HMIS Resources
Resources
Most people have at least a few items that are important to them. They might even have a special place or places that these items are stored. The items don’t even have to be of great nostalgic significance. For example, some people keep their keys or their wallet in one place at home so they always know where they can find those keys or that wallet. This is the fixed location system.
Before the Dewey Decimal System was used in libraries, some libraries used the fixed location system to shelve their resources. We, at ICA, do not have an official library of resources, but we do have many resources available. There is the Knowledge Base, there are the user guides, the videos, the resources on Moodle, and so on. So, an HMIS user might be a bit overwhelmed when trying to find some help on their own.
The good news is that the HMIS user does not need to understand entirety the ICA fixed location system. That HMIS user can create their own fixed location system. By using the bookmark function of a browser, a document with links, or some other short list, the HMIS user can save a few important items to help them with HMIS.
A good Resources Starter Kit for HMIS is listed below. It only has three items, but two of them (User Guides and Knowledge Base articles) could expand into more than one item.
HMIS Resources Kit
User Guides – These are the documents that explain what data is needed for specific projects. Make sure you have the General HMIS Instructions and a guide for any of the programs you work with. User guides for specific programs can be located on our web site. Go to this link and scroll down to the Data Collection Forms & User Guides section where you can choose your guide.
Knowledge Base Articles – These are articles that answer our most frequently asked questions on the Helpdesk. Everything is sorted into topics and there’s an easy-to-use search function. It even works well on smartphone and tablet screens. Click here to access the Knowledge Base.
The Helpdesk - Minnesota's HMIS Helpdesk is operated by ICA. You send an email to mnhmis@icalliances.org, and we route your Helpdesk request to the appropriate team member and will respond within 1 business day. Our system allows us to efficiently prioritize your requests and give us the ability to organize and prepare the actions needed to serve you best. There is even a Knowledge Base article about the Helpdesk! Click here for more information on how to help the Helpdesk help you.
There are many resources available to assist with HMIS data entry. Make a system that works for you and, as always, contact the Helpdesk when you have a question about HMIS… no matter how small it may seem.