Attention all HMIS Users! We have updated some of our client forms as well as our HMIS Policies and Procedures. Here is access to everything you need to know.

Beginning November 1, 2020, we will go live in Clarity with a new Client Release of Information. In order to get you up to speed with using it, there is a new recorded training and quiz (both below).

Before gaining access to Cambridge HMIS, all users must complete the Privacy and Security Training. Existing users must complete this training once a year in order to maintain their user license.

Please read this document for a summary of the updates. For more specific details, please view the slides that were presented at our October 22nd CoC Meeting:

2020 HMIS Data Standards Slides

October 1st, 2017 marks another year of changes to the HMIS Data Standards. The good news is that the changes this year will have very little impact on front end users. Most users will notice some changes in wording of answer choices.

Running Reports in Clarity Are you making the most of your Clarity user account by running reports? As a Clarity user, you have several types of aggregate and non-aggregate program level reports available. If you haven’t used the reporting module yet, we encourage you to take a look at the choices find one or more that are meaningful.

Clarity Security Enhancement Earlier this month Clarity released a software update that prevents any internet browser from saving your HMIS password for future logins. This is an important security provision that helps to protect sensitive data and is required for compliance with HUD’s baseline standards for security.

Data Quality in Clarity Planning and Development staff review data on a quarterly basis at the minimum, but Program Managers and front end users are encouraged to run their own reports more frequently to evaluate data for your specific programs. Remember, your data quality influences not just your project and agency’s reporting, but our CoC’s System Level Performance Measure Report to HUD.

HUD and Federal Partners Release Version 5 of 2014 Data Standards More updates to the Data Standards are here and they officially go live on October 1, 2016. Clarity will update our data collection screens to 2014 Version 5, and Planning and Development will update our system to begin using these screens the evening of September 30th. In the meantime, you may notice some changes to answer choices when entering data, and this is expected.v

UPDATED Client Consent Forms Now Available in other Languages! After updating our Release of Information workflow, we made some minor changes to our ROI documents in English and these updated versions are now available in Spanish, Haitian Creole, and Portuguese.

It’s happening! This year’s PIT count takes place on the night of Wednesday, 1/27 into Thursday, 1/28.

When completing the Health Insurance section of the HUD Assessment, please note that Medicaid corresponds to MassHealth. In Massachusetts, MassHealth is synonymous with Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) — combined in one program.