May 2023

Dear HMIS Community,

It's May and we have exciting news to share with you! After months of hard work, we are thrilled to introduce the newest versions of our website pages, with new features to support you and streamline your work. In addition to information about our new web pages, this month's newsletters have more guidance regarding the current HMIS ROI categories, info on how to regain HMIS access if you change jobs, and a special opportunity from our Sacramento Steps Forward Training Coordinator.

As always, we are committed to providing exceptional support to our end users, and and we look forward to serving you better in the coming months.

In partnership, 

Wendy, Tina, Kai, Rae, Glenn, and Ashley

We're excited to announce the newest version of our HMIS web pages! We've added six new pages that we think will make your work easier and more efficient. Here's a quick overview of what you can expect:

• About HMIS: This page provides a comprehensive overview of what HMIS is and how it works. You'll find information on HMIS User Growth, Participating Agencies, and more.

• New Agencies and Programs: This page is where you can find information on how to request new programs and agencies and who is apart of the HMIS community.



• New HMIS User Access: If you're a new user or need to update your access, this page has everything you need to get started.

• HMIS FAQs: This page provides answers to some of the most commonly asked questions about HMIS.

• HMIS Job Aids: This page contains job aids that will guide you through some of the most common tasks you'll perform in HMIS.

• Documents Library: This page is a centralized location for all the documents you need to use HMIS effectively.

Please email us with any questions or feedback. We'd love to hear from you!

Q: I got a new job with a new agency. How do I regain HMIS access? Do I need to send in new documents? Do I need to take the quiz again?

A: This is a question we get often, as many of our community members move between different agencies. Because your HMIS access is tied to the contracts your employer signed with Sacramento Steps Forward, we will need to create a whole new HMIS account for you and get all new documentation. The first steps for you to get back into HMIS is for your supervisor to complete the HMIS New User Registration online form.

Do you need to take your HMIS quiz again? There are two factors that determine if you have to take your quiz again:

1. Is your access level changing? If you are asking for a higher level of access, you will have to take the quiz that matches that access level.
2. Have you passed your annual reassessment? Each year HMIS conducts an annual reassessment for all HMIS users. If you have not completed the most recent reassessment, you will need to pass the quiz before regaining access to HMIS.   

We're always excited to welcome new HMIS programs into the system! If you're interested in creating a new program, it's easy to get started. Simply use either the Sacramento CoC-503 New Program Google Form or the Yolo CoC-521 New Program Google Form to provide us with the necessary information. Once you've submitted the form, we'll schedule a meeting to discuss your program request with you. If you have any questions or would like more information, don't hesitate to reach out to us. We're here to help and can't wait to hear from you!

ROI Categories

In the last few months, we have changed the available ROI categories. Please check out our newest job aid - Understanding ROI Categories - to make sure you know which category to use for your clients. We are excited to continue developing new job aids to help you with your work. Please email us if you have an idea for a new job aid or have any questions.

Join SSF and Project Sentinel for a training on Fair Housing: Ensuring Equal Access to Housing & Supportive Resources to be held Thursday, May 11 at 10AM - 11:30AM! This session is intended for CoC and ESG-funded service providers and is highly encouraged for homeless advocates or other providers who serve people experiencing homelessness (PEH) in Sacramento. Please register at the link below.

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