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2024 Data Standards

2022 HMIS Data Standards: What You Can Do Now

Hello System Administrators,

Recently we provided you with a detailed list of the changes on the horizon for this year’s HMIS Data Standards updates. Now, we’re ready to share how we’re updating Clarity to reflect these changes and how to ensure you are ready for this update. Please refer to the 2022 HMIS Data Standards Summary of Changes article for detailed descriptions of each change.

Note: If Bitfocus provides your system administration services, your team is already planning for these changes and will be working closely with you in the coming months to ensure a smooth rollout. Expect to hear more from your team in the coming weeks.

Screen Updates: Bitfocus released the 2022 screens to training systems on September 17 and to production sites on September 21. This allows you time to customize your screens to your community’s data collection requirements before the October 1 go-live date. Don't hesitate to contact our Technical Support agents if you have any questions about how to customize your standard screens.

Upcoming Changes and What You Need to Do:

3.06 Gender

Upcoming Change: The Gender field is being replaced with a multi-select picklist field (similar to the Race field). This update complies with HUD’s definition of a client’s self-identification.

Next Steps: We will provide guidance as soon as possible to assist with this major change.

3.15 Relationship to Head of Household Logic

Upcoming Change: If the Head of Household exits a Program, the system will require another member of the household to be designated as Head of Household (retroactively to the beginning of the household’s enrollment).

Next Steps: We will implement functionality to remind you that you need to designate a new Head of Household when the old Head of Household exits.

3.20 Housing Move-In Date Logic

Upcoming Change: Housing Move-In Date must be either on or between the Program Start Date and Program Exit Date.

Next Steps: We will implement a check to confirm that the Move-In Date is on or between the Program Start Date and Program Exit Date, with pop-up messages to alert you if you enter a Move-In Date that is before the Program Start Date, or if you enter a Program Exit Date that is before the Move-In Date.

4.02 (Income & Sources) and 4.03 (Non-Cash Benefits)

Upcoming Change: Users will be alerted through a banner, email, and inbox notification that the client is about to age into adulthood. Then, if the income and non-cash benefit information is missing once the client turns 18, the user will see a banner indicating that the client has aged into adulthood and that the missing information needs to be updated.

Next Steps: You don’t have to do anything; just be aware that, as clients approach their 18th birthday, you will see an alert to remind you that these Data Elements are coming due.

2.02 Project Operating End Date Logic

Upcoming Change: Before you can add an Operating End Date to the system, all clients must be exited (on or before the Operating End Date).

Next Steps: You won’t need to do anything; we will add an alert that notifies you if you are trying to enter an Operating End Date for a Program that still has actively enrolled clients.

3.11 Project Exit Date

Upcoming Change: The auto-exit functionality logic is being updated to change the default Destination from “Data not collected” to “No exit interview completed.” A pop-up warning will be displayed if an Admin or Manager changes the default Destination value to something other than “No exit interview completed.” This change does not apply to Coordinated Entry “Auto Exit to Permanent Destination” functionality.

Next Steps: We will apply the auto-exit logic in the background; you don’t need to do anything!

3.03 Date of Birth Logic Update

Upcoming Change: “Client doesn't know,” “Client refused,” and “Data not collected” are not valid in conjunction with a valid or approximated date of birth.

Next Steps: You won’t need to do anything; we’ve got this taken care of!

4.20 Coordinated Entry Event

Upcoming Change: The following new Referral Events are being added:
Next Steps: On or after October 1, you will need to configure “Referral to emergency assistance/flex fund/furniture assistance” and “Referral to a Housing Stability Voucher” as applicable for your site’s Coordinated Entry program. You can create the services for the program’s template and/or the service feature in Clarity. “Referral to Emergency Housing Voucher (EHV)” will most likely be an inferred event; we are waiting for more guidance from HUD on how to build this out in our system and will provide more detail when we have it.

V3 HP Financial Assistance

Upcoming Change: Field 11 (“General housing stability assistance -- emergency supplies”) is merging into field 12 (“General housing stability assistance - Other”). Field 12 is being renamed to “General housing stability assistance.” “Food assistance” is being added as a picklist response option for field 3 (“Financial Assistance Type”).

Next Steps: You will not need to do anything; we update and map automatically for you. We are currently awaiting mapping guidance from HUD.

2.02 — Field 9 (HOPWA-funded Medically Assisted Living Facility)

Upcoming Change: A new "HOPWA-funded Medically Assisted Living Facility” field is being added, with the following picklist responses:
Next Steps: This field is a new Project Descriptor that will be available on the Program Setup Screen under Manage > Programs.

C2 Moving On Assistance

Upcoming Change: A new service category of “Moving On Assistance Provided” is being added for HUD-CoC Permanent Supportive Housing projects. It will be placed alphabetically below “Moving Cost Assistance” in the service category picklist.

Next Steps: We recommend that you add this service to applicable projects on or after October 1, 2021.

V7 HP Targeting Criteria

Upcoming Change: This data element has been completely revised from the 2020 Data Standards version. We are awaiting further guidance from HUD on the revisions.

Next Steps: We will be conducting the update and any required mapping for you; you don’t need to do anything.

W1 HOPWA Services Provided

Upcoming Change: Within the HOPWA service category, “Substance abuse services/treatment” is being revised to “Substance use disorder services/treatment.”

Next Steps: You won’t need to do anything; we’ve got this taken care of!

R14 RHY Service Connections

Upcoming Change: “Substance abuse treatment” is being revised to “Substance use disorder treatment,” and “Substance Abuse Ed/Prevention Services” is being revised to “Substance Use disorder Ed/Prevention Services.”

Next Steps: You won't need to do anything; we've got this taken care of!

C1 Well-Being

Upcoming Change: HUD is introducing a new Data Element containing five questions about client well-being that will be required for HUD-CoC Permanent Supportive Housing projects.

Next Steps: This new C1 element will be added to the system enrollment, annual assessment, and exit screens (HoH only). You won’t need to do anything; we’ve got this taken care of!

C3 Youth Education Status

Upcoming Change: HUD is introducing a new Data Element containing three questions about youth educational status that will be required for HUD-CoC Youth Homeless Demonstration Program (YHDP) projects.

Next Steps: This new C3 element will be added to the system enrollment and exit screens (HoH only). You won’t need to do anything; we’ve got this taken care of!

W3 Field 4 — Ryan White Medical or Dental

Upcoming Change: A new “Receiving Ryan White-funded Medical or Dental Assistance” field is being added. This field is to be collected on the enrollment, annual assessment, and exit screens.

Next Steps: We will add the W4 element to the system enrollment, status assessment, annual assessment, and exit screens. You won’t need to do anything; we’ve got this taken care of!

W6 Prescribed Anti-Retroviral

Upcoming Change: A new “Prescribed Anti-Retroviral” Data Element will be added to the HOPWA enrollment, annual assessment, and exit screens. The field will be required for all household members with HIV/AIDS.

Next Steps: We will add the W6 element to the system enrollment, status assessment, annual assessment, and exit screens. You won’t need to do anything; we’ve got this taken care of!

2.06 Funding Sources

Upcoming Change: The following new Funding Sources are being added:
Next Steps: We will add the new Funding Sources to the system. You won't need to do anything; we've got this taken care of!

3.04 Race

Upcoming Change: Picklist language is being updated to the following:
Next Steps: You won’t need to do anything; we’ve got this taken care of!

3.05 Ethnicity

Upcoming Change: Picklist language is being updated to the following:
Next Steps: You won’t need to do anything; we’ve got this taken care of!

VA: SSVF (All Components)

Upcoming Changes: The following Data Elements will no longer be required for VA: SSVF-funded projects:
Next Steps: We will update the system VA enrollment, status assessment, annual assessment, and exit screens to remove these data elements from SSVF program requirements. You won’t need to do anything; we’ve got this taken care of!

4.09 Mental Health Problem

Upcoming Change: “Mental Health Problem” is being revised to “Mental Health Disorder,” and dependent language will be updated where applicable.

Next Steps: We will update the field name and the dependent field response language. You won’t need to do anything; we’ve got this taken care of!

4.10 Substance Use Problem

Upcoming Change: “Substance Use Problem” is being revised to “Substance Use Disorder,” and dependent language will be updated where applicable.

Next Steps: We will update the field name and the dependent field response language. You won’t need to do anything; we’ve got this taken care of!

W4 T-cell (CD4) and Viral Load

Upcoming Change: For consistency with other HOPWA elements, this data will now be collected for all household members with HIV/AIDS. Our system already meets this requirement.

R7 General Health Status

Upcoming Change: The following Program Components and Project Types will now be required to collect Data Element R7 (General Health Status):
- Funder: Program-Component:
  - HUD: HUD-VASH - Collection required for HUD/VASH-OTH
  - HHS: RHY - Collection required for all components except for Street Outreach
  - HUD: CoC - Permanent Supportive Housing
- Project Type Applicability:
  - Emergency Shelter
  - Transitional Housing
  - PH - Permanent Supportive Housing
  - RH - Rapid Rehousing
Next Steps: We will add the Data Element to the applicable Funding and Project enrollment and exit screens. You won’t need to do anything; we’ve got this taken care of!

R10 Pregnancy Status

Upcoming Change: The limitation on collecting “Pregnancy Status” solely on “female” participants is being removed to reflect that people other than those who identify as female can be pregnant.

Next Steps: We will remove the limitation on collecting this data element solely for “female” participants on system enrollment and annual assessment screens and will make it available for “Adults” and “Head of Household.”

R12 Formerly a Ward of Juvenile Justice System

Upcoming Change: “If Yes for ‘Formerly a Ward of Child Welfare or Foster Care Agency’” is being corrected to “If Yes for ‘Formerly a Ward of Juvenile Justice System.’”

Next Steps: We will update the field name. You won’t need to do anything; we’ve got this taken care of!

R13 Family Critical Issues

Upcoming Change: “Mental Health Issues” is being revised to “Mental Health Disorder.” “Alcohol or Substance Abuse” is being revised to “Alcohol or Substance Use Disorder.”

Next Steps: We will update the field name. You won’t need to do anything; we’ve got this taken care of!

4.08 HIV/AIDS

Upcoming Change: Data Element 4.08 (HIV/AIDS) will no longer be required for projects funded by the following HHS: RHY funding sources:
Next Steps: We will update the system enrollment, annual assessment, and exit screens for projects funded by these Funding Sources. You won’t need to do anything; we’ve got this taken care of!

As we move through this process, Bitfocus will continue to send updates and reminders to help move forward smoothly!