September 2017

2017 HMIS Data Standard ChangesTalia Scott and Maylee Stevenson

HMIS Technical Assistance

AGENDA

• Data Standards Documents & History• Project Descriptor Data Elements (PDDE)• Universal Data Elements (UDE)• Common Program-Specific Data Elements (PSDE)• Federally Funded Program-Specific Data Elements

(PSDE)• PATH• RHY• SSVF & HUD/VASH• HOPWA

REVISION HISTORY

• Last revision- changes on October 1, 2016

• Current revision- changes on October 1, 2017

• See the HUD 2017 HMIS Data Standards webpage for documents.

HMIS DATA STANDARDS DOCUMENTS

• HMIS Data Standards Manual: • Geared toward HMIS Users, the Manual contains details

about required data elements including rationale and data collection instructions.

• HMIS Data Dictionary: • Designed for HMIS Vendors and System Administrators,

the Dictionary is used for software programming and describes the function and use of each element.

• HMIS Project Descriptor Data Elements Manual:• PDDEs are the building blocks of an HMIS. Agency and

Project Setup Information.

HUD HMIS Program Manuals

2017 Program-Specific HMIS Data Manuals are available now. https://www.hudexchange.info/programs/hmis/hmis-guides/#coc-resources

PATH -https://www.hudexchange.info/resource/4446/path-program-hmis-manual/

RHY -https://www.hudexchange.info/resource/4448/rhy-program-hmis-manual/

HOPWA -https://www.hudexchange.info/resource/4449/hopwa-program-hmis-manual/

VA - https://www.hudexchange.info/resource/4450/va-programs-hmis-manual/

ESG -https://www.hudexchange.info/resource/4447/esg-program-hmis-manual/

CoC -https://www.hudexchange.info/resource/4445/coc-program-hmis-manual/

New Manual:

HUD-VASH -https://www.hudexchange.info/resource/5613/hud-vash-program-hmis-manual/

ORGANIZATION OF 2017 DATA STANDARDS

• Project Descriptor Data Elements• Element numbering continues to be 2.xx• Continues to apply to all projects

• Universal Data Elements• Element numbering continues to be 3.xx• Continues to apply to all projects

• Program Specific Data Elements (PSDE)– split into 2 categories• Common Data Elements (Common PSDE)

• Required across most federal partner programs• Element numbering: 4.xx

• Individual Federal Partner Program Elements (Federal PSDE)• Maintained and required by a specific federal partner (other federal partners

may use, though)• Element numbering: [Letter][Number], i.e. R1

• Metadata• “Data about the data”• Element numbering continues to be 5.xx

COUNTS OF 2017 ELEMENT CHANGES

18% = % that actually impacts all HMIS users.

78 data standards changes: most won’t affect Clarity users and are behind the scenes.

5 Universal Data Element changes: some are only wording changes.

26 project specific elements changes: many are wording, renumbering, or removing element changes.

Standard Type User Affected Behind the Scenes

Metadata Elements 5

PDDE (Admin Set Up) 7

PSDE 26 50

Common 9 12

HOPWA 4

PATH 2 4

RHSAP 1

RHY 12 20

VA 3 9

UDE 5 16

Grand Total 31 78

LIST OF UDE 2017 ELEMENT CHANGES

10/2017 Change

3.6 Gender Wording changes

3.10 Project Start Date

PH projects (including RRH) project start date is now when client admitted into project. Move-In Date will be used to track date client moved into housing.

3.12Destination

Wording change to response option 3, PH other than RRH; Addition of a response option 31 Rental by client, with RRH or equivalent subsidy.

3.20 Housing Move-In Date

Went from PSDE to UDE, use of element expanded to include all types of PH project types. Formerly known as Residential Move In Date.

3.19 A&B Living Situation

Wording changes to Permanent housing (other than RRH) for formerly homeless persons, Rental by client, with other housing subsidy (including RRH).

UDE 3.6 Gender

• Rationale: Wording Change for clarity and consistency

• What changed: Transgendered choices were updated to Trans Female (MTF or Male to Female) and Trans Male (FTM or Female to Male). Gender Non-Conforming replaced “Doesn’t identify as male, female or transgender.”

• Reference: Page 40 of the 2017 HMIS Data Manual

UDE 3.10 PROJECT START DATE

• Rationale: To Determine the start of each client’s period of participation with a project.

• What changed: Project Entry Date is renamed to Project Start Date• This semantics change is meant to better reflect the real world when collecting

data for Permanent Housing projects

• Recognizes that a Permanent Housing project typically begins serving a client prior to placing that client in housing (i.e. admittance vs. moving in)

• Makes more sense when thought of in conjunction with tweaks to “Housing Move In” element (More on this in later slides…)

• This change should NOT affect your understanding of when clients “enter” other, non-PH project types (i.e. Street outreach is still at first contact; ES/ SH/ TH is still first night in bed/ residence, etc.)

• Reference: Page 45 of the HMIS Data Manual

UDE 3.10 PROJECT START DATE

“In 2017, this data elementchanged from Project Entry Date to Project Start Date to capture more complete information about persons accepted into and residing in all types of Permanent Housing. Paired with 3.20 Housing Move-In Date, it becomes possible to determine the length of time from project start to housing placement for all PH clients, not just clients in RRH.Data Collection Instruction: Record the month, day, and year of each client’s project start. The project start date indicates a client is now being assisted by the project.” Page 45

UDE 3.12 DESTINATION

• Rationale: To identify where a client will stay just after exiting a project for purposes of tracking and outcome measurement.

• What changed: One response option reworded for clarity• Was: Permanent housing for formerly homeless persons (such as: CoC project; or

HUD legacy programs; or HOPWA PH)

• Now: Permanent housing (other than RRH) for formerly homeless persons”

• New response option added• “Rental by client, with RRH or equivalent subsidy”

• Reference: Page 48 of the HMIS Data Manual

UDE 3.20 HOUSING MOVE-IN DATE

• Rationale: To document the date that a household admitted into a Permanent Housing project moves into housing.

• What changed: Reworded: this data element used to be for RRH only and called “Residential Move-in Date”. Changed from Project Specific to Universal Data Element and now includes all types of permanent housing: • Category changed from PSDE to UDE• Number changed from 4.17 to 3.20• Now applies to all Permanent Housing Project Types• Requires deactivation of any “pre-housing” projects• With the exception of RRH projects, vendors have been instructed to replicate

all of the former project “entry” dates for PH projects to this element (to go live 10/1/17)

• Moving forward, this element is intended to collect the date that a client occupies housing (all PH, including RRH, will be collecting this element the same way).

• Reference: Page 55 of the HMIS Data Manual

UDE 3.20 HOUSING MOVE-IN DATE/PROJECT START DATE

Housing Move-in Date is now used for all permanent housing projects.

• For all permanent housing projects, except RRH, project enrollments prior to 10.1.2017 will map Project Start Date to Housing Move-in Date.

• Beginning 10.1.2017, Project Start Date is the date following application that the client was admitted into the project. To be admitted indicates the following factors have been met:

1. Information provided by the client or from the referral indicates they meet the criteria for admission. For example: if chronic homelessness is required, the client indicates they have a serious disability and have been homeless long enough to qualify- though all documentation may not yet have been gathered.

2. The client has indicated they want to be housed in this project3. The client is able to access services and housing through the project

The expectation is that the project has a housing opening (on-site, site-based, scattered-site subsidy) or expects to have one in a reasonably short amount of time.

• Beginning 10.1.2017, Housing Move-In Date must be entered if/when a household moves into any type of permanent housing, regardless of funding source or whether the project is providing the rental assistance.

• Housing Move-in Date must be between the Project Start Date and Project Exit Date.• Housing Move-in Date may be the same as Project Start if the client moves into housing on the

date they were accepted into the program.

UDE 3.20 HOUSING MOVE-IN DATE

UDE 3.917 LIVING SITUATION- TYPE OF RESIDENCE

• Rationale: To identify the type of living situation and length of stay in that situation just prior to project start for all adults and heads of households. This data element is to be used with other information to identify whether a client appears to meet the criteria for chronic homelessness.

• What changed: Wording changes to some responses:• From Permanent housing for formerly homeless persons (such as:

a CoC Project) to Permanent housing (other than RRH) for formerly homeless persons

• From Rental by client, with other ongoing housing subsidy to Rental by client, with other housing subsidy (including RRH)

• Reference: Pages 56-61 of the HMIS Data Manual

UDE 3.917B LIVING SITUATION FLOW CHARTS

HUD 3.917B Living Situation Flowchart Link

COMMON PSDE THEY ARE LIKE UDE’S, BUT NOT

COMMON PSDE 4.1 HOUSING STATUS

• Rationale: This element is retired. 4.17 Residential Move-In Date was significantly modified and became universal data element 3.20 Housing Move-In Date. Thus, Housing Status is redundant and other fields can tell the same story.

• What changed: Housing Status categories will now be sipping drinks on the beach in retired bliss and no longer included on standard HMIS screens. Maybe in the future it will do volunteer work or something (as communities may continue to use if for their own custom reporting needs).

• Reference: It’s just a memory.

HAPPY RETIREMENTHousing Status Categories

(Messages from 9/19/17 Webinar Attendees as a goodbye to Housing Status Categories)

Congratulations on your retirement - Gay Charette

Happy Retirement! Enjoy,Teressa

Everyone thought you were

difficult, but I thought you were

cool! Happy retirement! - Lisa

Olson

"It's been real and it's been good, but it

hasn't been real good." - Upper Valley MEND

Thank you for

being there when

we needed you.

Bye Felicia! :-) -

Benton Franklin

CAC Staff

Glad to see you go housing status. I used to really like you and rely on you. I thought you were important. Kind of like services. But now I know you were too subjective and too broad. You really didn’t give me useful information and you confused people. Good riddance. K Bye. - Emily

I have spent countless hours of my existence

explaining you, making tables to show how you

were relevant, and thinking I could never live

without you. But now that you are gone, I can

clearly see that you were keeping me from the

element that I truly love……Prior

Residence. - Talia

COMMON PSDE 4.2 INCOME AND SOURCES

• Rationale: To determine whether households are accessing all income sources for which they are eligible at the time of project start and to allow for analyzing changes in the composition of income between project start and exit.

• What changed: Wording change. Corrected the name of Social Security Disability Insurance (Field 6)

• Reference: Pages 64-67 of the HMIS Data Manual

COMMON PSDE 4.3 NON-CASH BENEFITS

• Rationale: To determine whether households are accessing all mainstream program benefits for which they are eligible at the time of project start and to allow for analyzing changes in the composition of non-cash benefits between project start and exit.

• What changed: Removed two unused response options:

• Section 8, public housing, or other ongoing rental assistance

• Temporary rental assistance

• Reference: Page 68 of the HMIS Data Manual

COMMON PSDE 4.5 TO 4.10 DISABLING CONDITIONS

• Rationale: To indicate whether or not clients have a disabling condition. This data element is to be used with other information to identify whether a client meets the criteria for chronic homelessness.

• What changed: For these elements: 4.5 Physical Disability, 4.6 Developmental Disability, 4.7 Chronic Health Condition, 4.8 HIV/AIDS, 4.9 Mental Health Problem, 4.10 Substance Abuse: • Removed Documentation of disability and severity on file box

• Removed Receiving services/treatment for this disability yes/no choice

Note: removing these dependencies simply means that this information isn’t required to be stored in HMIS – has no bearing on programmatic documentation requirements (such as CH documentation requirements for PSH)

• Reference: Page 72 of the HMIS Data Manual

COMMON PSDE 4.12 CONTACT

• Rationale: To record each contact with people experiencing homelessness by street outreach and other service projects and to provide information on the number of contacts required to engage the client. This change should make the use of HMIS to identify those that may be chronically homeless more reliable.

• What changed: Changed name and corresponding responses from Location of Contact (Place Not meant for habitation, Service setting non-residential, Service setting residential) to Staying on the Streets, ES, or SH (No, Yes, Worker unable to determine.)

• Reference: Page 81 of the HMIS Data Manual

FEDERAL PARTNER

PROGRAM SPECIFIC DATA ELEMENTS

We’ll go over changes for:

• PATH

• RHY

• VA Programs: SSVF and HUD/VASH

• HOPWA

PATHProjects for Assistance in Transition from Homelessness

• Removed the PATH-only, “If yes, how confirmed” dependencies from 4.9 (Mental Health Problem) and 4.10 (Substance Abuse)

• 4.12 Contact PATH and Street Outreach projects:

• Changed from Location of Contact to Staying on Streets, ES, or SH

• 10.1.2017 Deactivate previous Contact service items:

• Outreach Contact/Place not meant for habitation

• Outreach Contact/Service setting, non-residential

• Outreach Contact/Service setting, residential

PSDE: PATH

• 10.1.2017 Add new Contact service items:

• Outreach Contact/ Not Staying on Streets, ES, or SH

• Outreach Contact/ Staying on Streets, ES, or SH

• Outreach Contact/ Worker unable to determine

• Referrals Provided: Renumbered – formerly 4.16A Collection of data related to referrals to job training, educational services, and housing services were optional response options and are now required.

• Connection with SOAR: Renumbered – formerly 4.21 Element now shared with VA – SSVF which requires collection on it for both their Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing projects

PSDE: PATH

RHYRunaway and Homeless Youth

New elements added:

• R18 Counseling and R19 Safe and Appropriate Exit

• p. 93 and 94, respectively

Elements retired:

• 4.16B –Referrals Provided

• RHY; 4.38 –Family Unification Achieved

• Vendor mapping required: applies to Referral Source, Commercial Sexual Exploitation/ Sex Trafficking, Labor Exploitation/ Trafficking

• Response options streamlined throughout to reduce data collection burden

• Data collection points changed and/ or added. Applies to R2, R4, R5, R6, R15, and R16 (description on next slide)

PSDE: RUNAWAY HOMELESS YOUTH

PSDE: RUNAWAY HOMELESS YOUTH

• RHY Specific elements were renumbered to R1, R2, R3, etc.

• 4.16B –Referrals Provided to be removed:• Child Care Non-TANF

• Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (Food Stamps)

• Education - McKinney/Vento Liaison Assistance to Remain in School

• HUD Section 8 or Other Permanent Housing Assistance

• Individual Development Account

• Medicaid

• Mentoring Program Other than RHY Agency

• National Service (Americorp, VISTA, Learn and Serve)

• Non-Residential Substance Abuse or Mental Health Program

• Other Public - Federal, State, or Local Program

• Private Non-profit Charity or Foundation Support

• SCHIP

• SSI, SSDI, or other Disability Insurance

• TANF or other Welfare/Non-Disability Income Maintenance (all TANF Services)

• Unemployment Insurance WIC workforce Development (WIA)

• WIC

• Workforce Development (WIA)

• R1 Referral Source: Options have been streamlined and

decreased. The previous responses will be mapped to the

new responses.

• R2 RHY BCP Status: Change FYSB Youth to Youth Eligible

for RHY services

• R4, Last Grade Completed, R5 School Status, R6

Employment Status: Added to Project Exit and to Project

Start

• R13 Family Critical Issues: This was formerly Young

Person's Critical Issues. The responses have been

streamlined and decreased. The previous responses

will not be mapped to the new responses.

PSDE: RUNAWAY HOMELESS YOUTH

PSDE: RUNAWAY HOMELESS YOUTHR14 RHY Service Connections• Retired responses will not be mapped.

• Deactivated Service Items:

• Basic Support Services

• Counseling/therapy

• Dental care

• Parenting education for parent of youth

• Peer (youth) counseling

• Psychological or psychiatric care

• Recreational activities

• Support group

• Preventative- overnight interim, respite

• Preventative- formal placement in an alternative setting outside of BCP

• Preventative- entry into BCP after preventative services

• Street Outreach- Health and Hygiene Products Distributed

• Street Outreach- Food and Drink Items

• Street Outreach- Services Information/Brochures

• Revise title Service Items anytime before 10.1.2017:

•Post-natal care for mother

•Substance abuse treatment

•Substance Abuse Ed/Prevention Services

• Add New Service Items anytime before 10.1.2017:

•Home-based Services

•Post-natal newborn care (wellness exams; immunizations)

•STD Testing

•Street-based Services

• R15 Commercial Sexual Exploitation/Sex Trafficking and R16 Labor

Exploitation/Trafficking:

• Slight wording changes

• Data collection moved from Project Start to Project Exit

• R17 Project Completion Status: Streamlined

• R18 Counseling: New element, collected at Project Exit.

• R19 Safe and Appropriate Exit: New element, collected at Project Exit.

• R20 Aftercare Plans: Projects will now be required to conduct/record Post Exit Follow-up.

PSDE: RUNAWAY HOMELESS YOUTH

VA: SSVF & VASHVeterans Administration: Supportive Services for Veteran Families

& Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing

PSDE: VA PROGRAMS

SSVF

• VA/SSVF specific elements were renumbered to V1, V2, V3, etc.• V6 –VAMC Station Number (previously 4.45): text field replaced with pick

list; options provided to vendors

System admins are advised to do some data clean up before 10/01/2017 when data will be mapped to a new field.• VAMC Station Number should match HUD Site Code for successful mapping• Commerce will create a report of existing VAMC Station Codes used in

Clarity and send to you to make corrections/check for validity.• 4.49 Use of Other Crisis Services: Retired• P4 Connection with SOAR: Now required for SSVF

PSDE: VA PROGRAMS

New VASH-Specific Fields• V8 HUD-VASH Voucher Tracking New Service Items

• Service Category: HUD-VASH Voucher Tracking• Service Items:

• Referral package forwarded to PHA• Voucher denied by PHA• Voucher issued by PHA• Voucher revoked or expired• Voucher in use - veteran moved into housing• Voucher was ported locally• Voucher was administratively absorbed by new PHA• Voucher was converted to Housing Choice Voucher• Veteran exited - family maintained the voucher• Veteran exited - prior to ever receiving a voucher• Other (Can add custom title for service item as appropriate for the project)

• V9 HUD-VASH Exit Information• New Case Management Exit Reason field added to the exit screen

PSDE: VA PROGRAMS

New VASH-Specific Fields• V9 HUD-VASH Exit Information

• New Case Management Exit Reason field added to the exit screen• Response types:

• Accomplished goals and/or obtained services and no longer needs CM • Transferred to another HUD-VASH program site • Found/chose other housing • Did not comply with HUD-VASH CM • Eviction and/or other housing related issues • Unhappy with HUD-VASH housing • No longer financially eligible for HUD-VASH voucher • No longer interested in participating in this program • Veteran cannot be located • Veteran too ill to participate at this time • Veteran is incarcerated • Veteran is deceased • Other (text box to specify)

• New HUD-VASH Manual: https://www.hudexchange.info/resource/5613/hud-vash-program-hmis-manual/

HOPWAHousing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS

HOPWAHOPWA specific elements were renumbered to W1, W2, W3, and W4.

• W1 Services Provided – HOPWA: Renumbered – formerly 4.14C No other changes made.

• W2 Financial Assistance – HOPWA: Renumbered – formerly 4.15A No other changes made.

• W3 Medical Assistance: Renumbered – formerly 4.39 No other changes made.

• W4 T-cell (CD4) and Viral Load: Renumbered – formerly 4.39 No other changes made.

PSDE: HOPWA

RESOURCES: HUD DATA STANDARDS TUTORIAL

• Learn about each data standard listed in a simple format including audio and FAQs.

• HUD will publish more as they become available.

https://www.hudexchange.info/programs/hmis/guides/data-element/

RESOURCES: CLARITY HELP PORTAL

• Clarity System Text and Video Tutorials• Note: site features

nation wide instructions. WA BOS specific guidance is not included.

• Sample Forms

http://help.clarityhs.com

RESOURCES: HMIS WEBPAGE

• HMIS Trainings• HMIS TA Staff Contacts• HMIS How-To Guides• Links to HMIS

Resources via HUD• HMIS Reports

www.commerce.wa.gov/hmis

www.commerce.wa.gov

2017 HMIS Data Standard ChangesPresented by:

HMIS Website: www.commerce.wa.gov/hmis

You’ll receive an email in an hour with a link to our HMIS Training Evaluation. Please take time to do it.

Thanks!

Talia ScottHMIS Manager(360) 725-2989talia.scott@commerce.wa.gov

Maylee StevensonHMIS TA & Training(360) 725-2984maylee.stevenson@commerce.wa.gov