Thank you for the informative presentation on HMIS. Please let me know if you have any other questions.

1. HMIS: Ask the Expert
Michelle Hayes, The Cloudburst Group
Kat Freeman, The Cloudburst Group
Focusing Energy on Results

2. Structure of Session
• Brief overview of HMIS
• Questions and Answers
• Resources

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 in a
Continuum of Care.
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4. Why is HMIS Required?
• HMIS is HUD’s response to a
Congressional Directive to capture better
data on homelessness.
• The American Recovery and Reinvestment
Act of 2009 authorized HMIS as the
primary tool for data collection and
reporting for the HPRP program.
• HEARTH Act also requires participation
in HMIS.

5. Why is HMIS Important?
• Every Continuum of Care (CoC) is required to
implement an HMIS and is scored annually in the
CoC NOFA.
• Local HMIS data is critical for:
– SHP Annual Performance Report (APR)
– Annual Homeless Assessment Report (AHAR)
– HPRP Quarterly (QPR) and Annual Performance Report
(APR)
– Homeless Pulse
– Projects for Assistance in Transition for Homelessness
(PATH)
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6. The History of HMIS
• Late 80’s to early 90’s
– National effort to better understand homelessness
– Grassroots effort to capture electronic data on who
is homeless
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7. The History of HMIS (cont.)
• Several communities in early 90’s had locally
developed data collection systems (i.e. St. Louis,
Kansas City)
• Spearheaded by HUD, HHS, and Dr. Dennis
Culhane (UPenn) - the first national software
prototype (ANCHoR) was deployed in 1995/6
• 1996 - National Survey of Homeless Assistance
Providers and Clients (Burt)
• 1999 - First attempt to generate national
estimates of homelessness from local
administrative data (Culhane)
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8. 2001 Congressional Directive
• Recognizing the importance of community efforts
to capture better data, in 2001 Congress directed
HUD on the need for data and analysis on the
extent of homelessness and the effectiveness of
the McKinney-Vento Act Programs including:
– Developing unduplicated counts of clients served at the
local level
– Analyzing patterns of use of people entering and
exiting the homeless assistance system
– Evaluating the effectiveness of these systems
• HMIS becomes eligible activity under 2001 CoC
NOFA
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9. HMIS Data and Technical Standards
• Homeless Management Information Systems
Data and Technical Standards (HMIS
Standards)
– Originally published via Federal Register in 2004;
– Current Data Standards published in March 2010
and define standards for:
– Data collection (program descriptor, universal,
and program data elements)
– baseline and additional Security and Privacy
requirements.
Also includes a section with definitions.
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10. HMIS Data Collection
Program Descriptor Data Elements (PDDE) must be
entered in HMIS for all clients and include:
2.1 Organization Identifier 2.8 Program Type Code
2.2 Organization Name 2.9 Bed and Unit Inventory
2.3 Program Identifier Information
2.4 Program Name 2.10 Target Population A
2.5 Direct Service Code 2.11 Target Population B
2.6 Site Information 2.12 Method for Tracking
2.7 Continuum of Care Number Residential Program Occupancy
2.13 Grantee Identifier
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11. HMIS Data Collection
Universal Data Elements (UDE) must be entered in
HMIS for all clients and include:
3.1 Name 3.9 Residence Prior to Program Entry
3.2 Social Security Number 3.10 Zip Code of Last Permanent
3.3 Date of Birth
Address
3.4 Race
3.5 Ethnicity 3.11 Housing Status
3.6 Gender 3.12 Program Entry Date
3.7 Veteran Status 3.13 Program Exit Date
3.8 Disabling Condition
3.14 Unique Person Identification
Number
3.15 Household Identification Number
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12. HMIS Data Collection
Program Specific Data Elements (PDE) must be entered in
HMIS by HUD funded programs required to generate an
Annual Progress Report (APR) and include:
4.1 Income and Sources 4.9 Domestic Violence
4.2 Non-Cash Benefits 4.10 Destination
4.3 Physical Disability 4.11 Date of Contact
4.12 Date of Engagement
4.4 Developmental 4.13 Financial Services
Disability Provided
4.5 Chronic Health 4.14 Housing Relocation &
Condition Stabilization Services
4.6 HIV/AIDS Provided
4.7 Mental Health 4.15 Optional Data Elements
4.8 Substance Abuse
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13. HMIS Data Collection
• 4.3 Physical Disability
• 4.4 Developmental Disability
• 4.5 Chronic Health Condition
• 4.7 Mental Health
SPECIAL ISSUE!!
If response to these data elements is “Yes”, then the case manager
must document the condition.
Documentation includes written verification from a state-licensed
professional, such as a medical service provider or a health-care
provider, the Social Security Administration, or the receipt of a
disability check (i.e. SSDI Check or VA disability benefit check).
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14. Victim Service Providers
• Per VAWA, victim service providers are not to
disclose personally identifying data about any client
for the purpose of HMIS.
• A Victim Service Provider is a nonprofit or
nongovernmental organization whose primary
mission is to provide services to victims of domestic
violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking.
• VSPs must use a comparable database to collect and
record the data elements necessary for HPRP.
• Program Descriptor Data must still be entered into
the HMIS; PO Boxes or Administrative office
addresses should be provided rather than street
addresses.

15. HMIS Data Collection
Program Specific Optional Data Elements (PDE) are
additional data elements that communities may want to
collect to assist in client needs assessments and program
design:
• 4.15 Optional Data Elements
– Employment
– Adult Education
– General Health Status
– Pregnancy Status
– Veteran’s Information
– Children’s Education
– Reason for Leaving
– Services Provided
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16. HMIS Baseline Security
Requirements
Baseline HMIS User and HMIS Computer Requirements
Internet Access – Dial up,
Firewall Cable, DSL, etc. Transmission
Encryption (SSL)
COMPUTER REQUIREMENTS
1) Secure Location
2) Workstation Username and Password
3) Virus Protection with Auto Update
4) Locking Screen Saver
USER REQUIREMENTS 5) PKI-Certification Installation or Static IP
1) Unique Username and Password 6) Individual or Network Firewall
2) Signed Receipt of Privacy Notice
(i.e., consent protocol)

17. Baseline Security Requirements
• User authentication
– Limited multiple access
• Virus protection with auto-update
• Firewalls - individual workstation or network
• Encryption - transmission
• Public access controls
• Location control
• Backup and disaster recovery
• System monitoring
• Secure disposal
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18. Privacy Standards Framework
• Personal Protected Information (PPI)
– Includes name, SSN, program entry/exit, zip code of
last permanent address, system/program ID, and
program type.
• Allow for reasonable, responsible data
disclosures
• Derived from principles of fair information
practices
• Borrowed from HIPAA - Health Insurance
Portability and Accountability Act
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19. Baseline Privacy Standards
• Must comply with other federal, state, and local
confidentiality law
• Must comply with limits to data collection (relevant,
appropriate, lawful, specified in privacy notice)
• Must have written privacy policy - and post it on your
web site
• Must post sign at intake or comparable location with
general reasons for collection and reference to
privacy policy
• May infer consent for uses in the posted sign and
written privacy policy
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20. Summary of HMIS Standards
• HUD expects every HMIS to meet the baseline
requirements.
• Standards are in process of revision and will be
published for notice and comment via the
Federal Register.
Any Questions?
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21. HUD HMIS Participation Requirements
• HUD encourages participation of all homeless service
providers, regardless of funding source(s), except
where restricted or prohibited by laws or regulation
(e.g., VAWA)
• HUD McKinney-Vento Act recipients are required to
participate in HMIS:
– Homeless Prevention and Rapid Re-housing (HPRP)
– Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG)
– Supportive Housing Program (SHP)
• Note: SHP Domestic Violence Service providers are prohibited
from participation in HMIS per VAWA pending further guidance
from HUD
– Shelter Plus Care (S+C)
– Single Room Occupancy (SRO)
– Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA)
projects targeting homelessness
– Street Outreach Programs 21

22. HMIS: Who is Responsible?
• The Continuum of Care (CoC) is responsible
for HMIS implementation including
planning, software selection, and compliance
with HMIS Standards
– Project applicants must participate in the local
HMIS
– HUD only allows one HMIS-dedicated grant
within a CoC
• The HMIS Lead Agency (or grantee) is an
agent of the CoC.
– Manages HMIS operations and provides HMIS
administration functions at the direction of the
CoC 22

23. Questions and Answers

24. Resources
• www.HUDHRE.info
• www.HMIS.info
• National TA
• Regional HMIS Collaboratives
• Community Resources