Error Reminder on Entry Workflow!

The HMIS Team is aware of an issue causing the final page of the HMIS Entry Workflow (the Service Spreadsheet) to show an error once it is saved. In our testing, we have confirmed that both the service and the enrollment will still save to the client's profile even when the error appears.

While we work on correcting this loading error, we ask our users to simply close out your workflow after it has been fully completed and verify that the enrollment has successfully saved to the client's profile as normal. If there are any questions or concerns regarding this error, please reach out to the HMIS Team.

Case Management Workspace Bug

The HMIS Team has been notified of a minor issue causing navigation pane menu items to appear unresponsive after a profile is selected through the "Previous Clients" feature.

To work around this, check to see if the MY CASEWORTHY workspace is currently active and change your workspace back to CASE MANAGEMENT. The menus should now work as expected. You may have to do this again if you logout and log back in to HMIS. Please see the image below for reference.

We apologize for any confusion this has caused. The HMIS Team has contacted our vendor to address this bug and will contact users again when it has been corrected.

HMIS User Access Revisions

As we strive to continue to improve data quality and training for our community, we have identified that many users are completing tasks in HMIS that they were not properly trained to complete. This is resulting in an influx of tickets to correct errors in the system as well as increased data accuracy issues. We have identified multiple root causes of this, including incorrect Training Request forms and users transitioning to new roles without re-attending training.

To address this issue, we will be updating user access to align with the training they have attended. Users who have not attended the Principles of HMIS training will no longer be able to access any workflows in HMIS. This includes Entry, During, Annual, Exit Assessments, and Coordinated Entry Referrals. The goal of this transition is to ensure users receive the proper training prior to entering assessment data in the system to maintain high levels of data accuracy and consistency.

Who: All HMIS Users who have not attended the Principles of HMIS Training

When: January 15th, 2024

What: HMIS access will be updated to remove all workflows. Once Principles of HMIS Training is complete, access to workflows can be restored.

All agency Point of Contacts (POCs) will be receiving a list of their users and whether or not they have attended the Principles of HMIS training. The list should be reviewed to determine which users, if any, need to attend Principles of HMIS training to maintain access to the workflows in HMIS. Lists will be distributed the week of December 4th to allow ample time for users to attend Principles of HMIS if needed prior to the updates on January 15th. We will be holding an Office Hours for all Agency POC’s to answer questions that you may have about this transition.

There will be two opportunities to attend, December 18th at 10-11am and December 19th at 2-3pm. There will not be any content presented during these meetings, they will only be open question time. 

LSA & SPM Season is Here!

Longitudinal System Analysis (LSA)

The Longitudinal System Analysis (LSA) is an HMIS report which is used to create the Annual Homeless Assessment Report (AHAR). The AHAR is a HUD report sent to the U.S. Congress that provides nationwide estimates of homelessness, including information about the demographic characteristics of homeless persons, service use patterns, and the capacity to house homeless persons. The report is based primarily on Homeless Management Information Systems (HMIS) data about persons who experience homelessness during a 12-month period. The LSA data is also used to create an interactive dashboard called Stella P and will report overviews and trends of the data in our community. The LSA reports on Number of Households and Number of Persons served, Average Number of Days Homeless, Exits to Permanent Destinations and Returns to Homelessness after Exits to Permanent Destinations. This year's FY2023 report due date to HUD will be January 17th.

Data Quality Tips and Tricks

In an effort to make this a successful LSA season, please run the APR for your project using the reporting period of 10/01/2022 to 09/30/2023. Areas of interest are:

• Review "missing" or "not collected" Demographic information
• Please limit the "missing information", as each are allows a certain percentage of "missing information
• Review enrollments to endure entry and exit dates are accurate for all clients.
• Please ensure all family members are includes in the enrollment.
• Updated and accurate HUD Universal (at entry) & HUD Program (at entry & exit) assessment



Review and correct any missing Exit Destinations

System Performance Measures (SPMs)

The SPM Report is a HUD mandated report which is run on the fiscal year of Oct. 1 to Sept 30 and is submitted annually. This year's FY2023 report due date to HUD will be mid-February. The report consists of seven measures which show how our community is collaborating on a system-wide level to prevent and end homelessness. These reports are used to make data driven decisions to better serve the homeless population. Most measures include both HUD-funded and non-HUD-funded projects. The measures on the report are as follows:

• Measure 1: Length of time persons remain homeless.
• Measure 2: The extent to which persons who exit homelessness to permanent housing destinations return to homelessness within 6, 12, and 24 months.
• Measure 3: Number of homeless persons.
• Measure 4: Employment and income growth for homeless persons in CoC Program-funded projects.
• Measure 5: Number of persons who become homeless for the first time.
• Measure 6: Homelessness prevention and housing placement of persons defined by Category 3 of HUD's homeless definition in CoC Program-funded projects.
• Measure 7: Successful placement from Street Outreach and successful placement in or retention of Permanent Housing.

Data Quality Tips and Tricks

In an effort to make this a successful SPM submission, please run the data quality reports for your project using the reporting period of 10/1/2022 to 9/30/2023. Areas of interest are:

• Review Enrollments to ensure Entry and Exit Dates are accurate for all clients.
• Add any missing Living Situation data (i.e. Approximate date homelessness started, Number of Times and Number of Months homeless in past three years)
• Verify Client’s Move-In Dates are entered correctly.
• Review and correct any missing Exit Destinations.
• CoC funded projects: ensure all Annual Assessments are completed for clients who have been in the project for one year or longer.
• Ensure that the Income Amount entered on the HUD Financial Assessment is rounded to the nearest dollar, do not include cents in this assessment.

Our HMIS Data Quality Analyst team has begun reviewing data in both the LSA and SPM reports. We will be reaching out to all projects in need of data corrections. If you have any questions or need any assistance completing data corrections, please submit a ticket to the HMIS Team.

The HMIS Team would like to wish all of our users a very happy holiday season. We thank you for all of your hard work this year, and look forward to an even more spectacular 2024.

HMIS Team

VP of Transformational Services | David Huete

HMIS Director | Nina Gall

Business Systems Analyst | Jenni Hernandez

Security & Compliance Specialist | Ashley Boyer

HMIS Training Coordinator | Gloria Collins

Systems Administrator | Spencer Walker

Systems Administrator | Allegra Nichols

Application Support Specialist | James Moses

Senior Data Analyst | Lori Stewart

Data Quality Analyst | Tracie Dixon

Why am I receiving this email?

If you are receiving this email, it is because you either have an active San Antonio/Bexar County HMIS account, or you are designated as an important point-of-contact for HMIS-related updates. As an HMIS User, it is important for you to stay up-to-date on all major updates regarding the database.

We ask that you do not Unsubscribe from these alerts as long as you use HMIS.

If you believe this description no longer applies to you, please submit a ticket to HMIS.Support@Havenforhope.org to request your account be deactivated.

(Our Contact lists are uploaded on a monthly basis, so please allow time to account for this.)