Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) Data HMIS Lead and Vendor Training Updated 5/22/14

Session Topics SSVF HMIS participation HMIS program set-up Data collection requirements HMIS export requirements The Repository –Data quality policy & threshold limits –Repository validation results –Repository parsing of HMIS XML to HMIS CSV 2

SSVF and HMIS VA is committed to grantee participation in HMIS to support community-based service planning and coordination for Veterans who are homeless and at risk of homelessness SSVF grantees are required to participate in at least one community-based HMIS implementation 3

SSVF HMIS Technical Assistance TA is available for HMIS-related issues TA Team will refer grantees to the HMIS Lead for issues specific to the HMIS implementation / software –HMIS participation fees –Access to HMIS –HMIS software training / data entry process –Export process TA is also available to HMIS Lead / HMIS Vendors for questions about SSVF 4

Grantee Roles and Responsibilities: The SSVF Grantee is responsible for complying with all local HMIS policies and procedures –CoC Participation –HMIS Participation and Governance Compliance –Privacy and Security Compliance –Data Quality Compliance –Community Planning/Use of Data SSVF grantees are responsible for ensuring that subgrantees participate in HMIS and comply with local HMIS policies and procedures as well 5

SSVF Program Setup HUD requires two separate programs in HMIS for each SSVF program –Homelessness Prevention –Rapid Re-Housing There must be a separate program for each CoC in which the SSVF grantee is operating –SSVF grantees operating in multiple CoCs may participate in a single HMIS implementation under some circumstances, but all client data must be identifiable by CoC at the program level 6

Data Collection Requirements All universal data elements defined in the March 2010 Data Standards Income and Sources Non-Cash Benefits Financial Assistance Provided Housing Relocation & Stabilization Services Provided 7

Data Flow SSVF grantees enter program data into local HMIS application Every month, SSVF data is exported from HMIS and uploaded to VA Repository National-level reporting is generated based on uploaded data 8 VA Repository HMIS 3 HMIS 2 HMIS 1

Revised HMIS Data Standards On May 1 st, 2014, federal partners (HUD, VA and HHS) released an updated version of HMIS Data Standards in form of: –2014 HMIS Data Manual (intended as reference for community members) –2014 HMIS Data Dictionary (intended for HMIS vendors and system administrators) Effective data of 2014 HMIS Data Standards is 10/1/14 VA will publish updated data collection requirements for SSVF grantees consistent with the standards prior to this date 9

SSVF Data Requirements Must ask every required data element for every client –Household members are clients Must enter the data into HMIS accurately Must make every effort to enter and update client records in HMIS within 24 hours of data collection Must ensure that data is exported from HMIS and uploaded to the VA’s Repository during first five business days of each month 10

HMIS Data Exchange Formats HUD has published standards to enable the exchange of HMIS data among databases in two different formats: o CSV (Comma-Separated Values) o XML (eXtensible Markup Language) The Repository will accept HMIS XML 3.0 or HMIS CSV 3.02 (CSV is preferred) Reference: Repository Data Upload and Integration Specifications 11

Repository Upload Process Export generated by HMIS (XML or CSV) XML / CSV packaged in a zip file Zip file uploaded to VA Repository Repository validates export / provides basic data quality feedback Uploads with high rates of missing data / structural issues will be rejected by the Repository –Data quality issues must be corrected in HMIS –Vendor intervention may be needed to address structural issues 12

Data Exchange Assumptions 13 Only SSVF data will be included in the export Fields left blank by a user will be exported as blank / null As required by the March 2010 HMIS Data Standards, every person has a Household Identification Number assigned at program entry regardless of household size Only persons served together in the same household will share a Household Identification Number

Export Parameters 14 All data for clients / enrollments active in current grant year must be uploaded each month –All enrollments into SSVF without an exit date and all enrollments with an exit date in the current grant year –All associated client demographic data –All service data associated with the enrollments, even if it is dated prior to the start of the grant year Filtering the export by date range / grant year is not mandatory –Exports may be filtered by date but if this is not available, all program data may be uploaded

File Validation Report 15 XML is parsed into CSV format after structural validation Data quality validation results are based on CSV structure

Seven CSV Files File 1: Export File 2: AgencyProgram File 3: Client File 4: ProgramParticipation File 5: ClientHistorical File 6: IncomeBenefits File 7: ServiceEvent 16

How the CSV Files Are Related Note: Export.csv has been omitted from the graphic. Every record in each of the 6 files shown above includes a field called ExportIDStr; the value in that field must match the value in the same field in Export.csv. 17

CSV File 1: Export This file holds data about the export itself – the date that the data was exported, the start date and end date, etc. It should always (and only) include two rows – the first row holds column names and the second row holds the data. The Repository can process only one export at a time; uploads with multiple records or multiple values for ExportIDStr in any file will be rejected. 18

CSV File 2: AgencyProgram Holds data about the program(s) as it is set up in HMIS – the organization name, program name, and other info. Records in ProgramParticipation.csv with a ProgramID that does not correspond to a value in AgencyProgram.csv will be ignored as irrelevant. 19

CSV File 3: Client Data about clients – name, SSN, DOB, race, gender, ethnicity, and PersonalIdentificationNumber (PIN). Each client in an HMIS must have a unique PIN There should be only one record per person in Client.csv, regardless of how many program enrollments they have Records without a corresponding record in ProgramPartcipation are ignored 20

CSV File 4: Program Participation Central to all reporting It holds data about program entries and exits Should have one row per person per program entry A person who has been enrolled multiple times will have one record in Client but multiple records in ProgramParticipation Records without a corresponding record in Client are ignored 21

CSV File 5: Client Historical Holds data collected at multiple points, such as total monthly income For every program entry, there should be at least one record in ClientHistorical. For every program exit, there should be an additional record in ClientHistorical Linked to records in ProgramParticipation by PIN, ProgramID, AssessmentDate 22

CSV File 5: Client Historical (cont.) Data collected at program entry –AssessmentDate = EntryDate OR –AssessmentDate between EntryDate and ExitDate with a DataCollectionStage of 1 Data collected at program exit –AssessmentDate = ExitDate OR –AssessmentDate between EntryDate and ExitDate with a DataCollectionStage of 3 23

CSV File 6: IncomeBenefits Data on specific sources of income and benefits Linked to records in ClientHistorical by PIN, ProgramID, and the AssessmentDate. In order to be counted as receiving income / benefit at entry / exit, record in IncomeBenefits must link to record in ClientHistorical 24

CSV File 6: IncomeBenefits (cont.) Data collected at program entry –AssessmentDate = EntryDate OR –AssessmentDate between EntryDate and ExitDate with a DataCollectionStage of 1 –Values match a record in ClientHistorical Data collected at program exit –AssessmentDate = ExitDate OR –AssessmentDate between EntryDate and ExitDate with a DataCollectionStage of 3 –Values match a record in ClientHistorical 25

CSV File 6: Service Event Holds information about specific services, and there is a record for each instance of service. None of the current Repository reporting includes any of the data in this table. 26

Issues in Parsing HMIS XML to HMIS CSV XML structure is more granular than CSV XML allows multiple values for fields such as Residence Prior to Program Entry, Veteran Status, Destination, etc. Impact is primarily seen in ClientHistorical The VA SSVF Data Guide provides details Technical specifications for the parsing process are available upon request 27

Repository Accounts Vendors and HMIS Leads are welcome to create a Repository account –Associated with the ZZ Test Program for testing / validation purposes –Associated with the grantee program (with grantee permission) for notification and/or upload purposes 28

TA for Vendors and HMIS Leads Please contact with questions about SSVF The VA SSVF Data Guide includes a great deal of documentation targeted toward HMIS vendors and HMIS leads Technical specifications and additional support are available upon request 29

Questions? 30 Contact