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HUD Releases Critical Changes to the 2014 HMIS Data Standards
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HUD and its federal partners have released critical updates to the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) Data Standards. The revised HMIS Data Manual and HMIS Data Dictionary are now available on the HUD Exchange. These changes were identified as critical by HUD and the federal partners because the data is needed for reporting purposes for the various partner programs. Every effort was made to determine if the necessary information could be obtained through data elements currently in the 2014 HMIS Data Manual and Dictionary. In these few cases an element either needed to be changed or an element needed to be added.
The following data elements have been modified or added in the updated Manual and Dictionary:
| Modified | 3.17 | Time on the Streets, Emergency Shelters or Safe Haven |
| Modified | 4.11 | Domestic Violence |
| New | 4.14e | Bed Night Date |
| New | 4.35a | Commercial Sexual Exploitation (Used only by RHY) |
| New | 4.35b | Labor Exploitation (Used only by RHY) |
| New | 4.44 | HP Screening Score (Used only by VA) |
| New | 4.45 | VAMC Station Number (Used only by VA) |
| New | 4.47 | T-cell and Viral Load (Used only by HOPWA)
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Additional clarification was added throughout the Manual in response to Frequently Asked Questions. These changes were prepared by HUD in collaboration with their federal partners: HUD's Office of HIV/AIDS Housing; the Department of Veterans Affairs; the Department of Health and Human Services Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration; and the Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children and Families, Family and Youth Services Bureau.
Effective Date of the Changes
The changes go into effect October 1, 2015. Communities are expected to review the changes and work with their vendor to prepare a training strategy in advance of that date so HMIS users can begin entering data under the updated data standards starting on October 1, 2015. Vendors have already received detailed information about these changes and are working on programming modifications.
Guidance on Back Data Entry
We understand that communities face challenges when working through how to enter data for active clients (or clients with “open” files) on the date the updated standards go into effect. HUD has developed guidance addressing this. It is posted with the updated HMIS Data Manual and the HMIS Data Dictionary.
Impact on APRs, AHAR, and Other Reports
Additional clarification about the impact of these changes on reporting requirements, including reporting to federal partner programs, will be issued in a separate HUD Exchange email message shortly.
Questions about the Data Standards?
If you have questions about the data standards, please submit them through the HUD Exchange Ask a Question (AAQ) portal. On Step 2 of the question submission process, select “HMIS” in the “My question is related to” dropdown.
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