FY24 HMIS Data Standards Changes: Major Assessment Reconfiguration on the Way
As part of the FY24 HMIS Data Element Changes being applied to Minnesota’s HMIS, ICA will be significantly altering how assessments are configured in HMIS. The goal of this system update is to simplify and bring clarity to the data entry process for all users.
What is Changing, and Why
Before October 2023, providers with different project types, like Transitional Housing and Permanent Housing, were assigned the same assessment.
The Challenge for Users: Because different project types have different data collection responsibilities, a shared assessment must include questions that are specific to each project type. This means that users must carefully review their assessments to make sure they are completing the required questions, and only the required questions.
The assessment assigned to HUD-funded Transitional Housing projects includes the Housing Move-In Date question, which should only be completed by Permanent Housing projects.
The Challenge for ICA: In addition to being concerned for the HMIS users who have to navigate complicated assessments, ICA’s system administrators find it difficult to maintain those assessments and their roughly 220 distinct data collection forms, which must be updated whenever their corresponding assessment changes.
From October 2023 onward, providers with the same project type will share a common assessment, and be assigned separate funder-specific assessments as needed.
Benefits for All: When assessments are configured for specific project types and funding sources, users are only shown the questions they need to answer. Maintenance of those targeted assessments and any corresponding data collection forms becomes easier, too, giving your friendly neighborhood system administrator more time to spend on other HMIS improvement efforts.
How It Looks in HMIS: Imagine a Permanent Housing project that receives funding from two sources: DHS Housing Support and Minnesota Housing LTH. When a user creates an Entry/Exit for a client served by that project, they will first see a “core” assessment with questions meant only for Permanent Housing projects. Once the core assessment has been filled out, the user can switch over to their Housing Support and LTH assessments from within the Entry/Exit window.
When multiple assessments are assigned to a provider, users can switch between them in the Select an Assessment section of the Entry/Exit window.
Assessment Reconfiguration Timeline
Reconfigured assessments in HMIS: During the week of October 2 - 6, a team at ICA will be hard at work updating assessment settings for active providers. Not every user will notice changes right away, but all providers should be updated by the middle of October.
Training for current users: Users are invited to bring questions about the assessment updates to the Data Standards virtual help sessions on October 5 and 12. Also in October, an article with instructions for managing multiple assigned assessments will be added to our Knowledge Base.
Training for new users: Throughout October, we will be working on revisions to our training modules to ensure users new to HMIS are fully prepared to use the system and its reconfigured assessments.
Updates to data collection forms: On October 1, updated data collection forms will be available on the Forms & Instructions page of the MN HMIS website. Those updated forms will incorporate both the FY24 HMIS Data Standards changes and the assessment reconfigurations.
Please note that a difference in timing between the data collection form updates and assessment revisions will result in a temporary mismatch between the forms and what some users see in HMIS.
ICA recognizes that this transition will represent a significant shift in how users complete assessments in HMIS. However, as everyone becomes more familiar with the new setup, we believe that users will find HMIS data entry a more accessible experience, and one that supports improved data quality. If you have any questions as these changes roll out, please do not hesitate to reach out to our Helpdesk at mnhmis@icalliances.org.