Transcript United Way and HMIS - Minnesota's HMIS

United Way and HMIS Webinar
Using ServicePoint for tracking and
reporting
Housing Stability Goal
Strategic Direction
• Focus on investments that demonstrate one
year, continuous housing stability; supportive
housing, rapid re-housing, legal services.
• Support a continuum of services for youth
and continue to support disaster services.
• Develop high quality housing and
employment programs based on proven best
practices.
United Way and data collection
 Focus of data collection is reporting for United
Way and to closely match client information
needed for the annual report
 A few additional questions are added to better
understand clients served
 Not all HMIS required fields are included since
they don’t all relate to United Way goals
─ You can collect additional data elements if you find it
useful using the Universal Assessment
wilderresearch.org
Data entry basics
1. Consent form
2. Collect basic demographics on all clients (create
household as needed)
3. Record program entry date for all clients
4. Collect entry information for heads of household (back
date to program entry date as needed)
1. Follow HMIS income rules for other funders as needed
5. Record outcomes as clients’ needs are known and
progress is made
1. Make updates at least quarterly if not more often
6. Update outcomes at exit and
before report is due
wilderresearch.org
HMIS Consent forms
 Clients have the choice if they want their
information identified in HMIS (and their
children’s information)
 Most clients agree to include their name and
other identifying information in the system
─ It is important to give them the choice and explain
how the information is stored and used
 The United Way should be included on the
HMIS consent form as a funder
wilderresearch.org
Data privacy & protection: Client
Notification and Consent form
 Alerts the client that their
information will be
entered into the HMIS
database and can be
accessed by agency staff
and Wilder Research
 Client can choose
whether or not to sign the
form
 Read the instruction page
before giving the form to
a client!
wilderresearch.org
Data privacy & protection: Client
Notification and Consent form
 Signed form = enter identifying information (name & SSN)
─ Each adult must sign their own form
─ Adults sign for their minor children
─ Unaccompanied youth may sign on their own behalf
─ Record the client ID number on the case file
 Unsigned form = enter client anonymously
─ Households can have both identifiable and anonymous members
─ You can always change the client from anonymous to identifiable
once the consent form is signed
─ Never enter a client’s name and SSN until you have signed consent!
wilderresearch.org
Data privacy & protection: Other issues
 You must continue to use other data privacy notices
required by your agency, such as the Tennessen
Warning.
 Talk to staff at your agency to make sure you are
following all required rules.
 In the event of an investigation, consult the legal advice of
your agency. Some information requires a court order for
release; other times, you may be required to comply with
a subpoena or search warrant
wilderresearch.org
HMIS forms
 Updated forms are available to start collecting
information
─ Developed based on grant area and mirror
ServicePoint question order
─ Not required, but provided as a helpful template for
data collection
─ Programs not yet using HMIS should collect the
information on forms for later data entry
─ You can add additional questions or information to
the forms as you see fit
wilderresearch.org
ServicePoint 5
 We have resources if you have questions about
our new format in ServicePoint 5:
─ http://www.hmismn.org/upgrade/
wilderresearch.org
HMIS program set-up
1. Your organization has a specific structure;
including option(s) for the United Way
2. Use this provider for entry/exits and pulling
reports
wilderresearch.org
Demographic information
 Required for all clients served
─ Birthdate, gender, age, race, ethnicity
─ Social Security Number: asked for, but clients can
refuse or may not know (especially for children)
─ NEW: African Immigrant question

Added to meet United Way needs

Please include for clients for this year
 Don’t know and Refused: use only if this is how
client responds
wilderresearch.org
Information at entry
 Required for all heads of household
─ Each family should have one member designated as
head of household
─ Clients on their own are also considered a head of
household
─ Should be backdated to match program entry date
(more info on backdating in “assessments” section)
wilderresearch.org
Information at entry
 Covers housing, income and a few additional
demographic related questions to better
understand who is served
 Enter all information in entry/exit section with
demographics and assessment linked. New
feature in ServicePoint 5.
wilderresearch.org
Backdate Mode
 All information entered into ServicePoint is
attached to a specific date.
 Backdate mode resets most dates in the system
to a date in the past.
 Tells the system that any data entered in
backdate mode is current as of that date.
─ Example: today is April 15th. You are entering forms
for a client who started your program on March 29th.
Backdating to March 29th tells the system that the
information was current as of that date.
wilderresearch.org
Backdate Mode
 When to backdate?
─ Use built-in reminder pop-up
─ Whenever you go to a client’s record, a pop-up
reminder will ask if you want to choose a backdate or
stay at today’s date.
wilderresearch.org
Backdate Mode
 The date you use for backdate mode will usually
be one of the following:
─ The client’s program entry/service start date
─ The client’s program exit date
─ The last date of a reporting period, if you are making
updates after the report period has ended
wilderresearch.org
Backdate Mode: Date Icons

:“choose date” – brings up calendar

: “clear date”

: “set to current date
 These icons appear whenever you see a date
field (not just in backdate mode)
wilderresearch.org
Backdate Mode
 How do I know if I am in backdate mode?
─ You will see a yellow bar at the top of the screen.
 What happens if I forget to backdate?
─ Information will show up as “missing” when you run your reports.
The only way to fix this is to re-enter all of the data in backdate
mode. Don’t let this happen to you!
 When should I get out of backdate mode?
─ When you are finished entering data for a client
wilderresearch.org
Backdate Mode
 When do I leave backdate mode?
─ Only when you are completely finished with the client
or household member’s record
 How do I leave backdate mode?
─ Click on the
next to the backdate
─ Make sure set a new backdate for each new single
client or head of household you enter into the system
– check their program entry or service start date first.
wilderresearch.org
Backdate Mode
 When isn’t backdating required?
─ When you are updating outcomes (as long as it is
before December 31st 2012)

If you are adding outcomes information after that
date, make sure to back date to 12/31/2012
─ When you are viewing client information only

If you want to check the date something was
entered, use the colored bar to the left of the
question
wilderresearch.org
United Way Backdate Steps
 Use the pop-up reminder when starting data
entry for a new client-select program entry date
 Entry date will automatically be set to correct
date. Fill out all information for demographics
and step 1 on entry assessment and it will
automatically be linked to this date.
─ Make additions/corrections to step 1 data in the
entry/exit section (best practice)

If you do this in the assessment section, make
sure you are in back date mode in assessment
section
wilderresearch.org
United Way Backdate Steps
 Update outcomes (step 2 on assessment) in real
time in Assessment section
─ Unless updating after 12/31/2012, then back date to
this date.
wilderresearch.org
Income and Benefits
 For United Way you can record all household
income on the head of household’s record
─ If clients are commonly served by other programs
requiring HMIS keep those requirements in mind

HUD= all household members

State=all clients 18+ and youth on their own
─ United Way income reports will work correctly no
matter how you enter the data, but other funder
reports may not if you follow United Way rules
wilderresearch.org
Income and Benefits
 Cash income/benefits: such as employment or
government direct financial assistance
─ Record monthly amount received
 Non-cash benefits: in-kind assistance such as
food stamps, medical assistance, etc.
─ No amount required
 Sub-assessment start date should match
program entry date
wilderresearch.org
United Way specific questions at entry
 Geographic location where served/living
 Household income/poverty level
 African Immigrant
wilderresearch.org
Housing Stability Service Areas
 Each Service Area has its own assessment in
ServicePoint
─ Match the outcomes listed for each service area in
the RFP
─ Make sure to complete the appropriate assessment
for your service area
wilderresearch.org
Tracking outcomes
 While outcomes follow the format in the RFP,
the HMIS format is also aligned with meeting
system and reporting needs
─ Indicate which clients/households are working on
goals
─ Use sub-assessments to help track start and end
dates of goals that may change over time

Uses start and end dates and allow for multiple
sets of information reflecting different time periods
wilderresearch.org
Data entry for outcomes
 Enter data in real time as clients set and meet
goals (no backdate mode needed)
─ Best practice is to make regular updates; monthly is
best but quarterly may be enough
wilderresearch.org
Exiting clients/households
 Make sure to record exit information close to
when client/household exits
─ Record destination
─ Update income
─ You will be linked to specific set of questions for your
grant area in the exit section
wilderresearch.org
Clients served before Jan 1 2012
 If a client/household started the program prior to
Jan 1st 2012 record their actual program entry
date
─ Entry Information: Information at entry should reflect
the client/household situation at that time

Enter information in entry section to link to
program entry date
─ Outcomes: record actual dates for goals, even if they
were achieved before Jan 1st. Will help with
complete tracking.
wilderresearch.org
Data entry best practices
 Enter new clients/households within a couple of
weeks of program entry recording information
required at entry and outcomes clients are
focused on
 Update progress on outcomes periodically
 Update all required information as
clients/households exit
 Update all outcome information at end of
program year for clients not yet exited
wilderresearch.org
Data Quality
 Making sure all clients and their correct data is
entered is an important step in the reporting
process
 Wilder will also run and email out data quality
reports on a schedule still to be determined
─ Help you keep up to date and funders see how HMIS
process is working
─ Prior data quality processes have had good reception
wilderresearch.org
Data check reports
 A data check report is available matching each
grant area
 A separate income data check report is also
available
 Reports are available in ART
wilderresearch.org
Reports: Advanced Reporting Tool (ART)
 Data check reports (for you)
─ Detailed list of all clients, organized by the same
categories found on the counting report
─ Will tell you which clients are missing data
(highlighted in red) or have other data entry errors
─ Client names and ID numbers
 Counting reports (for funders)-IN PROCESS
─ General counts of clients and households served
─ Will tell you how many clients are missing data
─ But no client names or ID numbers
wilderresearch.org
Running ART Reports
Golden Rules:
 Wait until one day after you have entered/updated your
data to run an ART report.
─ ART uploads data from ServicePoint overnight
 Effective date: today’s date
 End date = one day after reporting period ends
 EDA Provider =ignore all
 Always download a report to computer to view it.
wilderresearch.org
Data Checking: What do I look for?
 Missing information (often highlighted in red):
─ Go into the client’s record in ServicePoint to complete
required information.
─ Data required for all clients and heads of household at
entry are highlighted as “missing” in red.
─ Outcomes: questions also highlight missing.

Ex: if “experiencing family violence” blank, missing
will show up in filed. “Date Safety Plan Developed”
will have “missing” if yes is selected and date is not
entered.
wilderresearch.org
Data Checking: What do I look for?
 Make sure information recorded is correct
─ We can highlight missing for you, but not if the
answer correctly reflect the client/household
wilderresearch.org
Data Checking: What do I look for?
 Housing sub-assessment
─ Check to make sure each person/head of
household’s housing information is correct.
─ Each person/head of household should have an entry
if they have been in supportive housing some time
during the year.
─ If end dates are entered, this indicates their
supportive housing stay ended and they changed to a
more unstable housing situation
wilderresearch.org
Data Checking: What do I look for?
 “Head” field (designates a head of household):
─ If serving families, make sure that every household
has a head: look for households with no “H” (or more
than one “H”).
─ This is especially important to check since most
questions are only collected in head of household
record.
─ First tab of data check reports highlight clients
selected as head of household for family programs.
wilderresearch.org
Updating households
 If a household is missing an “H,” go into the
household head’s record in ServicePoint. Click
on “Manage Household”
─ Change “head of household” to “yes” and save
─ Check other household member information if it
needs to be updated as well
wilderresearch.org
Income data check
 Focus on data check report is to make sure
income amounts and change are recorded
correctly
─ Only required to be recorded on heads of household
(including entire household income) for United Way
programs
─ If receive other funding sources, you may need to
record on other member’s records. All household
members are included on the income data check
report because of this.
wilderresearch.org
Reporting
 Reports will be available to provide summary
information needed for your annual report to the
United Way
─ Additional financial and descriptive information will
come from other sources
 Reports will be designed with feedback from
United Way staff and grantees
─ Are there things you would like to see from reports of
United Way information?
wilderresearch.org
United Way Resources
 United Way section of HMIS website:
HMISMN.org
─ Training dates
─ Forms
─ Instructions
─ PowerPoints
wilderresearch.org
United Way Resources
 HMIS helpdesk: call with your questions
─ Audrey and Matt are United Way experts (you can
ask for them directly in this early stage) and other
staff will be getting up to speed shortly
─ [email protected] or 651-280-2780
 Overall questions, suggestions, comments
─ Laura McLain: [email protected] or 651-2802671
wilderresearch.org
Next steps
 Complete data entry regularly
 Run data check reports
 Ask us questions/give us feedback as you go
─ Call or email so we can understand questions or
frustrations and provide better support, resources,
and training
 Watch for more information on data quality and
summary reports
wilderresearch.org