Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Pathways and HPRP Federal Stimulus Reporting Requirements

The US Dept of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has announced draft data collection rules for its stimulus effort, the Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Rehousing Program (HPRP). As soon as the announcement was made, Pathways immediately began work to update its information systems to ensure that our partner communities will be prepared to comply with HUD's HPRP timetable and rules.

Here's a summary of our major HPRP-related tasks, and their timetable for completion.

HPRP Data Elements:
  • PATHWAYS COMPASS users will have access to updated, HPRP-compliant data entry screens by August 1. HPRP data collection requirements actually aren't much different than existing HMIS data requirements, but we do need to add a few fields (and combine three existing fields) so that system users can produce the HPRP Quarterly Performance Report (QPR)
  • Agency administrators will have access to HPRP-compliant program profile screens by September 1. They will need to input some HPRP specific program data (grantee name, etc.) so that they can run the QPR
  • Pathways will provide PATHWAYS COMPASS users with a full schedule of specialized HPRP data collection and reporting training by August 1

Here's what HPRP grantees and subgrantee organizations will need to do to comply with HUD's rules:

Data Entry
  • PATHWAYS COMPASS users may begin to place HPRP client data in the system August 1.

HPRP HMIS Reports:
  • Agency administrators will be able to use PATHWAYS COMPASS to run the HPRP Quarterly Progress Report (QPR) by September 1 (six weeks before the first QPR is due to HUD).

HPRP Financial Reports:
  • HUD has informed us that grantees (and subgrantees) are expected to use their own financial accounting systems to generate responses to financial questions in the QPR. The reason - case management and HMIS systems can show that an agency intended to make a payment (such as a check for rent on behalf of a client), but it cannot show that the check actually cleared. That information can only come from an agency's accounting system

The Pathways team knows how important HPRP is to you and your community. If you have questions, we are ready to answer them. You can call us toll-free at 1-866-818-1032 or you can send us an email. Current PATHWAYS COMPASS users may contact us at support@pcni.org. If you are not a current PATHWAYS COMPASS user, send an email to info@pcni.org.