San Luis Obispo CoC HMIS Newsletter

Go to Monthly HMIS Office Hours

Sometimes when we have an issue or a request with Clarity HMIS, it is easiest to hop on a call or share screen - so, come to the monthly HMIS drop-in Office Hours to ask questions directly to the HMIS Team. Ask your questions, and listen to the questions of others, to use Clarity HMIS with confidence!

9:00AM Monday, Oct 20: HSOC Data and Performance

11AM Wednesday, Oct 22: HSOC Coordinated Entry Committee

1:30PM Tuesday, Oct 28: CES Monthly Announcements

1PM Wednesday, Oct 29: Veterans BNL Meeting

3PM Wednesday, Nov 5: HMIS "Drop-in" Office Hours

Staff Active Caseload Report

Stay on top of your caseload, or help your staff manage theirs, with this impactful detailed report. This report presents a count of enrolled persons by assigned case managers along with a details table with assessments, services, and case notes. Learn about the Staff Caseload Report in Clarity HMIS with this Knowledge Base Article.

Monthly Data Quality Meetings for Agency Administrators

Thank you to all Agency Administrators who joined the HMIS Support Team on October 8th to discuss common data quality errors and solutions. In addition to preparing for federal reporting season, these meetings are an opportunity to build community and share best practices among agency leadership. The HMIS Team looks forward to seeing you again on Wednesday, November 5 at 10AM to continue the discussion!

Calling all Data Analysis Users in HMIS!

Join the HMIS Reporting Team for the biweekly "Reporting Shindig" (Report Support) to ask questions directly of Reports Specialist, Derek, and Data Quality Lead, Kate, to learn how your agency can grow their reporting capacity in HMIS. This meeting is for HMIS users with "Data Analysis" access in Clarity HMIS.

Join the Shindig on Thursday, Oct 30 at 10:30am on TEAMS.

Homelessness Resources for Veterans and their Families

Starting this October edition, the HMIS Newsletter has a new section to highlight Veteran Programs countywide. Thank you to partners in the VA Greater LA Healthcare System, Good Samaritan, and CAPSLO for providing helpful tips and resources. Check out this Local Provider Resource Guide for Veteran Support and read on for more information!

Data Standards Training is Live in TalentLMS

All current HMIS users were added to a mandatory course in TalentLMS regarding HUD's updates to the FY26 Data Standards that went live on October 1. HMIS users were assigned this course on September 30th. Completing the Data Standards course is critical to understanding the change in data elements in the client profile and enrollment screens.

Log in to TalentLMS today to complete the training, and if needed, email HMIS Support to have your course expiration date reset.

Attend HMIS Drop-in Office Hours and Win Swag!

Drop-in to the November HMIS Office Hours to meet users across all agencies, ask questions directly to the team, and be automatically considered for more free swag provided by HMIS vendor Bitfocus.

Click here to join HMIS Office Hours on Wednesday, November 5 at 3PM.

Congratulations to Ila T. from Good Samaritan who was randomly selected to receive swag at the October Office Hours - we appreciate you!

Question: I'm a Case Manager and I would like some specific services added to my Housing Navigation project in HMIS so that I can record a client interaction with ease. How do I go about that?

Answer: That's great! We're happy to add services to any of your projects to help make HMIS a helpful tool for you in the field! First, review the comprehensive list of HMIS Services here. Then, reach out to the HMIS Support Team to ask about adding your needed services to your project. And once done, check out this Knowledge Base Article for Documenting Services in HMIS to be using HMIS with confidence.

Question: Sometimes I notice two profiles in HMIS for the same person. Who do I contact about merging those profiles?

Answer: Anytime you notice a "duplicate profile" you can help out the HMIS community by notifying the HMIS Support Team so we can merge the client profiles. When the HMIS Support Team merge's the profile, the information cascades to one profile, usually using the profile with the most recent enrollment, unless otherwise specified. Before merging any profiles, case managers must make sure the personal identifying information (PII) matches on both profiles. Once the PII is confirmed, reach out to HMIS Support, including the Clarity IDs, and request a profile merge. Read about a Client Merge Request in this Knowledge Base Article. Thank you for your help in keeping information in HMIS timely and accurate!

Supporting Veterans and their Families in San Luis Obispo County

As of September 2025,

the VA Greater LA Healthcare System facilitates SLO County's Veteran ByName List (BNL) through the Coordinated Entry System in Clarity HMIS. By embedding referrals and matching into HMIS, our community expands access to housing opportunities and services for veterans and their families.

Good News:

Since January 2025, the Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) Program has housed more than 30 homeless veterans in San Luis Obispo County.

Tips from the Team:

When you are supporting a Veteran in need of services, be sure to clarify the name the Veteran used during their time in service. This helps identify the veteran and all eligible services they may have earned. This helpful information can be provided in the Notes section of the client profile under the category "Vet CE Case Conference."

Resources:

Check our this SSVF Referral Guide in the HMIS Knowledge Base.
Save this Local Provider Resource Guide for Veterans and Families.

Stay Connected:

Check out the below information from local providers to learn more.

Ila Thatcher-Geis

Homeless Outreach, SSVF and Transitional Housing Services

Good Samaritan Shelter

Chris Stanley

Homeless Outreach and SSVF Services

CAPSLO

Thank you for helping us serve those who served.

Coordinated Entry User Meetings

The CE Team hosts a monthly Announcements meeting, where program updates and relevant educational content are shared, and a Case Conferencing meeting, where recent denials to housing projects and individual clients who have been on the queue for a significant amount of time are discussed. During both meetings, there is time for providers to ask questions and share resources. We hope to see all agencies represented to build community and share best practices!

The CE Team, in partnership with the HMIS Support Team, is using a new helpdesk email address to field technical questions. Update your 'contact us' information to include this email: hsd_CESsupport@co.slo.ca.us.

We look forward to hearing from you!

The CE Team is working with providers to improve CE Data Quality and is available! Reach out directly to learn more about common errors in a Coordinated Entry enrollment or to ask technical questions to the team.

Housing Updates and Queue Referrals

Referrals for The Maxine Lewis Grove housing project have started!

For more information on the project, email hsd_CESsupport@co.slo.ca.us to request a copy of the projects Matching Guidance.

Thank you from the CE Team

Nathan, Hayley, and Nathaniel

Providers Collaborative Networking Event

Join the SLO County Behavioral Health Department this Monday, October 20 from 3 - 4:15PM for a countywide networking event. Register online with this form and be ready to hear from guest speakers and gain insight from other providers in the field.

HMIS Website

Join the Newsletter