The Homeless Management Information System

Background

Over the past several years, Congress has directed the U.S. Department of Urban Development (HUD) to assist local jurisdictions in implementing Homeless Management Information Systems (HMIS) and in using data from these systems to obtain an unduplicated count of homeless persons, analyze local patterns of services usage, and assess local service needs.

A HMIS is a computerized data collection application designed to capture client-level information over time on the characteristics and service needs of homeless persons.  The development of a local HMIS is about:

1. Bringing the power of computer technology to the day-to-day operations of individual service providers;
2. Knitting together service providers in a more coordinated and effective service delivery system for the benefit of homeless clients; and
3. Obtaining and reporting critical aggregate information about the characteristics and needs of homeless persons. 

One of HUD's major goals in this HMIS initiative is to help individual homeless service providers in their day-to-day operations and to help increase the effective coordination of services in the Continuum of Care (CoC).

Benefits

The expected benefits of the HMIS are:

For the Client -- Improved coordination of care and services; improved knowledge about services and beds available; reduced duplication of information gathering/sharing of elements such as common/central intake and shared case management are operationalized; protection of client confidentiality.

For the Provider Who Participates in the HMIS -- Automated reporting; reduction in number of reports produced; improved internal and external data; improved ability to serve clients; automated information for management and case managers; improved client tracking; potential to streamline referral processes; potential for strengthened partnerships through collaboration; meet HUD reporting requirements.

For HUD and Other Funders -- Improved information about system and system needs for funding, decision-making and policy.

For the General Community -- Better information about people who are experiencing homelessness, the causes and the trends and future needs will help the general community to better plan for affordable housing and support for people who are at-rish of becoming or returning to homelessness; better information about housing and support needs will enable interested parties to better market these needs to potential funders and policy-makers.