MDHI HMIS Community Meeting Creating the Vision for MDHI’s HMIS March 21, 2013

1. MDHI HMIS Community Meeting Creating the Vision for MDHI’s HMIS March 21, 2013

2. Who’s in the room? • Current use of HMIS • Enter data into the HMIS • Review reports from HMIS • Have no idea what HMIS is 

3. Presentation Outline • Current status of the MDHI HMIS • HEARTH Requirements for HMIS • Community Examples • Creating the Vision for MDHI’s HMIS • Possibilities with Adsystech • Next Steps

4. Abt Associates Abt’s Mission Abt’s Work Sample Abt Homelessness Work Annual Homeless Assessment Report Annual Performance Report Point-in-Time Count and Housing Inventory Count Cost of Homelessness Evaluation • Abt Associates is committed to improving the quality of life and economic well-being of people worldwide. • We provide research, technical assistance, and consulting services to help our clients make better decisions and deliver better products and services.

5. Acronyms • CoC: Continuum of Care • ESG: Emergency Solutions Grant • HEARTH Act: Homeless Emergency Assistance and Rapid Transition to Housing • HMIS: Homeless Management Information System • PCI: Priority Communities Initiative

6. Why Are We Here?

7. Denver is a “Priority Community”

8. Priority Communities Initiative (PCI) • Joint Initiative of US Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH) & Housing and Urban Development (HUD) • Key strategy for implementation of Opening Doors, federal plan to end homelessness • Preparation for implementing Homeless Emergency Assistance and Rapid Transition to Housing (HEARTH) Act

9. Priority Communities Selection • 25 communities selected • Communities with high levels of homelessness • Communities with ability to benefit from and commit to technical assistance • Work is aligned with Regional USICH Offices • Focus of work is to enhance the capacity of these communities to prevent and end homelessness • If we can move the needle on homelessness in these communities, we can have a large impact on homelessness for the nation

10. Priority Communities Technical Assistance Overall Purpose: • Strengthen CoC performance • Meet HEARTH responsibilities • Achieve goals of Opening Doors Two Types: • General TA (Focus on CoC rule responsibilities) • HMIS TA (Focus on HMIS)

11. History of and Changes for HMIS

12. What is HMIS? • Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) is a locally administered, electronic data collection system • HMIS is used to collect client-level information about persons who access the homeless service system • Often web-based software; there are several distinct HMIS software solution providers in the country

13. HUD Values HMIS • Key HUD reports are reliant on quality HMIS data (Annual Homeless Assessment Report and Annual Performance Report) • Every CoC is required to implement an HMIS and is scored on this obligation as part of the annual CoC Competition • A strong HMIS implementation is essential to meet current and future CoC rules

14. Community Database

15. Potential HMIS Benefits

16. Group Activity #1: How do we all contribute to quality data? • Clients • Agency Staff • Agency Directors/Leadership • MDHI/CCH HMIS Staff • Community partners (funders, government, etc.)

17. MDHI HMIS By the Numbers • The Metro Denver Homeless Initiative serves the seven county region: Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Broomfield, Denver, Douglas, Jefferson • There are currently 58 agencies using the MDHI HMIS. • There are 341 programs in MDHI’s HMIS. • There are 368 active users. • Four full time staff support the MDHI HMIS.

18. HMIS Roles Continuum of Care • The Metro Denver Homeless Initiative (MDHI) is an independently funded, non-profit organization whose mission includes the prevention and ending of homelessness in the seven county Metro Denver Region by facilitating, integrating and tracking cooperative, community-wide and regional systems of care for people who have become homeless, but seek to live in a stable home and maximize self-sufficiency. • MDHI is tasked with providing oversight for the region’s HMIS.

19. HMIS Roles HMIS Lead Agency • In 2009, MDHI selected the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless (CCH) to serve as the HMIS Lead Agency. HMIS Software Vendor • In 2011, MDHI selected Adsystech as the new HMIS software provider.

20. Accomplishments Since 2009: • Designated a new HMIS Lead Agency • Selected and implemented a new HMIS software • Migrated • Submitted Useable data in 4 AHAR categories! • Developing plan for coordinated entry that includes use of HMIS

21. Next Steps for MDHI’s HMIS • Rollout of Version 5 of AES • Trainings on Analysis of APRs (Staff and Agency Leaders) • Everything you wanted to know about APRs, but were afraid to ask • Coordinated Entry required for NOFA and ESG participants

22. MDHI HMIS Action Plan • Adds Action Steps and Timelines for MDHI and CCH, to the Recommendations in the HMIS Assessment Report • Makes the process of implementing the HMIS Assessment Report Recommendations more transparent • Available on MDHI’s website: http://mdhi.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/HMIS-Work-Plan-February-13-2013.pdf

23. Audience Question: Love Data? • Why do we love data? • Why don’t we love data?

24. Urban Peak Testimonial • Brief presentation of how Urban Peak uses HMIS as their sole database/runs reports out of HMIS

25. Key National Milestones for HMIS

26. Key Change 1: 2009 HEARTH Act • HEARTH Act underscores the importance of HMIS data to drive local and national decisions • Among the HEARTH Act requirements are: • Coordinated assessment/centralized intake • System-level Performance Measurement

27. System-Level Performance Indicators • Length of time homeless • Returns to homelessness • Access/coverage (thoroughness in reaching persons who are homeless) • Overall reduction in number of persons who experience homelessness • Job and income growth for persons who are homeless • Reduction in first time homeless • Other accomplishments related to reducing homelessness

28. Example 1: Columbus, OH • Collecting data since 1989 • Implementation includes 17 agencies and 48 programs • Community Shelter Board (CSB) serves as both the HMIS and CoC Lead Agency • CSB is also a funder to many of the organizations entering data into HMIS

29. Columbus System Components • Transparent: Operate an “open” HMIS, and have done so since inception (i.e. data is shared among all participating programs) • Quality Assurances: Data quality reports are run by agencies, submitted to and approved by CSB • Data Quality Standards: Timeliness, Completeness, Accuracy, and Consistency • Regular Reporting: Annual performance evaluation, Quarterly performance monitoring, Monthly performance reports, Quality Improvement Intervention reports

30. Data Driven Funding Decisions • Program scoring has funding implications for NOFA, city, county and other funders • Issued to CSB Board of Trustees, Continuum of Care Steering Committee and Funders • Completed based on first half of FY for use in following FY funding determination • Program outcomes compared to planned outcomes • Posted to www.csb.org

31. Model for Scoring of Programs • High • Achieve at least 75% of the measured outcomes and at least one of the successful housing outcomes (either number or percentage outcome) • Medium • Achieve at least 50% but less than 75% of the measured outcomes • Low • Achieve less than 50% of the measured outcomes • Low performers are invited to participate in a Quality Improvement Intervention

32. Snapshot of Annual Report

33. Program Detail in Annual Report

34. Key Change 2: 2011 HMIS Requirements Proposed Rule • When final, the HMIS Standards and Notices will mark the first time that best practices and procedures previously encouraged by HUD will be mandatory • Data Quality • Privacy and Security • Governance • Central aim: “…provide for uniform technical requirements of HMIS, for proper collection of data and maintenance of the database, and to ensure the confidentiality of the information in the database”

35. Impact of Revised Standards Data Standards

36. Key Change 3: ESG and CoC Program Interim Rules • CoCs must be able to report outcomes and performance at both the program and system level • CoCs must be able to look at a client’s data across the entire CoCs HMIS • Data quality will be critical to the success of reporting on outcomes and performance • Bed and unit capacity and coverage • Bed and unit utilization rates • Client lengths of stay • Returns to homelessness • Income and employment outcomes

37. Coordinated Assessment • ESG and CoC Program Interim Rules also require CoCs to implement coordinated access systems • Coordinated assessment must be done collaboratively between CoC and ESG recipients • HMIS will be a crucial part of this • Track availability of inventory • Share data across programs

38. Example 2: Cincinnati, OH • CoC wide implementation of HMIS • Utilizes a locally developed HMIS software (Vesta) • Software developer (Partnership Center, Ltd.) also serves as the HMIS Lead Agency for the CoC • Agencies pay a fee to participate in HMIS, based on their annual budget

39. Cincinnati System Components • Investment in System: The fees paid by agencies have the potential to ensure that they are “bought in” to the HMIS • Regular Reporting: HMIS data is regularly reported on the HMIS Lead Agency’s website • Virtual Trainings: “Just-in-time” trainings available on the HMIS Lead Agency’s website, make training accessible to users at all times

40. Central Access Point (CAP) • In 2008, the CoC developed a program (CAP) to implement a coordinated access system for the community • Focus is on prevention and rapid re-housing screening • Intake workers complete an initial assessment to start process of confirming program eligibility • HMIS is used to track bed availability, and to start client records (intake workers) • HUD and philanthropic funding were secured to implement CAP

41. Example 3: State of Michigan • Statewide HMIS implementation (MSHMIS) • Michigan Coalition Against Homelessness (MCAH) partners with Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA) to manage MSHMIS • Over 600 agencies participate in the MSHMIS, including dozens of agencies that do not receive HUD funding for providing services to homeless assistance • MSHMIS covers 83 counties

42. Michigan System Components • Robust Reporting Capacity: Implemented one of the nation’s first HMIS Data Warehouses • Virtual Training Programs: Given the reach of the HMIS, the state has invested in creating virtual trainings for users • Flexible Sharing: Allow for agencies to opt in to data sharing, and for clients to select which data elements they’d like to share • System of Support: Local HMIS System Administrators regularly meet and attempt to triage problems prior to tickets being logged with MCAH

43. Data Warehouse: SHADoW • Received HUD funding to create Statewide Homeless Assistance Data Online Warehouse (SHADoW) • Combines data from statewide HMIS and Michigan Human Services Data Warehouse • Combines de-identified client data to examine homeless use of state mainstream systems. Data is used to help determine: • Cost of homelessness • Impact of state program changes • Patterns of state service usage relating to homelessness • Extent homeless are benefiting from state services

44. Results of SHADoW • In 2010, used data to analyze effectiveness of prevention services, finding an overall 4% failure rate • Have data from 2006 to present • Found a high level of matches between HMIS and Medicaid records (80%)

45. Questions? Any questions on the HEARTH Act requirements? HMIS? Other topics?

46. Potential of MDHI HMIS Software

47. Adsystech HMIS Demo • Demo and discussion of what the Adsystech HMIS software’s current capabilities are for the MDHI CoC

48. Group Exercise #2: Creating the Vision for MDHI’s HMIS • Let’s design the ideal HMIS • Where do we want to be in 5 years?

49. Wrap Up and Next Steps • HMIS Committee Recruitment • Coordinated Entry Bridge Group • Follow-up survey to meeting attendees • Quarterly user survey • Compile and distribute priorities identified today

50. THANK YOU!