Homeless Management Information System

In 2001 congress directed the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to collect unduplicated data on the extent of homelessness at the local level (H.R. Report 106-988; Senate Report 106-410). The House report states:

        ...local jurisdictions should be collecting an array of data on homelessness in order to prevent duplicate counting of homeless persons, and to analyze their patterns of use of assistance, including how the enter and exit the homeless assistance system and the effectiveness for the systems. HUD is directed to take the lead in working with communities toward this end, and to analyze jurisdictional data within three years. Implementation and operation for management information systems (MIS), and collection and analysis of MIS data, have been made eligible uses of Supportive Housing Program funds.

Brief Overview: HMIS can provide important benefits at the consumer, program, and system levels. Homeless program consumers indirectly benefit from service improvements derived from system analysis and directly gain through streamlined referrals, coordinated case management, and benefits eligibility. HMIS offers front-line homeless service program staff tools for faster, more effective client services through improved referrals, interagency case management, and service coordination. Agency administrators can better manage operational information through access to a variety of agency, program, and client-level reports. Policymakers and advocates benefit from access to system-wide data describing the extent and nature of homelessness and a greater understanding of service usage, effectiveness, and gaps.¹ the HMIS system will be used to:

The goal of the HMIS is to improve the delivery of services to the homeless by:

1. Allowing providers to efficiently organize their client files in a secure, flexible electronic system that protects client confidentiality.

2. Allowing providers to generate reports based on aggregate queries of client data to demonstrate the level of need and gaps in services.

3. Meet the requirements set forth by Congress mandated by HUD for all agencies receiving Mckinney-Vento funds.

4. The HUD Data Standards have been released. Here is a link that will provide you with the final rules and regulations.    HUD HMIS Final Notice

5. All HMIS Forms can be obtained clicking HERE

6. The Protected Personal Private Information Policy can be viewed here  Privacy Information

7. User Agreement

8. Partnership Agreement 

9. HMIS Newsletter

10. HUD Frequently Asked Questions

11. RIHMIS Policy and Procedures Manual

12. Rhode Island Zip Codes

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Next Steps:

    With 40 organizations accessing the HMIS System, we will now begin to explore sharing information within agency programs. Now that the system is up and running, we are looking forward to having user group meetings and meeting again with consumers. The Steering Committee meets regularly overseeing progress of the system and working on policy issues for consumers and users of the system. The next meeting will be July 12, 2006 at Crossroads, 12 noon.

    We are in the process of installing digital certificates on all computers that access the HMIS. This is a baseline requirement for all users accessing the system. 

    For agencies without IT capabilities Don has collected a variety of tools used to quickly assess security vulnerabilities, install the latest security fixes and updates, as well as provide information on license compliance and general computer maintenance for participating agencies. He has also obtained information on general computer policies that agencies can adopt for internal use of computers if they wish to do so. Call Don for more details.

^{1 Final implementation Guide: Center for Social Policy, John W. McCormack Institute of Public Affairs, University of Massachusetts Boston Concepts, September 2002. Commissioned under a subcontract with Aspen Systems Corporation, Rockville, MD in partnership with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.}