2021 MN HMIS Universal Data Element Feedback Results

The results for this year's MN HMIS Universal Data Element changes are in!

A message from the co-chair of the Policies & Prioritization Committee:

Thank you all for your feedback on Minnesota’s Universal Data Elements! These data elements apply to all households that are entered into HMIS in the state of Minnesota, and a regular review of their content and use is a critical part of our work as HMIS stakeholders and partners in Minnesota’s efforts to end homelessness. The Policy and Prioritization Committee (P&P) is responsible for carrying out this review, but the feedback of end users and community partners informs that review.

This year, in an effort to follow through on the feedback received at the HMIS Annual Meeting, the data elements survey was revamped to be clearer and more accessible, we broadened our engagement efforts with more intentional and persistent solicitation of input, and invited more people to participate in the P&P meeting where the data elements were discussed and P&P members voted to remove, edit, or add data elements as a result of the survey. We are eager to build on the success of this year’s efforts to engage more stakeholders in this process, so that the review of our statewide data elements continues to be transparent and driven by the experience of those collecting and entering this data, that the data we collect is meaningful in our efforts to end homelessness, and that we have shared accountability to the households experiencing homelessness that we serve.

Summary of changes to MN's Universal Data Elements:

Below is a brief summary of the changes that P&P voted on in the July 14th meeting. If you are not as familiar with the current MN Universal Data Elements and want to refer to a list when reviewing these changes, we recommend having the MN Universal Data Elements List open, which will contain question text, answer options, rationale, and other pertinent information regarding the data element.

Data elements that will be edited:

• Prior Permanent Residence Series - retiring the question: "How long since client had permanent place to live (permanent address)?"

• Tribal Membership - adding follow up question to identify descendance

• Veteran Question Series - Keeping questions A and G, retiring questions B-F. Question A will be edited to clarify and encompass the gap between the HUD question about military service and additional military service that might qualify households for Veteran specific services or resources.

Data elements that will be retired: 

• Foster Care

• Recent Institutional History

What comes next?

State partners are in the final review stage of their specific programs’ data elements and will make decisions about changes by July 28, 2021.

A full summary of the changes to Minnesota’s HMIS Data Elements will be published in the August 5, 2021 HMIS newsletter. All changes will take effect in HMIS at the start of the 2022 Federal Fiscal Year, on October 1, 2021.

Please reach out with questions to ICA’s helpdesk at mnhmis@icalliances.org.