PART I: Community Participation & Coverage
Question 1
Does your by-name list include all young people currently experiencing homelessness including:
1A.) Unsheltered young people living on the streets or other places not meant for human habitation
Clark County currently has 3 outreach teams (Yellow Brick Road at Janus Youth Programs, Council for the Homeless Youth YYA Outreach, and the cross community Clark Coordinated Outreach Team- see 6A) that provides outreach to youth living on the street. The teams are trained to do CE/BNL Intake, and housing assessments.
Coordinated Outreach Team: All Housing Programs
Share Outreach CSNW/Seamar Outreach
Janus Youth Outreach*
CFTH Youth Outreach*
Outsiders Inn Outreach
CVAB Outreach
VA Outreach
HART Team
XChange Recovery**
CRMH Mobile Medical
Lifeline HOST
*Youth Specific
**Doesn’t do housing assessment
1B.) Young people living in shelter, transitional housing or other time-limited settings?
YYA seeking emergency shelter call the CFTH Housing Hotline for openings and availability. CFTH Housing Hotline refers YYA to open beds in emergency shelter as available. YYA are entered into HMIS for shelter placement and when a bed opens in emergency shelter, YYA can be referred to the opening. Outreach teams (see 6A) capture youth in BNL with coordination with programs and refer to the Housing Hotline.
Transitional Housing: Caples Terrace (CT) is a 28-unit secure access apartment building for youth 18-24 who are transitioning out of foster care/in extended foster care or are unaccompanied youth (i.e. not with their parents) experiencing homelessness or housing instability. Youth can have the opportunity to work towards a housing voucher after living 2 years at CT with "good standing" (dependent on VHA voucher availability).
Youth must meet the following eligibility criteria to be referred:
Aging out of foster care
In extended foster care
An unaccompanied youth (not in the physical custody of a parent or guardian) who is considered homeless (lacking fixed, regular, and adequate residence)
The following are referring agencies:
Janus Youth Programs
Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF)
All DCYF referrals must be submitted or approved by DCYF SW Karla Braskett YWCA Independent Living Skills Program (ILS)
Clark College
Next
If a youth has been determined eligible but is not affiliated with one of the referral agencies, they can self-refer to Janus Youth Outreach services who can refer them to CT by contacting The Perch at (360) 314-5716. Janus Youth Outreach services can meet youth at a location convenient to them to complete the referral process.
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1C.) Young people living in unsafe or unstable situations
Council for the homeless partnership with the Mckinney Vento Liaison: CFTH has partnerships with McKinney Vento Liaisons in the Vancouver and Evergreen School Districts. The McKinney Vento Liaisons identify and refer YYA and families who are in unsafe or unstable living situations to CFTH for resources and support (Housing Hotline, HPDF, and YDIP- all captured in HMIS).
HSSP: MV Liaisons can also refer YYA directly into the Homeless Student Stability Project
HOPE: Homeless Outreach Promoting Education. Vancouver School District also operates the Homeless Outreach Promoting Education (HOPE) which identifies and supports YYA in unsafe or unstable situations. HOPE is a partnership between Vancouver and the local shelters to help meet the needs of homeless families and their school aged shildren throughout the year. Janus
Oak Bridge Youth Shelter: Janus Youth Programs operates Oak Bridge Youth Shelter, a 24 hour facility serving YYA 9-17 years old with 11 Total Beds (current staffing capacity allows only up to 8 beds).
By-name data tracked through HMIS
1D.) Young people fleeing or attempting to flee unsafe or unstable situations
Yellow Brick Road (YBR) and Janus Houses the Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children (CSEC) Outreach Specialists conduct mobile and stationary outreach services to youth and young adults, ages 12 – 24, who are or may be victims or at risk of being sex trafficked. YBR Works w/ CSEC Case Manager and outreach, making referrals to case management services and providing wrap-around support to youth and young adults who are victims/survivors of Commercial Sexual Exploitation (CSE) or at high risk of being targeted. They are then added to YBNL.
CSEC CM takes on clients who either self-identify as victims/survivors or who have displayed enough indicators (usually through their time in another Janus program) to reasonably believe they would qualify as a victim/survivor. From there, it’s really up to the youth to decide how much they want to engage with case management services (pending Robin’s time, of course). The sky is the limit in terms of what they want to work on. Similar to outreach, everything is very much defined and determined by what each youth is ready and willing to work on.
YWCA- safe choice shelter for survivors of DV/SA inputs into HMIS, adding youth into the BNL. This is self referral and can be connected by the CE Housing Hotline.
Question 2 – Cross system identification
Does your homelessness system partner with, and have specific protocols for coordinating with other key systems to quickly and accurately identify young people within those systems who are experiencing homelessness (as defined in “Key Terms”). In other words, are young people experiencing homelessness who are presenting to these systems quickly identified as such?
2A.) Your child welfare system? *
YWCA ILS has a question on their referral regarding housing status. Following that, youth are referred to Youth Outreach Worker. There is also a coordinated process in place with Missing from care and EFC. The protocol in place states that, when a youth is experiencing homelessness, they are referred to Youth Outreach Worker.
Links:
2B.) Local school districts? *
Vancouver Public Schools: Students are identified by the Family Community Resource Center (FCRC) who will notify HOPE program, Self disclosure, word of mouth, and a housing questionnaire on the first day of school. As far as referrals for HSSP, any of those would normally be referred by the FCRC at the building. -
Evergreen Public Schools: When students register for school, they are asked to fill out a housing questionnaire. They are prompted to answer what their housing situation is (i.e. doubled up/couch surfing, motel, car/vehicle, shelter, camping, etc). Those housing questionnaires then automatically get sent to my team so staff can review and reach out to the school for a McKinney-Vento referral. For the HSSP program, we have 6 identified schools that can refer to HSSP.
EVERGREEN, VANCOUVER, AND CAMAS DISTRICT STAFF ARE also HPDF/YDIP TRAINED.
Links:
2C.) Your juvenile justice system? *
There was a pre-established relationship between Janus Youth Programs' Oak Bridge Youth Shelter and Clark County Juvenile Court (CCJC). These partners established a MOU between the two regarding coordination protocols when youth are identified as experiencing housing instability or homelessness. Clark County and City of Vancouver implemented community court. The main role of community court is to immediately engage participants in treatment or connecting them to needed services (housing, employment, education, etc.). Referrals to Janus Youth Programs or Council For the Homeless documented in HMIS. Clark County Jail Services connects people released from jail with community resources (CE Intakes) to reduce recidivism and promote healthier outcomes and safer communities in our county. Housing Coordinators does housing assessments Every Thursday from from 1-3.
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2D.) Publicly paid inpatient behavioral health treatment—mental health and substance use disorder programs? *
Columbia River Mental Health Options Team supports and serves YYA in publicly paid behavioral health programs. They offer peer support, individual therapy, group therapy, etc. They connect with housing services as needed, resulting in HMIS enrollment. They are also HPDF certified.
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2E.) Local Tribal Nations? *
Cowlitz Indian Tribe intake application has questions regarding housing situation. Youth who identify as experiencing homelessness are referred to their housing programs that enrolls and documents via HMIS. If a client identifies as experiencing homelessness and is seeking resources outside of the Tribe, Cowlitz Indian Tribe refers YYA to CFTH Youth Outreach Worker to get youth connected to housing resources when appropriate.
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Question 3 – Adding to BNL
Does your homelessness system partner with, and have specific protocols in place for coordinating with other key systems to ensure that young people in those systems experiencing homelessness (as defined in “Key Terms”) are added to your by-name list, including:
3A.) Your child welfare system? *
YWCA ILS has a question on their referral form and intake regarding housing status and record services on HMIS and those entries populate in YBNL. The Missing From Care Coordinator and Extended Foster Care has agreed to a protocol in place that states, when a youth is experiencing homelessness, they are referred to Youth Outreach Worker. The youth are then added to the BNL via HMIS input.
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3B.) Local school districts? *
MOUs are in place and continuing to develop in multiple districts (Vancouver, Evergreen, and Camas School districts) with McKinney-Vento Liasons, unaccompanied youth advocates, and HOPE programs. Folks from the mentioned districts are HPDF/YDIP Trained. The youth served are added to the BNL via HMIS input.
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3C.) Your juvenile justice system? *
MOU in place allows youth experiencing homelessness to be entered into HMIS via Oak Bridge
Links:
3D.) Publicly paid inpatient behavioral health treatment—mental health and substance use disorder programs? *
Columbia River Mental Health Options Team supports and serves YYA in publicly paid behavioral health programs. They offer peer support, individual therapy, group therapy, etc. They connect with housing services as needed, resulting in HMIS enrollment. They are also HPDF certified.
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3E.) Local Tribal Nations? *
Cowlitz Tribe has housing programs inside their agency that enrolls and documents via HMIS.
Links:
Question 4 – Foster care exits
4.) Is your community able to track young people exiting the foster care system without stable housing and to ensure that those individuals are added to your by-name list if they are experiencing homelessness (as defined in “Key Terms”) ?
YWCA ILS has a question on their referral form and intake regarding housing status and record services on HMIS and those entries populate in YBNL. The YWCA ILP team refers to Youth Outreach Worker at Council for the Homeless when a youth is exiting foster care without stable housing.
There is also a coordinated process in place with Missing From Care Coordinator and Extended Foster Care. The protocol in place states that, when a youth is experiencing homelessness, they are referred to Youth Outreach Worker. The youth are then added to the BNL via HMIS input.
ILS in Clark County ran by YWCA are YDIP/HPDF trained. They are participants of the Clark's core team and case conferencing. YWCA ILP team are working with young people experiencing child welfare involvement ages 15-22 to identify any housing supports as identified.
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Question 5 – Cross-system collaboration
5.) Do you regularly assess your collaborations with the systems outlined in Questions 2 and 3 to make sure that together you are continuing to improve your reach to young people eligible to receive help from your system?*
Yes, there are various workgroups throughout Clark county including System Integration Partnerhsip Meeting CFTH (quarterly), YBNL Data Meeting (Bi-Monthly), ACI Core Team (Bi-Monthly), and YBNL Case Conferencing (Bi-Monthly). These groups regularly review the system of care collaborations across the community and partner across program to improve access.
The Continuum of Care Steering Committee oversees the Coalition and other workgroups/task groups, including:
Ongoing Workgroups (Monthly and Bi-Monthly):
HMIS System Performance Measurement Workgroup
HMIS Data User’s Workgroup
Coordinated Assessment Workgroup: Veterans By Name List (VBNL) Workgroup
Chronically Homeless By Name (CBNL) Workgroup
Coordinated Outreach Workgroup
TaskGroups (Time limited)
Severe Weather Taskforce
Point in Time Count Taskforce
Project Homeless Connect Taskforce
Question 6 - Outreach
The regularity of outreach and street engagement should reflect the unique nature of your geography and the places where young people experiencing homelessness are likely to go in your community. Every member of all outreach teams should be clear on where and when outreach should take place. The following questions pertain to your outreach.
6A.) Is 100% of your community’s geography covered by a documented and coordinated outreach system? *
Coordinated Outreach Teams using Show the Way App that helps coordinate and identify geographical hot spots and camps to make contact with people experiencing homelessness. There is also a coordinated outreach hotline and email for folks to utilize.
Coordinated Outreach Workgroup meets monthly and includes representation from: Janus Youth, Council for the Homeless, Outsiders Inn, Lifeline Connections, Sea Mar, CRMHS, Recovery Cafe, Share, City of Vancouver, XChange Recovery, CVAB, and Beacon Health.
6B.) Are young people with lived experience of homelessness involved in conducting your outreach and/or informing your outreach strategies and locations? *
Our youth outreach teams are staffed with people with lived experience of homlessness and unstable housing. Clark County outreach teams prioritize hiring individuals with lived experience and YYA.
Additionally, Clark County Youth Action Board created a ballot box that has a Survey for youth not engaging in services. The survey consist of optional demo questions, resources, and an option to leave their contact information. The yab and YCEM checks the Ballot box monthly. We follow up with youth on their terms. The YAB has worked as resource brokers in this capacity and referred folks to services.
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Question 7 - Accessibility & Feedback
7A.) Are there youth-specific access points where young people can seek housing and services and be added to your by-name list without having to present at an adult shelter or facility? *
Yellow Brick Road- The Perch is a YYA specific drop in Center (15-24) that YYA can access. Staff at the Perch can complete housing assessments. Staff at the Perch can request a CFTH staff person to complete assessments. There is also the Clark County Youth House ran by Clark County Community Services, who specialize in inpatient and peer services to YYA.
The Perch – 1501 Columbia St, Vancouver, WA
Drop in center with resources for meeting basic needs and connections to ongoing resources for youth (ages 12-24) experiencing homelessness
Resources include: laundry, shower, food, clothes, camping supplies, etc
(360)314-5716
Yellow Brick Road Washington (Outreach) – Perch staff does outreach on days that the drop in center is closed
Hours: Monday & Friday – 9:30-11:30, 12:30-4:00 Tuesday & Thursday – 12:30-4:00
HPDF and YDIP trained providers in Clark are also able to offer services and do direct requests to these prevention and diversion funds without YYA having to access another provider. These requests to HPDF and YDIP are managed by CFTH and represented on the YBNL.
7B.) Does your community use a youth-specific assessment tool to determine homeless status, triage housing and service needs, and support prioritization based on youth-specific needs and vulnerabilities? *
Our Coordinated Entry system collaborated with community partners to create and implement the Clark County Assessment Tool (CCAT). There is a youth specific version that is used for YYA.
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7C.) Is your community regularly attempting to improve the reach of your system, by specifically testing things to improve access for people who are currently under-accessing your system?*
A key strategy in Clark County's efforts to improve the reach of the system is the housing and prevention funds for YYA (HPDF and YDIP). CFTH as the acting fiscal agent is active in outreach and recruitment to train providers and community members across the county. Because of this, Clark has a large sector of service providers trained in HPDF/YDIP increasing access outside of the CE system. YBNL Case conferencing is also established and meets twice a month, facilitated by Janus Youth Outcomes Manager. YAB is regularly consulted for feedback on every facet of the system through the ACI Core Improvement Team.
7D.) Are the tests referenced in question 7C driven by qualitative data, including direct feedback, on the experiences of both people who have recently accessed your system and those who are eligible to access your system but have not?*
YYA provided feedback on housing assessment surveys used by the housing navigators at Janus. The Clark County YAB has designed their own survey for homeless youth made available at the libraries to collect data from youth who aren't accessing the housing system. YAB reverses feedback loops with core team by tasking the core team and telling them what gaps they see in the programs. YAB regularly leads and provides feedback on community events by and for YYA (Trans and Gender Diverse Clothing Drive and So Fresh So Clean Event in 2023).
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Question 8 - Provider Participation
8A.) Are you confident that from the combined total of providers, programs and systems of care that provide data to your active list, you are accounting for 90% or more of the unaccompanied young people who are currently eligible and asking for help to resolve their homelessness?*
Clark County has multiple Coordinated Entry access points (which includes mobile outreach teams capable of assessment and data capture in HMIS) that cover Clark County. Clark also has HPDF and YDIP and have trained community stakeholders across the community, systems of care, and By/For organizations, to access funds (resulting in data capture in HMIS) across the County. See list of providers, programs, and systems of care that are currently inputting to the Clark YBNL linked policies. YYA serving community members who are not able to input data into HMIS connect YYA to the YBNL (and thus to necessary services) via referral to CFTH YYA Outreach Worker or via HPDF/YDIP.
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8B.) Are 90-100% of federally or publicly funded providers (including CoC Program funded providers and RHY providers) serving unaccompanied youth report data into your by-name list? *
All programs and organizations in Clark County who receives government funding are required to enroll clients into HMIS, resulting in inclusion on the BNL.
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8C.) Are 90-100% of non-federally or publicly funded providers serving unaccompanied youth report data into your by-name list? *
Janus Yellow Brick Road (YBR) outreach (with HMIS and CE access, as well as trained to access prevention/diversion funds) has an established a MOU with Triple Point (non-HMIS provider), a drop in for LGBTQIA youth 13-18. Triple Point agreed to have the outreach team on site during drop in hours monthly and to refer YYA interested in resources to their drop in center, The Perch. A CE assessment or connection with YBR outreach would result in inclusion on the YBNL. Their umbrella organization, Children's Home Society, is a partner in Clark's YYA case conferencing to ensure resource connection.
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PART II: Policies & Procedures
This section is focused on ensuring that you have policies and procedures in place to accurately capture movement on and off your list and to maintain timely and accurate data.
Question 9 - Inactivity
9.) Does your community implement consistent policies for determining inactive status that at minimum:*
Establish a certain number of days after which an individual who cannot be located becomes inactive (i.e. an “inactivity threshold”)
Ensures action is taken to locate individuals on the list before they meet the inactivity threshold
Accounts for all other than permanent exits from your system
Take into account young people residing in institutions who have been there 30 days or longer?*
Clark CoC has HMIS policies and procedures adhered to community wide. The inactivity policy is implemented by HMIS users across the county. It is maintained and periodically adapted by the CoC housed under Council for the Homeless. Meetings such as the HMIS System Performance Measurement Workgroup and HMIS Data User’s Workgroup are way that we routinely make sure that the policy is a standard practice.
For the By Name list, if an individual or household on the active list does not interact with any programs or receive any services in HMIS for 90 days or more, they will be moved to inactive until they re-engage with the system and the updates are entered into HMIS.
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Question 10 - Non-consent
10.) Does your by-name list have a way to account for young people experiencing homelessness who have not consented to services and/or assessment? *
Clark County HMIS has a process to create an "anonymous" client without including personally identifying information (PII). Information can be updated to show data was collected without identifying information. HMIS reporting still includes the anonymous records, resulting in a YYA inclusion on the YBNL.
If a client does not consent to their identifying information being entered into HMIS, all identifying information is withheld from the HMIS entry and they are put as anonymous. See page 3 (bottom corner).
Question 11 - Timeliness & Accuracy
11A.) Does your community have policies and protocols in place for keeping your by-name list up to date and accurate, including timelines for data submission from providers and ongoing quality assurance protocol? *
In Clark County, Client data must be entered into HMIS no more than 5 days following contact. This also includes inactivity, non-consenting, and data timeliness expectations. Monthly HMIS data quality report cards are provided to all participating agencies for the purpose of evaluating data quality and correcting errors/omissions. Agencies are expected to maintain a data report card garde of "A" (or over 95% completeness) for their programs. Programs who continually fail to meet their data quality expectations will be brought to the CoC Steering Committee attention for review.
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11B.) Do you implement policies and procedures to ensure that data collection takes place in a complete and consistent way across all access points to your system?*
YBNL & HMIS has the capacity to ensure data collection takes place consistently across all access points. There is an onboarding process for new HMIS users across the CoC, managed by Council for the Homeless. There is also a formal training in Service Point upon hire for direct service staff. HMIS Admin (CFTH) ensures provisions of training of necessary particpant staff in Servicepoint. Trainings and updates are provided in the chances of staff changes and changes in technology.
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PART III: Case Conferencing
Question 12
12A.) Do you have a By-name List that can be used for case conferencing on a regular basis?*
Data Lead responsibilities:
Data Extractions-Downloads HMIS raw data report needed to generate the monthly YBNL.
Data Transformation-Uses the Data Transformation Tool (DTT) to transform raw data it into a YBNL. This will also require using the monthly active and inactive master lists for the reporting period.
Data Aggregation- Data Lead then uses the excel file to aggregate the active, outflow and inflow numbers of the BNL using the Tableau tool.
Clark Youth Outcomes Manager responsiblilities:
Generate a YBNL Toolbank from the BNL for Case Conferencing.
Facilitate the standing bi-weekly 1 hr meetings (case conferencing) with ACI Coordinator.
Work with ACI Data Lead to ensure ACI monthly data is submitted each month by the 15th.
Thought partner with the Clark Data Team on reporting and data quality issues.
Assist ACI Coordinator in responding to Core Team data requests, including disaggregated data and measurement support for change ideas and improvement goals.
ACI Coordinator data responsibilities:
Communicate with AWHWA Data Team if there are issues with Tableau dashboards or tools.
Incorporate real-time ACI data (sandbox, dashboards and data from tests) into core team meetings, ensuring goals and progress are tracked so that the team can pivot quickly.
Maintain regular communication with local ACI Data Lead to proactively troubleshoot data quality and reporting issues early; design and test solutions.
Links:
Refer to Data Transformation Tool Guide pg 3, which outlines the data implementation for case conferencing.
Refer to pg 1 of ACI BNL P&P for roles and data process
12B.) Have you started case conferencing young people on your community’s BNL on a regular basis?*
Clark County host case conferencing for the YBNL every 2nd and 4th Tuesday on a Hybrid model (began 3/28/23). Case conferencing is facilitated by the Janus Youth Programs Youth Outcomes Manager.
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PART IV: Demographic Data
This section is focused on ensuring that you are collecting race/ethnicity, sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI) data to a high level of completeness and in a culturally appropriate/responsive manner. Due to systemic racism, homophobia, transphobia and other injustices LGBQ+, gender expansive, and POC young people experience homelessness at higher/disproportionate rates. Collecting accurate SOGI and race/ethnicity data is necessary to ensure that you are ready to launch into the reducing phase with an accurate and comprehensive BNL. The reducing phase will include significant efforts to transform your homeless response system to end racial/LGBTQ+ disproportionality.
Question 13 - Completeness
13.) On a month by month basis, does your community have demographic data for at least 70-90% of the young people on your By-name list? Including:*
Race and ethnicity data
Gender identity data
Sexual orientation data
CoC Policy in place as of May 2023, SOGIE data is collected upon initial entry and enrollment into HMIS and can be added afterwards by editing their profile. Clark County is certified with a quality, reliable, real-time BNL, while trying to meet the 70% completeness threshold by meeting every item on the following checklist:
Project level deep dive on demographic data has been completed, and action is being taken by the Improvement Team and/or Data Workgroup to improve quality at a project/program level.
Sexual orientation question is added as a compulsory field in all HMIS projects (non-BoS) or sexual orientation is included in assessments at the program level (BoS).
The provider(s) who serve the most young people in the community are on board with asking clients their sexual orientation at intake and have implemented the infrastructure, training, and any other internal processes to make this happen.
Sexual orientation knowns at inflow have increased pre/post implementation of mandatory field in HMIS (measured by household). See chart below.
Data workgroup is in place to continue monitoring demographic data quality and testing system improvements to reach the 70% threshold.
Training on collecting SOGI data is completed with local providers and there is a plan for consistent follow up training.
Above: Increase in sexual orientation knowns between March and June 2023, from 26% to 53%. Months total 99% because of rounding down.
Question 14 – Universal Collection
14.) Are all your homeless service providers (for all populations) universally collecting sexual orientation data for youth and young adults?
All agencies participates in the HMIS Data user meetings, CoC Steering Committee, and CoC Service Providers met agreed to develop policy and implementation to collect SO system wide for YYA. When YYA are being entered into HMIS, if age is calculated between 12-24, SOGIE is a required field in the HMIS client profile page. This change in HMIS was implemented across the CoC on May 2023.
Question 15 – YYA Consultation & Approval
15.) Have BIPOC and/or LGBTQ+ young people and young people with lived experience been consulted on and approved your demographic (race/ethnicity, gender identity, and sexual orientation) data collection procedures? *
Terrell Berry (ACI Coordinator) facilitated a conversation with young adults involved with the Youth Action Board to guide the entire process of demographic data collection in Clark County. They discussed their own struggles and discomforts during intakes when they were asked their sexuality and gender identities. Together, the youth developed a script for how these questions should be asked and advised the core team on how to format the questions in the physical assessment. Their recommendations were incorporated into the HMIS workflow for demographic data collection.
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PART V - CREDIBILITY
Question 16 – Stakeholder review
16.) Do the critical stakeholders in your community regularly review community data?
Data review completed with YAB on 5/8/23, with plan to regularly review data as a group with Janus Youth Outcomes Manager every other month. Data from YBNL regularly discussed and shared with ACI Core Team, ACI work groups, YBNL Case Conferencing, and Data Workgroup (meets bi-monthly). After 5/8/23 Data Review meeting with YAB, YAB member presented on data at ACI Core Team Meeting and discussed how YAB is addressing disproportionalities with outreach events (Trans and Non-Binary Clothing Drive in May 2023 and the So Fresh So Clean Event in August 2023). YAB and Core Team will continue to review system level data and input from YYA on their experiences to guide reducing efforts in Clark County.
17.) Do the critical stakeholders in your community regularly reviewing your data believe that the system flow data reflects the reality of what is happening on the ground (or if it does not, do they have a shared understanding of why?)*
Core team, Case Conferencing team, and YAB all review the data monthly and agree it accurately reflects system flow data. Clark County ACI Core Team have worked to build pathways for organizations throughout the county that do not use HMIS to set up MOUs with agencies that do to ensure that the community are accurately capturing the breadth of YYA experiencing homelessness.
PART VI: Data Infrastructure
Question 18 – Current Living Situation
18.) Does your community’s By-name list track “current living situation” in real-time, including the date each status was last changed and the previous status? In other words, can your BNL track in real time when a young person’s status changes between:*
Homeless, in shelter
Homeless, unsheltered
Homeless, couchsurfing/doubled up
Inactive
No longer meets population criteria
Permanently Housed
Prior living situation and current living situation are data points collected in HMIS. Date is automatically updated in HMIS when new living situation is reported. Providers update current living situation status based on HUD guidelines.
Question 19 – Active list disaggregation
19.) Does your community break down your active list by the following categories to understand who you are serving in your system:
Race
Ethnicity
Sexual Orientation
Gender Identity
Age
HMIS tracks demographic data for YYA on by name list, and this data is used to break down the active list based on these elements. The active list is created from an HMIS report. It is transformed through the Python script and Tableau tool to get an active list count.
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Question 20 – Unique Identifier
20.) Does your community’s by-name list include a unique identifier (such as an HMIS ID) for each young person to prevent duplication of client records and facilitate coordination between providers and systems? *
HMIS generates a unique number ID for each entry. DV services have additional anonymizing tools as well and client information cannot be viewed for DV survivors by any service provider outside of that agency.
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Question 21 - Inflow
21A.) Does the community accurately track the number of people entering your list (inflow) in as close to real time as possible including:*
Households entering the homeless system for the first time
Households returning from inactive status who are either:
Exiting the care of another system
Currently in the care of another system and newly seeking help from the homelessness system in resolving their homelessness
Returning from inactive status for reasons other than the above
Individuals or households returning from being previously housed by your system
Providers follow the timeliness and accuracy policy and enter data within 3-5 days of enrollment. These data elements are used to categorize YYA as inflow as appropriate on the YBNL.
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21B.) Does the community break down inflow data into the following categories to understand if there are different rates of inflow for different groups:*
Race
Ethnicity
Sexual Orientation
Gender Identity
Age
The data elements of project start date, current living situation, and demographics are used to disaggregate inflow
Question 22 - Outflow
22A.) Do you track the number of people exiting your active list (outflow) in as close to real time as possible including:*
Households connected to non-time limited, safe and stable housing
Households that have become inactive for other reasons, as specified by your community’s inactivity policy
Households that no longer meet population criteria (eg. they turn 25 or become part of a family household)
HMIS tracks outflow for YYA on by name list, and this data is used to break down the active list based on these elements. The outflow count is created from an HMIS report. It is transformed through the Python script and Tableau tool to get an accurate outflow count by month.
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22B.) Does the community break down outflow data into the following categories to understand if there are different rates of outflow for different groups:*
Race
Ethnicity
Sexual Orientation
Gender Identity
Age
The data elements of project start date, current living situation, and demographics are used to disaggregate outflow.
Links:
Question 23 - Length of Time
23A.) Does your community accurately account for historical changes in homelessness status, including the initial date an individual or household was identified by your system, to consistently and accurately calculate the length of time they spend homeless, including length of time on list at any point in time?*
When a YYA is initially entered into a service, a unique HMIS ID is assigned to them that will be continuous throughout their time in HMIS across programs and service providers. This allows HMIS to track length of time for each YYA in each individual program they are entered into. HMIS also collects current living situation before and after time in each specific program to reflect trends more accurately for all living situation and program types.
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23B.) Does your community accurately account for historical changes in homelessness status, including the initial date an individual or household was identified by your system, to consistently and accurately calculate the length of time they spend homeless, including length of time from identification to housing after households are positively exited?*
When families or individuals are housed, their living situation status is changed in HMIS. This generates length of time in all prior living statuses as separate from their current living situation. Data can be aggregated based on length of stay and type of living sitiation.
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23C.) Does your community break down your length of time data by the following categories to understand who you are serving in your system:*
Race
Ethnicity
Sexual Orientation
Gender Identity
Age
Data sets can be pulled based on various demographic data points to view the length of time data aggrogated by using Python. Once Python conducts the data analysis it is then visualized by Tableau.
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Question 24 - Chronic
24.) Does your community collect data to determine whether individuals and households meet criteria for chronically homeless status?*
During enrollment, HUD definition is used to determine whether YYA qualify as chronically homeless based on length of time in living situations that qualify under HUD.
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