Correcting Snapshots and Recording Annual Assessments in HMIS

How to Amend an existing Snapshot Go to the SnapshotManagement tab Make sure that you are on the CORRECT snapshot. If you are changing the Intake/Entry Snapshot, you will go to the FIRST snapshot. If you are changing an annual assessment, make sure it is correct snapshot in the sequence. If you are correcting an exit snapshot, make sure it is the LAST snapshot. You can scroll through snapshot by pressing the Next button on the top right of your screen. You can also see previous snapshots by pressing the Previous button. Check your SnapshotManagement information to see if everything is correct and matches the client’s intake, annual assessment, or exit information (depending on what you are correcting). If it is correct, you do not have to change anything. If you have to change any information in the Contact, Demographics, Income, Status, or Family Contact page you may do so at this time. Then press SAVE and Update CI. Emphasize that this is an existing Snapshot that needs to be amended because of a mistake.

Snapshot Management

Annual Assessment Annual Assessment- If a client is in a program that lasts over a year, the user needs to take an “Annual Assessment” of the client whereby changes to the client’s income, non-cash benefits, and health insurance will need to be reflected annually (within 30 days before or after the anniversary date of the day of enrollment).

Click on the Program Client Search Page in the left navigation bar. Enter the first and last name of the client in the First Name and Last Name fields. Dropdown the correct program in the Program dropdown menu. Choose the correct program that you would like to update from the customer grid. Make sure you pick the right program and client.

You will see a page that looks like this: Make sure that you are on the LATEST snapshot. You can go to the last snapshot by pressing the Next button. You can also see previous snapshots by pressing the Previous button. You always want to update the LATEST snapshot when changing information. Press the New button to create a new snapshot. A new snapshot will be created and numbered sequentially and have the current date.

Click on the “Save Date” button to save the date. Go to the date field next to the Save Date button and enter the date you were made aware of the annual update (usually the date that the client fills out the annual assessment forms). Click on the “Save Date” button to save the date. Go to Income tab Change Stated Income if it is different from Client Entry and change the Stated Income to reflect the new data. (Note: You can add a new source of income as well by pressing Add). Change the non-cash benefits and Health Insurance (below the income section) If you need to change the Non- Cash benefits or Health Insurance at this time then do so. Press Save on the left hand side under the Income tab. Update the Client Intake information from SnapshotManagement by pressing the Update CI button.

In the Additional Client Assessments v5.5 page, After you update the CI, you must go to the navigation pane and click on the Customer Profile v5.5 page. In the Additional Client Assessments v5.5 page, Prog. Component should be selected (usually there is one for each program, but you may need to check with your program manager as to which component to use if there is more than one). Choose a Milestone (usually there is one for each program but you may need to check with your program manager as to which milestone to use if there is more than one). The selection for Activity should be Annual Assessment Staff should be entered as yourself *****Start Date should be entered as the same date used on the annual assessment snapshot. Make sure dates are accurate and match one another.

Why are Annual Assessments important? We have to meet certain goals based on retention and increase of income for our clients. This chart is part of Question 36a on our APR, which are the performance measures for Permanent Housing programs (Transitional Housing programs have slightly different measures and goals, but they are very similar and also based off of housing stability and income). As you can see, aside from housing stability, the other two program measures are the total income measure and the earned income measure. The total income measure counts the number of clients who either maintained or increased their income during their time in the program. The earned income measure counts the number of clients who either maintained or increased their earned income (as in, from a job) during their time in the program. This is why accurate income updates are so important; they are a huge part of our program performance measures! So the client that I just showed the income update for, they would have reflected favorably for both 2a and 2b, because they increased their total income, AND they increased their earned income.

Did you get all that ? Talk to your supervisor, and e-mail colorado.hmis@coloradocoalition.org Also see www.mdhi.org and click on “Colorad HMIS” for HMIS Classes, videos, documents, and more! If all of my talk about client intake, program entry, Snapshot updates, and program exit was Greek to you, then you probably want to take another HMIS Case Manager training.