (start date but no completion date) No (not a milestone youth is working on) Previously completed (completion date before report period) www.hmismn.org

31. Youth Assessment reports cont. • Data check reports broken up by outcome • Make sure dates are correct • Check for missing dates • Also includes tab showing all outcome information by youth • Outcome Status tab shows who falls in each category (Yes, No, In process) to better check counts • Make sure to check Additional Info tab for rent www.hmismn.org

32. Review sample report Sample DHS Youth Counting report www.hmismn.org

33. DHS Youth Counting report First tab of report covers Outcomes completed Outcome status on report based on dates Second tab covers additional info from the DHS Youth Outcomes Assessment Rent Assistance information located here www.hmismn.org

34. DHS Youth Demographics Counting Report • Four tabs follow standard format for state reporting • Demographics (all participants) • Number in program (help understand client entry and exit patterns and program re-entries) • Entry Data (from DHS Youth Step 1-top section) • Counts for each program entry • Exit Date (Entry/exit based for those with exit dates) www.hmismn.org

35. Review sample report DHS Youth Demographics Counting www.hmismn.org

36. Barriers data check Start with Entry/Exit check page Make sure the right people are appearing Highlights main tenant and income barriers questions Will show up as red if missing www.hmismn.org

37. Tenant and Income sections Data Check is divided up into sections based on overall barrier category: Barriers, No Barriers, Barriers Not Assessed, and Missing Sections are titled with response except if missing Check to make sure overall response is right and all questions within each section are completed (blank=missing) If No Barriers selected, show up at the bottom of the report www.hmismn.org

38. Barriers counting report Barriers within each area are reported in two rows Column on the left includes all households (indicated by higher total count): Used to see the percentage of all households served with a specific barrier Missing is ok in this column as not all households will have the overall barrier www.hmismn.org

39. Barriers counting report Row on right includes households indicating they have this barrier (lower total count) Use to understand the percent of those with the overall barrier who have the specific barrier You should not see missing data here (indicated by a blank box) Exception: Percent spend on housing and Amount able to spend on housing “Barriers not assessed” should show up minimally www.hmismn.org

40. Review example reports Barriers reports www.hmismn.org

41. Next Quarterly Report Quarterly reports due October 15th (July 1 to September 31st) Contact Wilder if you have questions 651-280-2780 or 1-800-328-2972 hmis@wilder.org Email counting reports to Kathleen Hiniker after you have looked at reports and verified they are correct: Kathleen.A.Hiniker@state.mn.us www.hmismn.org

42. HMIS general web site All forms and more instructions are at: www.hmismn.org Sample reports and this presentation will also be available Also remember to look at the News Flash section of ServicePoint for updates Watch for HMIS newsletter -info also posted on hmismn.org from recent newsletters www.hmismn.org