These definitions may help you assist clients in responding to data elements you are asked to collect upon Project Entry, Interim Update, or Project Exit. We recommend printing a copy to provide to your intake staff or case managers to have available during data collection.
Extent of Homelessness by Minnesota’s Definition: The State of Minnesota defines as homeless “any individual, unaccompanied youth or family that is without a permanent place to live that is fit for human habitation.” Doubling-up is considered homeless if that arrangement has persisted less than 1 year.
The State of Minnesota defines an individual, unaccompanied youth or family as “Long-Term Homeless” if they are without a home for a year or more OR have had at least four (4) episodes of homelessness in the past three (3) years. Any period of institutionalization or incarceration (including transitional housing, prison/jail, treatment, hospitals, foster care, or refugee camps) shall be excluded when determining the length of time the household has been homeless.
HUD homeless definition: HUD Funded Program- HUD established four categories of Homelessness.
Literally Homeless: An individual or family who lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence, meaning:
Has a primary nighttime residence that is a public or private place not meant for human habitation;
Is living in a publicly or privately operated shelter designated to provide temporary living arrangements (including congregate shelters, transitional housing, and hotels and motels paid for by charitable organizations or by federal, state and local government programs); OR
Is exiting an institution where (s)he has resided for 90 days or less and who resided in an emergency shelter or place not meant for human habitation immediately before entering that institution
Imminent Risk of Homelessness: An individual or family who will imminently lose their primary nighttime residence, provided that:
Residence will be lost within 14 days of the date of application for homeless assistance;
No subsequent residence has been identified; AND
The individual or family lacks the resources or support networks needed to obtain other permanent housing
Homeless Under other Federal Statutes: Unaccompanied youth under 25 years of age, or families with children and youth, who do not otherwise qualify as homeless as defined above, but who:
Are defined as homeless under the other listed federal statues;
Have not had a lease, ownership interest, or occupancy agreement in permanent housing during the 60 days prior to the homeless assistance application;
Have experienced persistent instability as measured by two moves or more during the preceding 60 days; AND
Can be expected to continue in such status for an extended period of time due to special needs or barriers.
Fleeing/Attempting to Flee DV: Any individual or family who:
Is fleeing or attempting to flee domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking;
Has no other residence; AND
Lacks the resources or support networks to obtain other permanent housing
Disability of Long Duration: One or more of the following:
(1) A physical, mental, or emotional impairment, including an impairment caused by alcohol or drug abuse, post- traumatic stress disorder, or brain injury that:
Is expected to be long-continuing or of indefinite duration;
Substantially impedes the individual's ability to live independently; and
Could be improved by the provision of more suitable housing conditions.
(2) A developmental disability, as defined in section 102 of the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act of 2000 (42 U.S.C. 15002).
(3) The disease of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) or any condition arising from the etiologic agency for acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV).
(4) A veteran who is disabled by an injury or illness that was incurred or aggravated during active military service and whose disability meets the disability definition defined in Section 223 of the social security act.
Physical Disability: For the purposes of the Data Standards, a physical disability means a physical impairment. A physical disability that is expected to be of long, continued and indefinite duration and substantially impairs ability to live independently would meet the following conditions: (a) expected to be of long-continued and indefinite duration, (b) substantially impedes an individual’s ability to live independently, and (c) of such a nature that such ability could be improved by more suitable housing conditions. Unless the project funder requires documentation for record keeping purposes, clients are not required to provide documentation of the disability, nor does entering the information in the HMIS constitute a “diagnosis” by the worker who did the data collection or recording. Accepted forms of documentation include written verification from a state-licensed professional, such as a medical service provider or a health-care provider, the Social Security Administration, or the receipt of a disability check (i.e., SSDI check or VA disability benefit check).
Developmental Disability: A severe, chronic disability that is attributed to a mental or physical impairment (or combination of physical and mental impairments) that occurs before 22 years of age and limits the capacity for independent living and economic self-sufficiency. Unless the project funder requires documentation for record keeping purposes, clients are not required to provide documentation of the disability, nor does entering the information in the HMIS constitute a “diagnosis” by the worker who did the data collection or recording. Accepted forms of documentation include written verification from a state-licensed professional, such as a medical service provider or a health-care provider, the Social Security Administration, or the receipt of a disability check (i.e., SSDI check or VA disability benefit check).
Chronic Health Condition: A diagnosed condition that is more than three months in duration and is either not curable or has residual effects that limit daily living and require adaptation in function or special assistance. Examples of chronic health conditions include, but are not limited to: heart disease (including coronary heart disease, angina, heart attack and any other kind of heart condition or disease); severe asthma; diabetes; arthritis-related conditions (including arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, gout, lupus, or fibromyalgia); adult onset cognitive impairments (including traumatic brain injury, posttraumatic distress syndrome, dementia, and other cognitive related conditions); severe headache/migraine; cancer; chronic bronchitis; liver condition; stroke; or emphysema. Unless the project funder requires documentation for record keeping purposes, clients are not required to provide documentation of the disability, nor does entering the information in the HMIS constitute a “diagnosis” by the worker who did the data collection or recording. Accepted forms of documentation include written verification from a state-licensed professional, such as a medical service provider or a health-care provider, the Social Security Administration, or the receipt of a disability check (i.e., SSDI check or VA disability benefit check).
Mental Health Disorder: A mental health disorder may range from situational depression to serious mental illnesses. A dependent question, “Expected to be of long, continued and indefinite duration and substantially impairs ability to live independently,” is designed to gauge the severity of the mental health disorder. Unless the project funder requires documentation for record keeping purposes, clients are not required to provide documentation of the disability, nor does entering the information in the HMIS constitute a “diagnosis” by the worker who did the data collection or recording. A state-licensed social worker can provide documentation. Other accepted forms of documentation include written verification from a state-licensed professional, such as a medical service provider or a health-care provider, the Social Security Administration, or the receipt of a disability check (i.e., SSDI check or VA disability benefit check).
Medicaid: Medicaid is a partnership between federal and state funds that provides assistance with medical costs to low income individuals and families. It should always be listed as Medicaid, not State Health Insurance. The federal Medicaid program is called Medical Assistance in Minnesota.
Medicare: A federal program that provides health insurance for people 65 or older and many people under 65 who have disabilities. After a person gets Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits for two years, they qualify to get Medicare as well.
State Children’s Health Insurance Program: Minnesota’s Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) supplements existing federal Medicaid funds that provide health care coverage for low-income families that earn too much money to qualify for Medicaid. Minnesota uses CHIP funds to expand the state’s Medicaid program, also known as Medical Assistance. The local name for this is MinnesotaCare.
State Health Insurance for Adults: Minnesota’s Health Insurance for Adults program is for low-income adults without children who do not have access to Medicare, Medicaid (MA), or Employer-Provided Health Insurance. The local name for this is MinnesotaCare.
Permanent address: A permanent address is an apartment, house, or room where the client last lived for 90 days or more. Shelters and time-limited housing are not permanent addresses.
Domestic Violence: Ascertaining whether a person is a victim of domestic violence is necessary to provide the person with the appropriate services to prevent further abuse and to treat the physical and psychological injuries from prior abuse. Also, ascertaining that a person may be experiencing domestic violence may be important for the safety of program staff and other clients. At the aggregate level, knowing the size of the homeless population that has experienced domestic violence is critical for determining the resources needed to address the problem in this population. Special Issues: Programs should be especially sensitive to the collection of domestic violence information from clients and should implement appropriate interview protocols to protect client privacy and safety such as: asking this question in a private location and not in the presence of a romantic partner; delaying all entry of data about clients identified with a recent history of domestic violence; or choosing not to disclose data about clients with a history of domestic violence to other homeless programs.