2014 HMIS Data Standards Collection Points With Richard Madigan Michigan Coalition Against Homelessness MSHMIS System Administrator II

Topics Covered in this Session Rules for HUD’s 5 Data Collection Points How the Data must be captured in ServicePoint to appear on reports

Data Collection Points What are they? Data collection points are ◦ The intervals of data collection from clients, that must be entered into HMIS. ◦ The collection point is also recorded via metadata.  In ServicePoint metadata can be interpreted as “behind the scenes” data elements, such as EntryExit Group ID or date stamps.

The Five HUD Data Collection Points

All data relative to Interim Update and Annual Assessments must be recorded in the Interim tool in ServicePoint, or data will not be tracked on APR. Also, data relative to Follow-Ups must be recorded in the Follow-Up tool in ServicePoint, or data will not be tracked.

Collection Point 1 – Record Creation Each record is created by recording items that have one and only one value, including Name, Date of Birth, Gender, and SS#. This data must be reviewed for accuracy at each project entry, and edited as necessary. This data is not date stamped. Edits apply forward and backward in time. Full SS#s can be created by any user in our system. The SS#s are masked and can only be edited by System Administrators.

Collection Point 2 – Project Entry Elements collected at project entry are time-stamped with the same date and time of project entry. For each data element, there is only one record for the project entry data collection point. Entry may be edited to correct errors without changing the intake date. ◦ (This is how it’s always operated!)

The Project Entry Date The project entry date indicates a client has joined the project ◦ For residential projects, with the exception of PH-RRH project types, this is to be the date of entry into residency. ◦ For PH-RRH projects and non-residential projects it is the date on which the client was determined to be eligible for the project. ◦ For Street Outreach projects it is the date of first contact with the client.

Collection Point 3 – Interim Update Update data elements may be collected and entered into HMIS at multiple points during program enrollment. The system supports a theoretically unlimited number of update records per enrollment. Each update creates a new record with a distinct Information Date. ◦ The Information Date reflects the date on which the information is collected and relevant for reporting purposes.

Collection Point 3 – Interim Update Interim assessment data needs to be recorded in HMIS as soon as possible, otherwise the data may conflict with other interim updates. Update data may be edited by users associated with the project to correct errors or omissions.

Collection Point 4 – Annual Assessment Annual Assessment is a specialized subset of the ‘Update’ collection point. The annual assessment should be recorded no more than 30 days before or after the anniversary of the client’s Project Entry Date, regardless of the date of the most recent update or annual assessment, if any. Information should be entered in HMIS as soon as possible after it is collected from the client.

Collection Point 4 – Annual Assessment Annual Assessment is mandatory for HUD-funded programs and HUD reporting purposes. A good practice is to record the data on the day you collect it, 30 days before or after the client’s anniversary date. The date/time stamp is important. In order to be considered reportable to HUD as an annual assessment, data must be stored with the Data Collection Stage “annual assessment”.

Collection Point 4 – Annual Assessment There should be only one record for each data element recorded as “annual assessment” for a given client and project entry within the 60 day period surrounding the anniversary of the client’s project entry date. A new annual assessment record must be created for each subsequent annual assessment.

Collection Point 5 – Project Exit Elements collected at project exit have an information date that reflects the clients project exit date. There is only one record with a data collection stage of ‘project exit’ for each relevant data element for any given project exit. Data may be edited by users associated with the project to correct errors or omissions ◦ However such edits will not change the data collection stage or the information date.

Project Exit Date The project exit date indicates a client has left the project. For residential projects, this is the date of move out. For residential projects that have activities or information the project needs to collect after residential exit, a project may have a separate “follow-up” project established For some “services-only” projects, a record may need to remain open an indefinite period of time and an exit date recorded only when the client completes the service, is no longer in need of service, has asked to be exited, or has gone missing.

Project Exit Date A client with an open record for a CoC defined “extensive length of time” in a shelter, outreach, or prevention program type may be either automatically exited from the project or may be flagged for user intervention and exit. ◦ MSHMIS policies recommend 30 days with no contact as the standard “extensive length of time”.

Project Exit Date For projects that require all shelter clients to reapply for service on a nightly basis, the project can enter the entry and exit date at the same time or can specify an HMIS solution that automatically enters the exit date as the day after the entry date for clients of the overnight project. If a client is in a project for a single day and has received some service but has not slept in a bed overnight, the Project Exit Date may be the same as the Project entry Date (but at a later time).

The Follow-Up Data Collection Point In ServicePoint, the Follow-Up data collection Point works similarly to Interim Update. Follow-Ups are typically conducted after Program Exit, and offer a solution for projects requiring follow-up data collection.

The Follow-Up Data Collection Point Follow-up data elements should be recorded in the system after program exit. Date stamps are meaningful in the system. Follow ups should be recorded as close to the date the data is collected as possible.

All data relative to Interim Update and Annual Assessments must be recorded in the Interim tool in ServicePoint, or data will not be tracked on APR. Also, data relative to Follow-Ups must be recorded in the Follow-Up tool in ServicePoint, or data will not be tracked.