MDHI HMIS Community Meeting Creating the Vision for MDHI’s HMIS March 21, 2013.

MDHI HMIS Community Meeting

Creating the Vision for MDHI’s HMIS

March 21, 2013

Abt Associates | pg 2

Who’s in the room?

Current use of HMIS

– Enter data into the HMIS

– Review reports from HMIS

– Have no idea what HMIS is


Presentation Outline

Current status of the MDHI HMIS

HEARTH Requirements for HMIS

Community Examples

Creating the Vision for MDHI’s HMIS

Possibilities with Adsystech

Next Steps


Abt Associates

Abt’s Mission Abt Associates is committed to

improving the quality of life and economic well-being of people worldwide.

We provide research, technical assistance, and consulting services to help our clients make better decisions and deliver better products and services.

Abt’s Work Sample Abt Homelessness

Work– Annual Homeless Assessment

Report

– Annual Performance Report

– Point-in-Time Count and Housing Inventory Count

– Cost of Homelessness Evaluation


Acronyms

CoC: Continuum of Care

ESG: Emergency Solutions Grant

HEARTH Act: Homeless Emergency Assistance and Rapid Transition to Housing

HMIS: Homeless Management Information System

PCI: Priority Communities Initiative

Why Are We Here?


Denver is a “Priority Community”


Priority Communities Initiative (PCI)

Joint Initiative of US Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH) & Housing and Urban Development (HUD)

Key strategy for implementation of Opening Doors, federal plan to end homelessness

Preparation for implementing Homeless Emergency Assistance and Rapid Transition to Housing (HEARTH) Act


Priority Communities Selection

25 communities selected

Communities with high levels of homelessness

Communities with ability to benefit from and commit to technical assistance

Work is aligned with Regional USICH Offices

Focus of work is to enhance the capacity of these communities to prevent and end homelessness

If we can move the needle on homelessness in these communities, we can have a large impact on homelessness for the nation


Priority Communities Technical Assistance

Overall Purpose:

Strengthen CoC performance

Meet HEARTH responsibilities

Achieve goals of Opening Doors

Two Types:

General TA (Focus on CoC rule responsibilities)

HMIS TA (Focus on HMIS)

History of and Changes for HMIS


What is HMIS?

Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) is a locally administered, electronic data collection system

HMIS is used to collect client-level information about persons who access the homeless service system

Often web-based software; there are several distinct HMIS software solution providers in the country

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HUD Values HMIS

Key HUD reports are reliant on quality HMIS data (Annual Homeless Assessment Report and Annual Performance Report)

Every CoC is required to implement an HMIS and is scored on this obligation as part of the annual CoC Competition

A strong HMIS implementation is essential to meet current and future CoC rules

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Community Database

HUD funded homeless programs

Mental Health, Human Services, Justice System,

Healthcare

Non-HUD funded

homeless programs

Philanthropycity and county

government

Additional community

providers that serve homeless

persons


Potential HMIS Benefits


Group Activity #1: How do we all contribute to quality data?

1. Clients

2. Agency Staff

3. Agency Directors/Leadership

4. MDHI/CCH HMIS Staff

5. Community partners (funders, government, etc.)


MDHI HMIS By the Numbers

The Metro Denver Homeless Initiative serves the seven county region: Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Broomfield, Denver, Douglas, Jefferson

There are currently 58 agencies using the MDHI HMIS.

There are 341 programs in MDHI’s HMIS.

There are 368 active users.

Four full time staff support the MDHI HMIS.


HMIS Roles

Continuum of Care

The Metro Denver Homeless Initiative (MDHI) is an independently funded, non-profit organization whose mission includes the prevention and ending of homelessness in the seven county Metro Denver Region by facilitating, integrating and tracking cooperative, community-wide and regional systems of care for people who have become homeless, but seek to live in a stable home and maximize self-sufficiency.

MDHI is tasked with providing oversight for the region’s HMIS.


HMIS Roles

HMIS Lead Agency

In 2009, MDHI selected the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless (CCH) to serve as the HMIS Lead Agency.

HMIS Software Vendor

In 2011, MDHI selected Adsystech as the new HMIS software provider.


Accomplishments

Since 2009:

1. Designated a new HMIS Lead Agency

2. Selected and implemented a new HMIS software

3. Migrated

4. Submitted Useable data in 4 AHAR categories!

5. Developing plan for coordinated entry that includes use of HMIS


Next Steps for MDHI’s HMIS

Rollout of Version 5 of AES

Trainings on Analysis of APRs (Staff and Agency Leaders)

– Everything you wanted to know about APRs, but were afraid to ask

Coordinated Entry required for NOFA and ESG participants


MDHI HMIS Action Plan

Adds Action Steps and Timelines for MDHI and CCH, to the Recommendations in the HMIS Assessment Report

Makes the process of implementing the HMIS Assessment Report Recommendations more transparent

Available on MDHI’s website:

http://mdhi.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/HMIS-Work-Plan-February-13-2013.pdf






Audience Question: Love Data?

Why do we love data?

Why don’t we love data?


Urban Peak Testimonial

Brief presentation of how Urban Peak uses HMIS as their sole database/runs reports out of HMIS


Key National Milestones for HMIS

1980’s and 1990’sLocal efforts to collect data on

homeless persons

2004HUD publishes first HMIS Data and

Technical Standards

2009HEARTH Act is signed

into law

Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing Program (HPRP) is launched


Key Change 1: 2009 HEARTH Act

HEARTH Act underscores the importance of HMIS data to drive local and national decisions

Among the HEARTH Act requirements are:

– Coordinated assessment/centralized intake

– System-level Performance Measurement


System-Level Performance Indicators

1. Length of time homeless

2. Returns to homelessness

3. Access/coverage (thoroughness in reaching persons who are homeless)

4. Overall reduction in number of persons who experience homelessness

5. Job and income growth for persons who are homeless

6. Reduction in first time homeless

7. Other accomplishments related to reducing homelessness


Example 1: Columbus, OH

Collecting data since 1989

Implementation includes 17 agencies and 48 programs

Community Shelter Board (CSB) serves as both the HMIS and CoC Lead Agency

CSB is also a funder to many of the organizations entering data into HMIS


Columbus System Components

Transparent: Operate an “open” HMIS, and have done so since inception (i.e. data is shared among all participating programs)

Quality Assurances: Data quality reports are run by agencies, submitted to and approved by CSB

Data Quality Standards: Timeliness, Completeness, Accuracy, and Consistency

Regular Reporting: Annual performance evaluation, Quarterly performance monitoring, Monthly performance reports, Quality Improvement Intervention reports


Data Driven Funding Decisions

Program scoring has funding implications for NOFA, city, county and other funders

Issued to CSB Board of Trustees, Continuum of Care Steering Committee and Funders

Completed based on first half of FY for use in following FY funding determination

Program outcomes compared to planned outcomes

Posted to www.csb.org

http://www.csb.org/


Model for Scoring of Programs

High

– Achieve at least 75% of the measured outcomes and at least one of the successful housing outcomes (either number or percentage outcome)

Medium

– Achieve at least 50% but less than 75% of the measured outcomes

Low

– Achieve less than 50% of the measured outcomes

Low performers are invited to participate in a Quality Improvement Intervention


Snapshot of Annual Report


Program Detail in Annual Report


Key Change 2: 2011 HMIS Requirements Proposed Rule

When final, the HMIS Standards and Notices will mark the first time that best practices and procedures previously encouraged by HUD will be mandatory

Data Quality

Privacy and Security

Governance

Central aim: “…provide for uniform technical requirements of HMIS, for proper collection of data and maintenance of the database, and to ensure the confidentiality of the information in the database”


Impact of Revised Standards Data Standards

Data Standards


Key Change 3: ESG and CoC Program Interim Rules CoCs must be able to report outcomes and performance at both

the program and system level

CoCs must be able to look at a client’s data across the entire CoCs HMIS

Data quality will be critical to the success of reporting on outcomes and performance

– Bed and unit capacity and coverage

– Bed and unit utilization rates

– Client lengths of stay

– Returns to homelessness

– Income and employment outcomes


Coordinated Assessment

ESG and CoC Program Interim Rules also require CoCs to implement coordinated access systems

Coordinated assessment must be done collaboratively between CoC and ESG recipients

HMIS will be a crucial part of this

– Track availability of inventory

– Share data across programs


Example 2: Cincinnati, OH

CoC wide implementation of HMIS

Utilizes a locally developed HMIS software (Vesta)

Software developer (Partnership Center, Ltd.) also serves as the HMIS Lead Agency for the CoC

Agencies pay a fee to participate in HMIS, based on their annual budget


Cincinnati System Components

Investment in System: The fees paid by agencies have the potential to ensure that they are “bought in” to the HMIS

Regular Reporting: HMIS data is regularly reported on the HMIS Lead Agency’s website

Virtual Trainings: “Just-in-time” trainings available on the HMIS Lead Agency’s website, make training accessible to users at all times


Central Access Point (CAP)

In 2008, the CoC developed a program (CAP) to implement a coordinated access system for the community

Focus is on prevention and rapid re-housing screening

Intake workers complete an initial assessment to start process of confirming program eligibility

HMIS is used to track bed availability, and to start client records (intake workers)

HUD and philanthropic funding were secured to implement CAP


Example 3: State of Michigan

Statewide HMIS implementation (MSHMIS)

Michigan Coalition Against Homelessness (MCAH) partners with Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA) to manage MSHMIS

Over 600 agencies participate in the MSHMIS, including dozens of agencies that do not receive HUD funding for providing services to homeless assistance

MSHMIS covers 83 counties


Michigan System Components

Robust Reporting Capacity: Implemented one of the nation’s first HMIS Data Warehouses

Virtual Training Programs: Given the reach of the HMIS, the state has invested in creating virtual trainings for users

Flexible Sharing: Allow for agencies to opt in to data sharing, and for clients to select which data elements they’d like to share

System of Support: Local HMIS System Administrators regularly meet and attempt to triage problems prior to tickets being logged with MCAH


Data Warehouse: SHADoW

Received HUD funding to create Statewide Homeless Assistance Data Online Warehouse (SHADoW)

Combines data from statewide HMIS and Michigan Human Services Data Warehouse

Combines de-identified client data to examine homeless use of state mainstream systems. Data is used to help determine:

1. Cost of homelessness

2. Impact of state program changes

3. Patterns of state service usage relating to homelessness

4. Extent homeless are benefiting from state services


Results of SHADoW

In 2010, used data to analyze effectiveness of prevention services, finding an overall 4% failure rate

Have data from 2006 to present

Found a high level of matches between HMIS and Medicaid records (80%)


Questions?

Any questions on the HEARTH Act requirements? HMIS? Other topics?

Potential of MDHI HMIS Software


Adsystech HMIS Demo

Demo and discussion of what the Adsystech HMIS software’s current capabilities are for the MDHI CoC


Group Exercise #2: Creating the Vision for MDHI’s HMIS

Let’s design the ideal HMIS

Where do we want to be in 5 years?


Wrap Up and Next Steps

HMIS Committee Recruitment

Coordinated Entry Bridge Group

Follow-up survey to meeting attendees

Quarterly user survey

Compile and distribute priorities identified today


THANK YOU!

MDHI HMIS Community Meeting Creating the Vision for MDHI’s HMIS March 21, 2013.

Documents

Transcript of MDHI HMIS Community Meeting Creating the Vision for MDHI’s HMIS March 21, 2013.