Tuesday, June 1, 2010

Pathways Announces the Release of V5.16.26

Pathways announces the Release of V5.16.26. This release has added the Data Standards changes that go into effect on June 1st, 2010. Below outlines that relevant changes made in the PATHWAYS COMPASS system.

Agencies should begin capturing this information on new clients and updating existing client information when a client returns for additional services.

Summary of Relevant Data Standards Changes
Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) Data Standards-March 2010

Program Descriptor Data Elements:
Data should be collected about all homeless assistance and HPRP homelessness prevention programs. The data elements are needed for the following HUD reports and uses: The Annual Performance Report (APR), the Quarterly Performance Report (QPR), the Annual Homeless Assessment Report (AHAR) and the Housing Inventory

Site Information: Added Site Configuration Type: Single Site, Single Bldg, Single Site, multiple bldgs, and multiple sites; Changed Site Types to: Non-residential: services only, Residential: special needs and non-special needs, and Residential: special needs only.

Program Type Code: Safe Haven and Permanent Housing have been added, “Outreach" has changed to "Homeless Outreach", "Homeless Prevention" has changed to "Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing"

Bed and Unit Inventory Information: This is a completely new page. Includes: Household Type, Bed Type, Availability, Bed Inventory, Chronic Homeless Bed Inventory, Unit Inventory, Inventory Start Date, Inventory End Date, HMIS Participating Beds, HMIS Participation Start Date, HMIS Participation End Date

Target Population A: Response categories include: SM, SF, SMF, CO, SM+HC, HC, YM, YF, YMF, SMF+HC

Target Population B: Response categories include: DV: Domestic Violence, VET: Veterans, HIV: Person with HIV/AIDS, NA: Not applicable

Universal Data Elements:
The Universal Data Elements from the 2004 notice are largely unchanged. Minor changes include: Response categories have been added to a number of data elements to provide more detailed information and to be consistent with other federal reporting on homeless programs. Don't Know and Refused response categories are added for those data elements that previously did not include those responses, to ensure consistency in data quality reporting.

SS#: Full SSN Reported, Partial SSN Reported, Don't Know or Don't Have, Refused

DOB: Full DOB Reported; Approximate or Partial DOB Reported; Don't Know; Refused. Use ‘01’ for unknown month or day.

Race: Changed Amer-Indian or Alaskan to American Indian or Alaska Native; Changed Pacific Islander to Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander

Ethnicity: Changed Hispanic to Hispanic/Latino. Changed Non-Hispanic to Non-Hispanic/Non-Latino.

Gender: Added the following response categories: Female (Exists); Male (Exists); Transgendered Male to Female; Transgendered Female to Male; Other; Don’t Know; Refused; •For all agencies that display the Transgender field the value in this field must be converted to the equivalent value in the Gender field. In the future, the Show Transgender option will be removed from the Agency Profile page, and for all agencies this option will be turned off. Affected agencies will be informed before this is done.

Residence Prior to Program Entry: Added Safe Haven; Rental by client, with VASH housing subsidy, Rental by client, with other (non-VASH) housing subsidy, Owned by client, with housing subsidy.

Zip Code of Last Permanent Address: Change Full Zip Code to Full or Partial Zip Code Recorded. Use blanks for missing digits.

Housing Status: Changed current description for response category 2 to Imminently losing their housing. Changed current description for response category 3 to Unstably housed and at risk of losing housing.

Program-Specific Data Elements:
This section has revisions to be aligned with the HMIS Data Standards data collection, which include: Income and Sources and Non-Cash Benefits. Reason for Leaving and Services Received are no longer required for programs completing APR's.

The Income and Sources and Non-Cash Benefits changes are not included in the June 1 PATHWAYS COMPASS release. They will be released soon. Users should continue to enter this information using the current Finance page. This section is not yet available in the PATHWAYS COMPASS system. In the meantime, Pathways has provided a Client Intake Form that will allow you to capture this information until this page is online.

Has Income and Sources been received in the past 30 days: Yes, No, Don't Know and Refused

Income and Sources: All sources displayed, select yes, or no and enter the amount, Has Non-Cash Benefit been received in the past 30 days: Yes, No, Don’t Know and Refused

Non-Cash Benefits: Supplemental Nutrition (SNAP), Medicaid, Medicare and State Children's Health Ins; select yes or no

Physical Disability: Yes, No, Don't Know and Refused ; if yes, was client receiving services or treatment "At entry", "At annual assessment or “At exit"

Developmental Disability: Yes, No, Don't Know and Refused

Chronic Health Condition: Yes, No, Don't Know and Refused ; if yes, was client receiving services or treatment "At entry", "At annual assessment or “At exit"

HIV/AIDS: Yes, No, Don't Know and Refused ; if yes, was client receiving services or treatment "At entry", "At annual assessment or “At exit"

Mental Illness: Yes, No, Don't Know and Refused ; if yes, was client receiving services or treatment "At entry", "At annual assessment or “At exit"

Illiterate or Marginally Literate: Yes, No, Don't Know and Refused
Substance Abuse No, Alcohol Abuse, Drug Abuse, Both Alcohol and Drug Abuse, Don't Know, Refused, Long duration, receiving or received treatment

Domestic Violence: No, Yes, Don't Know, Refused; if yes, within past three months, 3 to 6 months ago, 6 to 12 months ago, more than a year ago

Veteran’s Information: Deleted the response category for World War I; Deleted the response category for between WW I and WW II; Modified the Persian Gulf reporting category to read Persian Gulf Era (August 1991 – September 10, 2001); Added response category for Post September 11, 2001 (September 11, 2001 – Present). Added response category for Afghanistan; Added Air Force to Branch of Military

Destination: Added Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (VASH) subsidy. Tenure and housing subsidy types have been combined, "Transitional" has been changed to "Temporary", Safe Haven and Deceased have been added

Date of Contact: For street outreach programs only. If Contact is selected, code “PH-8000-Street Outreach Programs” is automatic, enter Contact Time and Location of Contact.

Date of Engagement: For street outreach programs only. If Engagement is selected code “TJ-6500.6300-Outreach Programs” is automatic.