Pathways Updating AIRS Taxonomy

Pathways announces the implementation of the most current Alliance of Information and Referral Systems (AIRS) Taxonomy of Human Needs. Our target date for this implementation is February 15, 2010.

Currently the PATHWAYS COMPASS system utilizes a Taxonomy of about 7,000 Need Codes and associated Descriptions used by human service organizations. On February 15, 2010 Pathways will implement the most current AIRS Taxonomy, which will include more than 9,000 Need Codes and Descriptions. New descriptions have been added, old descriptions have been clarified, obsolete descriptions have been eliminated, and more detailed descriptions have been inserted as sub-levels of existing ones to give Pathways agencies more detailed descriptions of the services they provide.

What is a Taxonomy?
A Taxonomy is a particular classification of things or concepts, grouped into categories and arranged in a hierarchical structure according to their relationships to each other. In our case, descriptions of things and services that clients need are arranged into five levels, from general to specific. The codes assigned to each description range from a single letter for the most general, to several characters for the most specific.

The Taxonomy divides all human needs, services and target populations into ten general categories:

B - Basic Needs
D - Consumer Services
F - Criminal Justice and Legal Services
H – Education
J – Environmental Quality
H – Health Care
N - Income Support and Employment
P – Individual and Family Life
R – Mental Health Care Counseling
T – Organizational/Community/International Services
Y – Target Populations

The more detailed levels are currently represented by 3 digits. The new Taxonomy Need Codes will be expanded to 4 or 5 digits to accommodate the new descriptions.

These changes will be transparent to the user. All current data will be converted to the new codes and descriptions by Pathways. There will be a small number of Need Codes that will require agencies to evaluate the Need Codes most appropriate for them. More information about the specific Codes will be provided during the conversion.

2009 Atlanta, Fulton, DeKalb Homeless Count Results Released

The homeless population in the City of Atlanta, DeKalb County and Fulton County grew slightly between 2007 and 2009, according to new research by Pathways Community Network, but the rate of increase was far less than that of the general population, which rapidly expanded during the same period.

The 2009 Tri-Jurisdictional Homeless Census Report also showed that homeless people are now less likely to live on the street than in previous years, and more likely to live in shelters, transitional housing and permanent supportive housing.

"The study shows that momentum is growing," said William Matson, Executive Director of Pathways Community Network. "Thousands of new homeless housing units have been brought on line in the past few years and that is having a significantly positive effect."

You can download the homeless count report here. All research performed by Pathways in the past six years is freely available here.

The Tri-Jurisdictional Homeless Census is co-sponsored by the City of Atlanta, DeKalb County (GA) and Fulton County (GA).

Pathways announces the release of V5.11.1.0

PATHWAYS COMPASS system users:
Below are key highlights of enhancements and system error corrections that have been implemented in the PATHWAYS COMPASS system.

Enhancements Added:

Login time extended
After an existing user receives a new password from an administrator, the user now has four days to login before the system automatically inactivates her/him. Previously the user had until midnight that same night.


System error corrections:

Reports: Filtered Reports
Problem: Not able to see all options of filtered report.
On reports that allowed users to filter you can only see 5 need codes in the box that contains the available values and can't scroll down to see more. The only way to see more codes is to move the visible ones to the selected values box, which removes them up in the available values box. This would then allow 5 more to be selected.
Resolution: A vertical scroll bar has been added to allow users the ability to scroll down if the list exceeds what is visible in the window.

Customized Intake: Database Error
Problem: Database error message occurs during the Intake process.
A database error occurs if the following conditions occur:
1. Intake new client using Customized Intake
2. Make an error on the Process General Information page, such as Chronic Homeless = Yes and Disabling Condition = No
3. Click Next, error message displays, click Back
4. Correct the error, such as change Chronic Homeless to No
5. Click Next, the Authorization page displays.
6. Set Authorization on File = Yes and click Save.
Database Error occurs, the client is not saved.
Resolution: When the above conditions are met, the error no longer occurs and the client record is saved properly.

Client Progress Link: HSS Indicators
Problem: HSS Indicators under Progress can be deleted by users.
Users can edit an Indicator, and then Save without entering any Status. However, if they do so, the entire indicator is deleted and no longer visible.
Resolution: The HSS Indicator cannot be saved unless Status is entered. Therefore, none of the HSS Indicators can be deleted by a system user. Every user will always see the Housing, Employment, and Income/Benefits Indicators.

Search page: Mass discharge
Problem: Mass discharge does not delete clients from the Program Roster report.
The mass discharge function properly clears clients from programs (so they no longer appear in program related searches) but the Program Roster report still shows them as being enrolled.
Resolution: When the mass discharge function is used the clients will no longer appear on the Program Roster Report.

Program Profile: Program Description
Problem: The system user would get a database error when entering a long Program Description.
Resolution: The system will not allow a user to put more than 100 characters in the Description field of the Program Profile. Therefore, no pop-up message is generated upon Saving because a user can no longer make the error.

Program Profile: Winter/Seasonal Shelter Questionnaire
Problem: Program Profile Winter/Seasonal Questionnaire doesn't display correctly.
When you select Winter/Seasonal Shelter Program Type and click Save, the Winter/Seasonal Questionnaire doesn't completely display. All that shows is the 2 vertical menus on the left side and the title "Program Type Questionnaire."
Resolution: This page now displays correctly.

2008 Partner Community AHARs Submitted

Today I completed the submission and verification of data for the national Annual Homeless Assessment Report (AHAR) on behalf of four major jurisdictions in Georgia: Athens, Atlanta, Augusta and Suburban Atlanta (Fulton and DeKalb counties). This data was collected by our user agencies during the year ending September 30, 2008. The raw data was confirmed by CoC management and then compiled and reported over the past three months. It was then reviewed and approved by HUD.

My thanks goes out to everybody who was involved in this process for your support and for allowing Pathways to participate in this important endeavor.

Bob Lenhard

Data Quality Analyst, Technical Assistance and Training Team

Winter Homeless Survey Chilling

By Rachel Pomerance
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 08/06/08

A winter night in Gwinnett County found 910 people homeless or "precariously housed," according to data released Tuesday by Pathways Community Network, a nonprofit that consults with human services agencies.

The findings offer a snapshot of homelessness in the county to the Gwinnett Coalition for Health and Human Services and its partner agencies, which plan to chart a course by year's end to manage the problem.

To tally the numbers of this precarious population on the night of Jan. 27, a survey was administered from Jan. 27 through Feb. 10 at a range of Gwinnett locations. Some 45 volunteers collected surveys at 10 hotels or motels; 70 volunteers collected surveys from outdoor or "unsheltered" locations; staff collected surveys at 12 area service agencies.

Among the findings, 539 people were "precariously housed," or in a temporary living situation, while 238 were sheltered by an agency and 31 were unsheltered.

About 70 percent of the family members counted were under the age of 18. Family size averaged 3.18 people. It showed that sheltered adults climbed from 30 in 2007 to 110 in 2008, and the number of sheltered children rose from 29 in 2007 to 128 this year.

Josie Parker, a project manager for Pathways, said the count provided a "nice baseline number," with demographic data and information about housing type. It marked the first count of unsheltered and precariously housed people ever in Gwinnett, the report stated.

Pathways will conduct a deeper survey from mid-August through September to look at the sleeping locations, disabilities and demographics of the population.

Both data collections were funded by the Regional Commission on Homelessness and the United Way of Metro Atlanta to work in partnership with the Gwinnett Coalition for Health and Human Services and its partner agencies.