The following release notes should used in conjunction with the 2020 HMIS Data Standards: System Administrator Checklist - August 2019 article [Archived Article].
The details here are meant to be a more granular view of how the Clarity Data Analysis tool has been updated as a result of the changes to Clarity Human Services, in accordance with HUDS's 2020 HMIS Standards update.
The changes described below will fall into a couple of categories:
- Label or description changes
- Logic changes (i.e., code changes)
Regardless of the type of change, the Bitfocus Data Services team has tested each change to gauge impact on existing report. As such, pay special attention to changes marked as "
Action Needed" as these changes might impact existing report validity.
Label and Description Updates
Across the Data Analysis tool, dimensions and measures have had their labels and descriptions updated to match the 2020 HMIS Data Dictionary.
A complete list of changes to HMIS Data Element numbering and labeling may be found in the HMIS Data Dictionary or the 2020 HMIS Data Standards Resource Guide [Archived Article].
Project Type - Coordinated Entry
Any references to "Coordinated Assessments" in labels or descriptions have been replaced with "Coordinated Entry." This also includes filter selection options.
Action Needed:
Existing reports where "Project Type" has been filtered to "Coordinated Assessment" should be updated to "Coordinated Entry."
HMIS Data Element 2.01 - Organization Information - Victim Service Provider
The Programs - Victim Service Provider (former HMIS Data Element 2.8.5) dimensions have been moved to the "Retired" group. A new View has been created called "Organization Information" and a dimension called "Victim Service Provider" added. This represents the new HMIS Data Element 2.01.3. Bottom line, Victim Service Provider now relates to the Agency, not the Program.
Action Needed:
Any reports where "Victim Service Provider" is being reported or filtered on, should replace "Programs, Victim Service Provider" with "Agency, Victim Service Provider" dimension.
Program Applicability added to "Retired" Group
The Program Applicability field, a predecessor of Project Type, was moved to the "Retired" group in the Programs View.
HMIS Data Element 2.02.6D - Project Information: Housing Type
The dimension "Housing Type" now only returns results for residential Project Types:
- Emergency Shelter
- Transitional Housing
- Permanent Supportive Housing
- Safe Haven
- PH - Housing Only
- PH - Housing Services (no disability required for entry)
- PH - Rapid Rehousing
Action Needed:
Where reports are meant to include other Project Types (Street Outreach, Day Shelter, Homeless Prevention, and Coordinated Entry) AND is using Housing Type as a filter will need to be updated. If Housing Type is a filter, it will filter out all non-residential Project Types.
HMIS Data Element 2.02.7 - Is HMIS Participating Project
The dimension "HMIS Participating (Yes/No)" that was contained in the "Bed and Unit Inventory" has been marked as "Retired" in the description and has been moved to the "Retired" group. See "Bed and Unit Inventory Information View."
Action Needed:
Reports using either the "HMIS Participating Beds" measure or "HMIS Participating?" dimension should be updated to the the new "Programs, Is HMIS Participating Project" data element.
HMIS Data Element 2.03 - Continuum of Care Information
In the Programs View, the following dimensions have been grouped under "CoC Information":
- CoC - HMIS Data Element 2.03.1
- Geocode - HMIS Data Element 2.03.2
Also the following dimensions have been exposed and added to the "CoC Information":
- Address - HMIS Data Element 2.03.3
- Address 2 - HMIS Data Element 2.03.4
- City - HMIS Data Element 2.03.5
- State - HMIS Data Element 2.03.6
- Zip - HMIS Data Element 2.03.7
- Geography Type - HMIS Data Element 2.03.8
HMIS Data Element 2.06 - Funding Sources
When "Funding Sources" is equal to "Local or Other Funding Source" (46), the "Non-Federal Funding Source" field will contain the HMIS Data Element 2.07.1A. That is, it will contain the "Other" funding source.
HMIS Data Element 2.07 - Bed and Unit Inventory Information View
The Program Inventory View has undergone significant changes. The following measures have been added to the "Retired" Group:
- Veteran Bed Inventory
- Youth Bed Inventory
- Chronically Homeless Bed Inventory
- HMIS Participating Beds
- HMIS Participating?
Program Inventory Information Date
The former HMIS Data Element 2.7.1, "Program Inventory Information Date" has been removed from the data analysis tool as it has also been removed from Clarity Human Services.
The following dimensions and measures have been added to the "Bed and Unit Inventory" View in a group called "Bed Allocations":
- Chronically Homeless Veteran
- Chronically Homeless Youth
- Other Chronically Homeless
- Non-Dedicated
- Other Veteran
- Other Youth
- Youth-Veteran
These dimensions represent the number of beds a program has allocated towards a target population.
Also, dimensions have been added representing whether the target population toggle is on in Clarity Human Services. These dimensions start with "Is" followed by the respective bed type. They may be found under the "Bed Allocations Enabled" group.
Additionally, "Total Bed Inventory" and "Total Unit Inventory" dimensions have been added. These are different than the existing "Total Bed Inventory" and "Total Unit Inventory" measures, which are the sum of all the bed and unit inventories respectively.
The Total Bed Inventory and Total Unit Inventory measures may match the dimensions, depending on how a Look is structured. However, the HUD Data Elements are the "Total Bed Inventory" and "Total Unit Inventory" dimensions.
Action Needed:
All existing reports relying on "Program Inventory Information Date" should be updated, as these reports will no longer function as expected. They will display a yellow warning label indicating the dimension is missing.
Reports using either the "HMIS Participating Beds" measure or "HMIS Participating?" dimension should be updated to use the new "Programs, Is HMIS Participating Project".
Lastly, existing reports using:
- Veteran Bed Inventory
- Youth Bed Inventory
- Chronically Homeless Bed Inventory
Should be assessed to determine if they can instead report or filter on the new target population dimensions.
HMIS Data Element 3.08 - Disabling Condition
"Disabling Condition" has been moved to "Retired" on all screens (Last, Follow-up, etc.) except Entry Screen.
Action Needed:
Updates should be made to any reports where the "official" Disabling Condition is critical.
HMIS Data Element 3.12 - Destination
The following fields have been relabeled:
- "Exit Destination" to "Destination"
- "Exit Destination Other" to "Destination Other"
- "Last Exit Destination" to "Last Destination"
The dimension "Housed at Exit" has be updated to refer to the new "housed destinations.
And all parts of SPM7 have been updated to refer to the new "Destination" values.
Action Needed:
Any filter or table calculation referring to the following "Destinations" should be updated with the new "Destination" display values.
| Old Destination Value | New Destination Value |
| Emergency shelter, including hotel or motel paid for with emergency shelter voucher, or RHY-funded Host Home shelter | Emergency shelter, including hotel or motel paid for with emergency shelter voucher, or RHY-funded Host Home shelter |
| Transitional housing for homeless persons | Transitional housing for homeless persons (including homeless youth) |
| Staying or living with family, temporary tenure | Staying or living with family, temporary tenure (e.g. room, apartment or house) |
| Staying or living with friends, temporary tenure | Staying or living with friends, temporary tenure (e.g. room, apartment or house) |
| Place not meant for habitation | Place not meant for habitation (e.g., a vehicle, an abandoned building, bus/train/subway station/airport or anywhere outside) |
HMIS Data Element 3.20 - Housing Move-in Date
Housing Move-in Date has been moved to "Retired" on all screens (Last, Follow-up, etc.) except Entry Screen.
Additionally, Household Move-in Date no longer assesses all Move-in Dates in an enrollment and selecting the recent. Household Move-in Date now only assesses the head-of-household's Entry Screen Move-in Date.
The objective of the way Housing Move-in Date is structured in Looker is to create indicators pointing to the Entry Move-in Date as the official HMIS Data Element 3.20, while preserving an analyst's ability to report Move-in Dates collected on other screens.
In the Data Quality Model, the "Housing Move-in Date Error" dimension and "Housing Move-in Date Error Count" measure have been updated to only assess errors found on the Entry Screen.
The "Total RRH Bed Inventory" and Total RRH Unit Inventory" dimensions have been updated to only consider the Housing Move-in Date on the Entry Screen.
Action Needed:
Updates should be made to any reports where the "official" Move-in Date is critical.
HMIS Data Element 3.917 - Prior Living Situation Group
The Group "Length of Stay in Prior Living Situation" has been re-labeled to "Prior Living Situation."
Residence Prior to Project Entry - 3.917AB.1
Clarity Human Services will handle changes to "Residence Prior to Project Entry" displaying the correct values after HUD mappings. However, the following Data Analysis calculations have been updated to use the new values:
- Measures in SPM1a1, SPM1a2, SPM1b1, SPM1b2
- Chronic Homeless at Project Start
HMIS Data Element 4.12 - Current Living Situation View
A View has been added labeled "Current Living Situation." Recall "Current Living Situation" assessment is replacing "Contact" services. The following dimensions have been added:
- Information Date - HMIS Data Element 4.12.1
- Current Living Situation - HMIS Data Element 4.12.2
- Living Situation Verified By - HMIS Data Element 4.12.3
- Is client going to have to leave their current living situation within 14 days? - HMIS Data Element 4.12.3a
- Has a subsequent residence been identified? - HMIS Data Element 4.12.3c
- Does individual or family have resources or support networks to obtain other permanent housing - HMIS Data Element 4.12.3c
- Has the client had a lease or ownership interest in a permanent housing unit in the last 60 days? - HMIS Data Element 4.12.3d
- Has the client moved 2 or more times in the last 60 days? - HMIS Data Element 4.12.3e
- Location Details - HMIS Data Element 4.12.4
HMIS Data Element 4.18 - Housing Assessment Disposition
The dimension "Housing Assessment Disposition" has been moved to the "Retired" group and the description updated to mark its deprecation.
In the Data Quality Model, the "Housing Assessment Disposition Error" dimension and "Housing Assessment Disposition Error Count" measure have been removed.
Action Needed:
Data quality reports relying on the "Housing Assessment Disposition Error" dimension or "Housing Assessment Disposition Error Count" measure will need to be updated by removing the fields. If they are not removed, a warning they no longer exist will display.
HMIS Data Element 4.11 - Domestic Violence
The following fields have been moved to the "Retired" Group on the "Update/Exit" and "Follow-up" screens:
- Domestic Violence Occurred
- Domestic Violence
- Currently Fleeing Domestic Violence
HMIS Data Element 4.19 - Coordinated Entry Assessment
The "Assessment Date" description has been updated to indicate it is HMIS Data Element 3.19.1
The following dimensions have been added in Assessments View:
- Assessment Location - HMIS Data Element 4.19.2
- Assessment Type - HMIS Data Element 4.19.3
- Assessment Level - HMIS Data Element 4.19.4
- Is Coordinated Entry Assessment Screen
The purpose of the dimension "Is Coordinated Entry Assessment Screen" is to enable analysts to easily filter to their Coordinated Entry Assessments. It is not a HUD element
In the Referrals View:
- Prioritization Status - HMIS Data Element 4.19.7
The elements:
- Assessment Questions - HMIS Data Element 4.19.5
- Assessment Answers - HMIS Data Element 4.19.5A
- Assessment Result Type - HMIS Data Element 4.19.6
- Assessment Result - HMIS Data Element 4.19.7
These elements will on how a community is implementing Coordinated Entry. They have not been labeled in the data analysis tool as they are indeterminable.
Other Improvements
Removal of HMIS Descriptions from Client Assessment Fields
The Client Assessment dimensions and measures which mirror the HMIS Data Elements (e.g., "Residence Prior to Project Entry") have had HMIS Data Element references removed from their descriptions. This is to prevent confusion with "official" HMIS Data Elements.
Dimensions and Measures Moved to "Retired" Groups
The following dimensions have been moved to "Retired" groups within their respective views:
- Developmental Documented
- Developmental Independence
- Chronic Health Documented
- HIV/AIDS Independence
- HIV/AIDS Documented
- HIV/AIDS Services
- Mental Health Documented
- Mental Health Confirmed (PATH)
- Mental Health SMI (PATH)
- Substance Abuse Documented
- Substance Abuse Confirmed (PATH)