The Need to Modernize Data Collection in Homeless Services

The United States Interagency Council on Homelessness is taking public comment on what the federal government should do to improve homeless services. While I applaud the USICH's effort to get the public's input, in the past the federal government has ignored the complaints of homeless service agencies forced to implement a one-size fits all client management system called the Homeless Management Information Systems.

HMIS is an initiative of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to collect information on homeless persons receiving assistance from service organizations that receive HUD funding. HMIS is an important initiative, but it has been implemented poorly. In the current design, homeless service-providing agencies must not only submit client data to their regional HMIS databases, they must do so through an interface mandated by the regional HMIS technology vendor. Forcing service providers to use a particular client management interface chosen by a regional HMIS implementing agency presents complications that actually reduce the efficiency of providing homeless services.

Organizations will often provided services to homeless and non-homeless persons, but HMIS is strict about only collecting data on homeless persons. Therefore, if an agency wants to collect data on non-homeless clients it must enter this data in a separate database. Additionally, HMIS is rigid about the data points collected. If an agency wants to collect other data points relevant to its program and outcomes, it must do so in a separate system.

The problems inherent in the mandated use of proprietary case management systems is not reserved for just HMIS -- several funding agencies have their own collection tools into which grant recipients must enter data, leading to massive inefficiencies of inputting the same client's information into multiple systems. For a sector that is conscientious of not duplicating social services, our tremendous tolerance for duplicating client data entry is ironic.

The data collected under the Homeless Management Information Systems is vital, and I believe in hindsight will be seen as a powerful step on the path toward ending homelessness. However, HMIS needs to be scaled back to its original intent, to act as a clearing house for client data rather than a mandated client management system.

To get HMIS back on track, HUD should follow the lead of companies like Twitter that make it is easy for software developers to build applications that interact with its core database through an application programming interface. Taking this approach, homeless service providers would be able to use systems designed for their needs that also transmit data to and from a central HMIS database. A central HMIS database would reduce the inefficiency of maintaining duplicate systems, as service providers would have the freedom to choose a case management system that meets their particular needs, so long as that system interfaced with HMIS.

Until HMIS changes course, it will continue to be a headache to service providers and a source of inefficiency, rather than innovation, in the homeless services sector.

Photo credit: eurleif