MICHIGAN STATEWIDE HOMELESS MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEM MSHMIS

1
MICHIGAN STATEWIDE HOMELESS MANAGEMENT
INFORMATIONSYSTEM (MSHMIS)

• INTRODUCTION AND OVERVIEW

2
The Main Parties to HMIS

• The Michigan Coalition Against Homelessness
  (MCAH) in collaboration with Michigan State
  Housing Development Authority (MSHDA) administers
  the Michigan Statewide Homeless Management
  Information System (MSHMIS) Project.
• The Project uses Internet-based technology to
  assist homeless service organizations and
  Continuums of Care (CoCs) to capture information
  about the clients that they serve.
• Through a comprehensive planning process,
  partners in the Project selected Bowman Internet
  Systems as their HMIS vendor. Bowman hosts
  Michigan States database and provides the
  interface to users (ServicePoint).
• MCAH provides local management of the system
  through a subcontract with MSHDA.

3
Goals of an HMIS

• An important goal of the MSHMIS Project is to
  inform both local and statewide public policy
  about the extent and nature of homelessness.
• This is accomplished through analysis and release
  of data that are grounded in the actual
  experiences of homeless persons and the service
  providers who assist them in shelters and other
  homeless assistance.
• Information that is gathered via interviews,
  conducted by service providers with consumers, is
  analyzed for an unduplicated count, aggregated
  (void of any identifying client level
  information) and made available to policy makers,
  service providers, advocates, and consumers.

4
Potential Benefits to Homeless Veterans and Case
Managers

• Case Managers can use the software as they assess
  their clients needs to inform clients about
  services offered on site or available through
  referral.
• Case managers and clients can use on-line
  resource information to learn about resources
  that help clients find and keep permanent housing
  or meet other goals.
• With client consent, the system can also be used
  to support coordinated case management designed
  to streamline the service delivery system and
  generate improved outcomes for consumers.

5
Potential Benefits for Agency and Program
Managers

• When aggregated, information can be used to
  garner a more complete understanding of clients
  needs and outcomes, and then used to advocate for
  additional resources, complete grant
  applications, conduct evaluations of program
  services, and report to funders such as HUD.
• The software has the capability to generate the
  revised HUD Annual Progress Report (APR). Most
  importantly, routine use of the MSHMIS summary
  data can help programs identify processes that
  are problematic, support redesign efforts, and
  improve the quality of the services provided by
  the organization.

6
Potential Benefits to Community Wide Continuums
of Care and Policy Makers

• Involvement in the project provides the
  capability at the Continua level to generate
  aggregate reports that can assist in completion
  of the HUD-required gaps chart and a multitude of
  other local needs assessments, to support
  community education regarding the number and
  characteristics of homeless populations as well
  as a variety of other issues related to poverty,
  and to inform policy decisions aimed at
  addressing and ending homelessness at local,
  state and federal levels.

7
HMIS Participating Agencies in Battle Creek and
Calhoun County

• The Share Center-Drop in self-help center
• Summit Pointe-community mental health
• The Salvation Army-outreach
• The Haven of Rest-housing and recovery
• The Charitable Union-clothing
• 211Help Line

8
Support for New Providers Using HMIS

• Online Training and Podcasts, at your desk
• Lansing Based-phone support
• Go to MeetingTM Classes
• Local System Administration to troubleshoot
  work-flow and other issues
• Participation in Coalition Data Committee
• Report writing and assessment customization, upon
  request
• No cost for User software licenses

9
Web Based Software
10
Features
11
MAIN MENU SCREEN SHOT
12
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION

• CONTACT
• LARRY HERMEN
• HMIS SYSTEM ADMINSTRATOR
• [phone]
• lhermen_at_mac.com