HUD, HHS, and the VA Release Version 5 of the 2014 HMIS Data Standards

Is this email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser. HUD, HHS, and the VA Release Version 5 of the 2014 HMIS Data Standards HUD and its federal partners have released critical updates to the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) Data Standards. The revised 2014 HMIS Data Manual Version 5 and 2014 HMIS Data Dictionary Version 5 are now available on the HUD Exchange. These changes to the Data Standards were identified as critical by HUD and its 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 but in a few cases an element either needed to be changed or an element needed to be added. Please note that all HMIS Data Standard related documents and programming specifications updated and released in the Summer/Fall of 2016 are labeled Version 5 – to support version control at all levels of use. The following data elements have been modified or added in Version 5 of the Manual and Dictionary: Element Number Element Name Change Requirement 2.3 Continuum of Care Code Updated guidance 3.6 Gender Wording change 3.8 Disabling Condition Universe change – collect for all clients 3.917 Living Situation Structural and wording change (Major change) 4.2 Income and Sources Collection change – collection now includes PATH 4.3 Non-Cash Benefits Collection change – collection now includes PATH 4.4 Health Insurance New Response options added 4.14A Services Provided: PATH Funded Response options changed 4.16A Referrals Provided: PATH Response options changed 4.17 Residential Move-in Date Element structural Change 4.21 Connection with SOAR Collection change – collection now includes PATH 4.24 Last Grade Complete Response Options added & Collection change – collection now includes SSVF & HUD/VASH 4.26 Employment Status Collection change – collection now includes HUD/VASH 4.27 General Health Status Collection change – collection now includes HUD/VASH 4.44 HP Screening Score Retired (replaced with 4.48) 4.47 T-cell and Viral Load Response options changed for viral load 4.48 SSVF HP Targeting Criteria New Element 4.49 Use of Other Crisis Services New Element Additional clarification was added throughout the Manual in response to Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs). These changes were prepared by HUD in collaboration with their federal partners: HUD’s Office of HIV/AIDS Housing; the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs; and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and Administration for Children and Families, Family and Youth Services Bureau. Effective Date of the Changes The changes go into effect October 1, 2016. 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, 2016. Vendors have already received detailed information about these changes and are working on programming modifications. Impact on Annual Performance Reports (APRs), the Annual Homeless Assessment Report (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 listserv message. 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 menu.