HMIS Data Standards FY2024

Acronyms used in this document

• CoC: Continuum of Care
• ES: Emergency Shelter
• HMIS: Homeless Management Information System
• HUD: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
• PSH: Permanent Supportive Housing
• RRH: Rapid Rehousing
• SH: Safe Haven

Universal Data Elements

• HMIS Universal Data Elements are elements required to be collected by all projects participating in HMIS.
• Specific projects are required to gather additional data elements, based upon their funding source(s). Some of those federal or local partners include:
  
  • CoC: Continuum of Care
  • ESG: Emergency Solutions Grant
  • HOPWA: Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS
  • MHTF: Missouri Housing Trust Fund
  • MoHIP: Missouri Housing Innovation Program
  • PATH: Projects for Assistance in Transition from Homelessness
  • RHY: Runaway and Homeless Youth
  • SSVF: Supportive Services for Veteran Families

Client Record

Client Names

• HMIS records should use a client’s full, legal name whenever possible. 
• If the client doesn’t associate with their legal name, the name entered into HMIS should reflect the name the client identifies with, unless legal name is required by the funder (e.g., VA).
• This should include middle names and suffixes (Sr., Jr., II, III) as appropriate. 
• Names must be properly capitalized. 
• Name Data Quality
  
  • Full Name Reported: the client’s full first and last legal names are recorded.
  • Partial, Street Name or Code Name Reported: name that does not match official identification is utilized (e.g., nickname, street name for street outreach clients, etc.).
  • Client Doesn’t Know: the client does not know their name. You must enter a false/made-up name. 
  • Client prefers not to answer: the client declines to provide their name. You must enter a false/made-up name. 

Social Security Number (SSN)

• New 2024 standards: PATH, CoC, and ESG Program-funded projects are only required to collect the last four digits of the SSN, though are not prohibited from collecting all nine digits. CoC and ESG-funded projects are not penalized for only collecting the last four digits of the SSN. 
• If a client declines to give their SSN, ask if they’re willing to give the last four digits. If so, record the last four digits. Any digits they do not provide should be left blank. Do not fill in the missing digits with zeros or other characters. 
• Do not remove the previously recorded 9-digit SSN and replace it with a 4-digit SSN unless requested by the client.
  
  Data Quality
• • Full SSN Reported (HUD): the client’s full SSN has been provided and recorded.
  • Approximate or partial SSN reported (HUD): data other than a complete and valid 9-digit SSN is provided, regardless of reason (e.g., last four digits only).
  • Client doesn’t know (HUD): the client does not know or does not have an SSN. 
  • Client prefers not to answer (HUD): the client declines to provide any part of their SSN, regardless of the reason. 
  • Data not collected (HUD): the client was not asked for the SSN and there is no reasonable way to contact the client to request their SSN. 

U.S. Military Veteran Status

• Anyone who has ever been on active duty in the armed forces of the U.S., regardless of discharge status or length of service; or
  
  • Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard: active duty begins when a military member reports to a duty station after completion of training. 
  • Reserves and National Guard: active duty is any time spent activated or deployed, either in the U.S. or abroad. 
• Anyone who was disabled in the line of duty during a period of active-duty training; or
• Anyone who was disabled from an injury incurred in the line of duty or from acute myocardial infarction, a cardiac arrest, or a cerebrovascular accident during a period if inactive duty training. 
• Available responses:
  
  • Yes (HUD): Anyone who meets the definition of a veteran. 
  • No (HUD): Anyone who does not meet the definition of a veteran, including all individuals under the age of 18.
  • Client doesn’t know (HUD): Use only when the client does not know if they are a veteran.
  • Client prefers not to answer (HUD): should be selected when a client chooses not to identify their Veteran status.
  • Data not collected (HUD): Use only when the client was not asked for their veteran status and there is no reasonable way to determine their veteran status.

Entry/Exits

Project Start Date

• Street Outreach: Date of first contact with the client. 
• Emergency Shelter: The night the client first stayed in the shelter. 
• Save Haven & Transitional Housing: Date client moves into the residential project (i.e., the first night in residence). 
• Permanent Housing (including RRH): The date following the application that the client was admitted into the project. This typically is NOT the same date the client moves into the residence.
• Other Service Projects: including but not limited to services only, day shelter, homelessness prevention, coordinated assessment, and healthcare it is the date the client first began working with the project and generally received the first provision of service.

Annual Assessments

• All clients in a project for 365 days or more continuously must have an annual assessment within a 60-day window around the anniversary of the Head of Household’s Project Start Date. 
• The 60-day window begins 30 calendar days before their project start anniversary, and ends 30 calendar days after their project start anniversary. 
• An annual assessment must be recorded even if nothing has changed.
• Annual assessments include updates to multiple items, including but not limited to:
  
  • Client location by CoC and county
  • Health Insurance
  • Income and Sources
  • Non-Cash Benefits
  • Disability Details

Project Exit Date

Residential projects: 

The last day of a continuous stay in the project before the client transfers to another residential project or otherwise stops residing in the project. 

• For example, if a person checked into an overnight shelter on January 30, stayed overnight and left in the morning, the exit date for that shelter stay would be January 31. 

Clients in rapid re-housing projects are to be exited after the last RRH service is provided. If eligible RRH case management services are provided past the final date of receiving rental assistance, for example, the client must not be exited until those services cease. 

• For example, if a rapid rehousing project provides rental assistance to a client through the end of July, but continues providing case management services through October, the client’s exit date would be the same date as the last case management service in October. 

Non-residential projects: 

The last day a contact was made, or a service was provided. Projects must have a clear and consistently applied procedure for determining when a client who is receiving supportive services is no longer considered to be participating in the project. 

• For street outreach and supportive services projects, this is the last date the client was contacted, or services were provided. If a client “disappears,” the Project Exit Date is the last day the client met with their case worker. 
• If a client is contacted or provided services only on one day, the Project Start and Project Exit Dates will be the same day. 

Destination

• Residential projects: Record where the client is expected to move to or stay immediately after leaving. Permanent housing with subsidized options has funding type selections (New).
• Non-Residential projects: Record where the client is expected to stay after they complete or stop participation in services. This may be the same place that they were staying prior to starting in the project. 
• Select the response that most closely matches where the client will be staying after exiting the project. 
• “Other” should be used only as a last resort if the client’s destination truly cannot be even loosely described by any of the available options. The response of “Other” is considered a negative outcome.
• “No exit interview completed” should be used only when absolutely necessary. If a client “disappears,” projects should try to contact the client to determine where they went. The response of “No exit interview completed” is considered a negative outcome, and is reported as missing data. 

Client Demographics

Date of Birth (DOB)

• HMIS records should have the client’s full date of birth for all clients, including children.
• Date of Birth Type
  
  • Full DOB reported: the client has provided their full date of birth.
  • Approximate or partial DOB reported: the client cannot remember or refuses to provide their full or exact date of birth. Enter January 1 for the date, then an approximate year of birth in the year field. 
  • Client doesn’t know: leave the date of birth field blank. This will be considered a data entry error. 
  • Client prefers not to answer: leave the date of birth field blank. This will be considered a data entry error. 
  • Data not collected: the client was not asked for their DOB and there is no reasonable way to contact the client to request their DOB. Leave the date of birth blank. This will be considered a data entry error. 

Gender

• Gender is a multi-select option. Select all of the genders with which the client identifies. 
• Gender does not need to match legal documents. 
• Client-centered approach to this data. Indicate the client’s self-identification with one or more of the gender categories. If a client discloses being a culturally specific identity (e.g., Two-Spirit), transgender, non-binary, questioning, or a different identity, staff should ask if the client prefers to have the HMIS record reflect the client’s gender identity.
• In the event that a client discloses being transgender, staff should ask the client if they would like to have their transgender status recorded in the system or not. 
  
  • An individual who identifies as a transgender man should be offered the option of selecting “male” only, "transgender" only, or “transgender" and "male.”
  • An individual who identifies as a transgender woman should be offered the option of selecting “female” only, "transgender" only, or “transgender" and "female.”

Available responses:

• Woman (Girl if child): Client identifies as a woman, or girl in the case of a child under the age of 18. 
• Man (Boy if child): Client identifies as a man, or boy in the case of a child under the age of 18
• Culturally Specific Identity (e.g., Two-Spirit): Client identifies with an identity that is exclusive to a particular culture. For example, Two-Spirit refers to a Native North American gender identity. 
• Non-binary: Client does not identify exclusively as a man or a woman
• Transgender: Client who live or identify with a transgender history, experience or identity. 
• Questioning: Clients who may be unsure, may be exploring, or may not relate to or identify with a gender identity at this time. 
• Different Identity: Client identifies with another identity that is not listed as a response. A text box is provided for additional detail.
• Client doesn’t know: Use only when the client does not know their gender. 
• Client prefers not to answer: Use only when the client declines to identify their gender. 
• Data not collected: Use only when the client was not asked for their gender and there is no reasonable way to contact the client to determine their gender.

Race

• HMIS users and data entry staff should apply a client-centered approach to recognizing race and ethnicity identities in data collection. When enrolling a client who already has a record in the HMIS, verify that race and ethnicity information is complete and accurately reflects how the client identifies, and correct if it does not. Staff observations should never be used to collect information on race and ethnicity. No documentation is required to verify a client's response.
• HMIS records should have at least one race indicated for all clients, including children.
• If the client reports only one race, enter it into the Primary Race field and leave the Secondary Race field set to – Select –. 
• If the client reports two races, enter one in the Primary Race field and enter the other in the Secondary Race field. The order of the responses does not matter.

Available responses:

• American Indian, Alaska Native, or Indigenous: A person who identifies with any of the original peoples of North, Central, and South America. Examples include but are not limited to Navajo Nation, Blackfeet Tribe, Mayan, Aztec, Tlingit, etc
• Asian or Asian American: A person who identifies with one or more nationalities or ethnic groups originating in East Asia, Southeast Asia, or the Indian subcontinent. Examples include, but are not limited to Chinese, Indian, Japanese, Korean, Pakistani, Vietnamese, or another representative nation/region.
• Black, African American, or African: A person who identifies with one or more nationalities or ethnic groups originating in any of the Black racial groups of Africa, including Afro-Caribbean. Examples include but are not limited to, African American, Jamaican, Haitian, Nigerian, Ethiopian, and Somali.
• Hispanic/Latina/e/o: A person who identifies with one or more nationalities or ethnic groups originating in Mexico, Puerto Rico, Cuba, Central and South American, and other Spanish cultures. Examples include but are not limited to, Mexican or Mexican American, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Salvadoran, Dominican, and Colombian. This selection replaces the ethnicity question in previous data standards.
• Middle Eastern or North African: A person who identifies with one or more nationalities or ethnic groups with origins in the Middle East and North Africa. Examples include but are not limited to, Lebanese, Iranian, Egyptian, Syrian, Moroccan, and Israeli.
• Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander: A person having origins in any of the indigenous peoples of Hawaii, Guam, Samoa, or another Pacific Island.
• White: A person who identifies with one or more nationalities or ethnic groups originating in Europe. Examples include, but are not limited to German, Irish, Polish, English, French, and Norwegian.
• Additional Race and Ethnicity Detail: [TEXT] Provide additional specificity the client would like the share about their race or ethnicity. 
• Client doesn’t know: Use only when the client does not know their race(s) from any of the five options above. 
• Client prefers not to answer: Use only when the client declines to identify their race(s) from any of the seven options above. 
• Data not collected: Use this response if the staff does not ask the client to provide their race/ethnicity.

Relationship to Head of Household

• Exactly one individual must be identified as head of household at each project start, including for single individuals. All other household members must be marked as child, spouse or partner, other relation, or non-relation member. 
• When a household is composed of adults and children, an adult must be indicated as the head of household. 
• If the head of household leaves the household during the project stay, but others remain, another individual must be designated as the head of household. 
• If the household presenting is entirely children or youth (where none of the youth presenting are the child of another youth being served by the project), each youth must be recorded as their own household. 

Enrollment CoC and Client Location

• Enrollment CoC: select the CoC code where the project operates. Collected only at start.
• Client Location: select the County in which the client is staying at the start of the project. The CoC code and County may not align with each other.
• If a client moves between counties during the project stay, the County field must be updated in an interim review to reflect their new location.

Zip Code of Last Permanent Address

• The purpose of this element is to determine if clients are moving great distances to receive help, so approximate zip codes are acceptable. 
• Enter the zip code of the last place the client lived for 90 days continuously that was not a shelter or place not meant for habitation, then select “Full or Partial Zip Code Reported”
• If the client does not know the zip code, ask for the city and state where the client last lived for 90 days or more continuously, and search for a zip code using a search engine. Enter one of the zip codes for that area, then select “Full or Partial Zip Code Reported” 
• If the client does not know the zip code or the city and state, select “Client doesn’t know.”
• If the client refuses to provide a zip code or city and state, or their last permanent address was outside of the United States, select “Client prefers not to answer.”

Housing Move-in Date

• At project start, this field will usually be blank. An exception can be made if moving a client between housing projects and the client is housed at entry. Please use the start date as the move-in date.
• An interim review must be recorded with an effective date that matches the date the client moved into the housing unit, and the Housing Move-in Date must be completed for each client in the household.
• If client is literally homeless (living on street, in shelter or safe haven) at project start, you must clear out this field or reports may not generate correctly. This is applicable to all project types.

Disabling Condition

• A physical, mental, or emotional impairment, including an impairment caused by alcohol or drug abuse, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), or brain injury that:
  
  • Is expected to be of long-continuing or of indefinite duration;
  • Substantially impedes the individual’s ability to live independently; and
  • Could be improved by the provision of more suitable housing conditions.
• A developmental disability, as defined in section 102 of the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act of 2000 (42 U.S.C. 15002); or
• The disease of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) or any condition arising from the etiologic agency for acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (i.e., HIV); or
• A veteran who is disabled by an injury or illness that was incurred or aggravated during active military service and whose disability meets the disability definition defined in Section 223 of the Social Security Act.
• Available responses:
  
  • No: Anyone who does not have a disabling condition as defined previously.
  • Yes: Anyone who does have a disabling condition as defined previously. 
  • Client doesn’t know: Use only when the client does not know if they have a disabling condition.
  • Client prefers not to answer: Use only when the client declines to state if they have a disabling condition.
  • Data not collected: Use only when the client was not asked if they have a disabling condition and there is no reasonable way to contact the client to ask if they have a disabling condition.

Chronic Homelessness Determination

• These questions help determine if a client appears to be Chronically Homeless, but do not serve as documentation of chronically homeless status (if required by the project/funder). 
• At times, conditional logic may be utilized. Conditional logic means that questions appear or disappear based upon answers provided to other questions. 
• In this section, if a field shows, you need to answer it. 

Approx. Date Homelessness Started

• Have the client look back to the date of the last time the client had a place to sleep that was not on the streets, ES, or SH. 
• The look back time would not be broken by a stay of less than 7 consecutive nights in any permanent or temporary housing situation.
• The look back time also would not be broken by an institutional stay of less than 90 days (i.e. jail, substance abuse or mental health treatment facility, hospital, or other similar facility). 
• Include any continuous time moving around between the streets, an emergency shelter, or a safe haven.
• Approximations are expected. 

Number of times homeless

• Including their current homeless situation, count all the different times the client was on the streets, in an emergency shelter, or in a safe haven in the last 3 years where there are full breaks in between. 
• Full breaks are defined as:
  
  • Living in an institution (e.g., hospital, jail) for 90 or more days continuously; or
  • Living in a temporary or permanent housing situation (e.g., rental, hotel, friends/family) for 7 or more nights

Number of months homeless

• You can start out by counting the months between the approximate date homelessness started and the project start date, which you already determined. 
• For each calendar month where the client spent at least one night on the streets, in shelter, or in a safe haven, you count that entire month. 
• Full break rule still applies. 
• The current month, even if it is only the first of the month, must be counted as a full month. 

Chronic Homelessness Determination Example

A client reports that they stayed in shelter from 12/26/2016 to 3/4/2017, and another time from 5/27/2017 to 6/2/2017. In addition, they’re now entering your shelter on 10/12/17 after staying on the streets since 10/3/2017. In between, they were living with relatives or paying for a hotel room out of their own pocket, and they’ve had no other instances of homelessness in the past 3 years.

• Residence prior to project entry: Place not meant for habitation
• Length of stay in previous place: More than one week, but less than one month
• Approximate date homelessness started: 10/3/2017
• Number of times homeless: 3 times
• Number of months homeless: 7 months (December 2016 (1), January 2017 (2), February (3), March (4), May (5), June (6), October (7))

Common Data Elements

HUD Verifications

Health Insurance

• All 10 sources of health insurance must be collected for all individuals, including children.
• All sources must have a “yes” or “no” answer.
• Insurance purchased through a health care exchange (e.g., HealthCare.gov) should be recorded as “Private Pay Health Insurance”
• TRICARE must be recorded as “Employer-Provided Health Insurance”
• MO HealthNet is Missouri’s name for Medicaid and should be recorded as Medicaid

Income and Sources

• All 15 sources must be collected for all adults and heads of household.
• All sources must have a “yes” or “no” answer, and if “yes,” the monthly amount must be recorded.
• Social Security Survivor Benefits must be recorded as “Retirement from Social Security”
• Military retirement pay must be recorded as “Pension or retirement income from a former job.”
• Income for minors (e.g., SSI) must be recorded on the head of household.

Non-Cash Benefits

• All 6 sources of non-cash benefits must be collected for all adults and heads of household.
• All sources must have a “yes” or “no” answer.
• The amount of these benefits, if applicable, does not need to be documented.

Special Needs Assessment

Disability Elements

• All 8 disability types must be recorded for all clients, including children.
• All disability types must have a “yes” or “no” answer.
• For Physical Disability, Chronic Health Condition, Mental Health Problem, Alcohol Use Disorder, Drug Use Disorder, or Both Alcohol and Drug Use Disorder, a secondary question must be answered if the initial answer is “yes.”
  • “If yes, expected to be of long-continued and indefinite duration and substantially impairs the ability to live independently”
  • If the client has both Alcohol and Drug Abuse, set “Both Alcohol and Drug Abuse” to “yes” and set “Alcohol Abuse” and “Drug Abuse” both to no. 
  • For the purpose of HMIS, documentation of disabilities is not required.
  • Entering disability information into the HMIS does not constitute a diagnosis, even if you are a licensed professional. 

Disability types:

• Physical Disability refers to a physical impairment.
• Chronic Health Condition means a diagnosed condition that is more than 3 months in duration and is either not curable or has residual effects that limit daily living and require adaptation in function or special assistance. 
  
  • Examples of chronic health conditions include, but are not limited to heart disease, severe asthma, diabetes, arthritis-related conditions, adult-onset cognitive impairments, severe headache/migraine, cancer, chronic bronchitis, liver condition, stroke, or emphysema.
• Developmental Disability means a severe, chronic disability that is attributed to a mental or physical impairment (or combination of physical and mental impairments) that occurs before 22 years of age and limits the capacity for independent living and economic self-sufficiency.
• HIV/AIDS refers to the disease of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) or any condition arising from the etiologic agency for acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV).
• Mental Health Disorder refers to a wide range of mental health problems, ranging from situational depression to serious mental illnesses. 

Domestic Violence

• Domestic Violence Victim/Survivor should be set to “yes” if:
  
  • The person has experienced any domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking or other dangerous or life-threatening conditions that relate to violence against the individual or a family member, including a child, that has either taken place within the individual’s or family’s primary nighttime residence.
• When experience occurred should be set to the most recent incidence of domestic violence.
• Currently fleeing should be set to “yes” if:
  
  • The person is fleeing, or attempting to flee, the domestic violence situation, or
  • Is afraid to return to their primary nighttime residence.
• Projects should be especially sensitive to the collection of domestic violence information from clients and should implement appropriate interview protocols to protect client privacy and safety 

Common Program Specific Data Elements

• To meet the statutory and regulatory requirements of federally funded programs using HMIS, additional elements are required for different funding sources. 
• The Program Specific Data Elements are elements that are required by at least one of the HMIS federal partner programs. 
• Some of the program specific data elements are collected across most federal partner programs. These are called “Common” Program Specific Data Elements. 

Current Living Situation

• In addition to being collected by street outreach, night-by-night shelters, and all PATH projects; it must also be collected for some Coordinated Entry projects (varies by CoC).
• Instead of “Is the client living on streets, in ES or SH?” the system will ask for the specific living situation as of the date. In some cases, additional questions may be asked. Questions may include:
  • Which project/agency interacted with the client. 
  • If the client is not literally homeless, questions about the current stability of the client’s housing. 
• Must be collected each time project interacts with client, including but not limited to:
• Conversations between street outreach worker and client about their well-being or needs
• Office visits to discuss housing or treatment plans
• Referrals to other community services
• Regular check-ins with coordinated entry providers to verify continued eligibility for coordinated entry
• Record the date of each interaction, as well as where the client is living at the time of contact and any other applicable information as prompted by the system. 

Date of Engagement

• Collected by street outreach, night-by-night shelters, and all PATH projects
• Must be recorded on an entry or interim update when the client becomes engaged with the street outreach project in the development of a plan to address their housing crisis

Housing Assessment Disposition

• Collected at project exit by coordinated assessment projects (access points/front doors)
• Indicates the outcome of the client’s assessment, and is collected only when known. 

Options include, but are not limited to:

• Referred to emergency shelter/safe haven
• Referred to permanent supportive housing
• Referred to a homelessness diversion program
• Unable to refer/accept within continuum; continuum services unavailable
• Applicant declined referral/acceptance

Prevention Disposition

• Collected at project exit by all prevention projects and all HOPWA-funded projects
• Gathers information about the end result of the prevention/HOPWA project. Options include, but are not limited to:
  
  • Able to maintain the housing they had at project entry
  • Moved to a new housing unit
  • Moved in with family/friends
  • Client became homeless
• Certain projects also collect subsidy information. 

Coordinated Entry Data Elements

• HUD has developed two data elements for use by coordinated entry projects. 
• These elements are required for CoC’s with CoC-funded Coordinated Entry projects and recommended for all other CoCs. 
• If these elements will be utilized in your CoC, you will be provided with CoC-specific guidance and training prior to their implementation. 

Coordinated Entry Assessment

Coordinated Entry Event

Expectations of HMIS Participating Agencies

• Have and follow a data quality monitoring/correction plan.
  
  • Contact the helpdesk if you would like assistance developing and utilizing a data quality monitoring and correction plan.
• Ensure the accuracy of information entered into the system.
  
  • The responsibility for data quality and completeness is on the end user who entered the data.
• Enter data into the system in a timely manner, following the timeliness standards of your CoC(s).
• Record annual assessments correctly.

Data Standards Test

• All users must complete the Data Standards Test and must receive a score of 80% or higher to pass. 
• Current users must complete the test before Thursday, September 30 at 5 pm or their access to ServicePoint™ may be disabled.
• All new users must complete the test before gaining access to the system. 
• You are welcomed and encouraged to utilize the notes version of this presentation (and any notes you’ve taken) while completing the test.
• You will receive an email after you submit the test notifying you whether or not you passed the test. If you do not pass, you are encouraged to review the material again and then re-take the test. 

Additional Data Standards

• Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA)
• MHDC Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG/MESG)
• Missouri Housing Innovation Program (MoHIP)
• Missouri Housing Trust Fund (MHTF)
• Projects for Assistance in Transition from Homelessness (PATH)
• Runaway and Homeless Youth (RHY)
• Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF)

Questions

Contact the ICA Missouri Helpdesk at mohmis@icalliances.org if you have any questions.

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