NERHMIS Meeting Minutes

January 20, 2006

Participants: 

Announcements:

• E-learning and knowledge management concept in Connecticut- Proof of concept on custom report writer and general suite of e-learning (Walt); looking for product to share training components back and forth; management and structure of classes; package that includes synchronous communication with voice over IP; HUD (Knowledge Management Solutions, Inc)
• Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont- joint report writing; not getting data from each state; sharing common reports across states – focus toward generation of AHAR report- when generating unduplicated count- using the same definition and code behind the queries and use same data elements and definition- shared resources to hire the same person to help with reporting (not all exclusively using ServicePoint)
• Massachusetts system is based solely on data standards (universal and program) and does not include data outside those elements
• Connecticut integrating with State Mental Health System and Detox System- cost oriented, transaction based, integration of universal data elements
• Vermont is developing its own system and will integrate into a web based application using name and SSN- now implementing with ESG; State Dept of Corrections and Office of Health Care looking at ServicePoint
• HUD Regional TA project: create a consumer involvement web site that is a page of NERHMIS web site- looking for photos, announcements, etc. to add to content. (add Maine consumer education materials)
• RI Coalition has a New Executive Director
• White Paper on Consumer Involvement-

NERHMIS Conference: April 10, 2006 9:00 to 4:00 (see notes below)

Website: www.mccormack.umb.edu/csp/2006ne-hmis/registration- contains flyer, registration information, hotel information, etc. 

Develop of a regional model of consumer involvement in HMIS:

• Looking to develop further regional agenda regarding consumer involvement
• Goal to have great inclusion of consumers for CoCs, Steering Committees and NERHMIS. 
• Some states have good examples. 
• Julia is working under AHP (Path Program TA) to further this effort
• Georgia model: certified peer specialist
• Julia will investigate options to move effort forward

Massachusetts: SHORE (Statewide Homeless Operations and Research Environment)

• Deployed August 2005
• Conversation undertaking of 230 agencies using other systems
• 25 agencies live; 19 scheduled for January
• working with other vendors and published standard format for data exchange
• end goal: statewide unduplicated count
• Statewide ID for each individual client; there is no data sharing
• Still building with user feedback
• Simple application- just focuses on HUD data elements with bed register tool (assign a bed with capturing minimal info- name, ssn, dob)
• Funded by DTA: Department of Transitional Assistance (1.5 M to develop); ongoing resources on maintenance and support
• Cost for conversion included in 1.5
• Free software to either use or upload to SHORE
• Bed lists are custom to agency (cots, floors, wings)
• Can define own services with AIRS taxonomy for data interchange
• Reporting on agency or state (uses Cognos for reports)
• HUD APR, DTA Monthly Census, Bar List, Bed List, Data Quality Reports,
• Linked to Beacon for eligibility for families- data fed from Beacon to SHORE (application data); application for mainstream benefits is a likely next step
• Virtual Gateway- web-based open application
• Data uploaded with full identifiers
• Other states- are interested in data exchange policies from Beacon to SHORE

HOPWA Participation in HMIS- NH Analysis:

• Requires participation for HOPWA providers that primary serve homeless or chronically homeless
• NH- written consent is required for disclosure of HIV status- must be HIV-specific and include the reason for the request to disclose the test results (probably strongest in New England based on scope)
• Federal (24 CFR 574.440 Confidentiality)- ensure confidentiality of any individual receiving services  -- no further guidelines on what this means—
• Federal (HIPAA)- covered entity- develop compliant authorizations (description, authorizations, disclosures, right to revoke, info subject to re-disclosure, expiration date)
• Jonathan is going to begin working with other communities in New England on state HIV statute issues and how it affects participation

PKI Requirement

• Not a lot of guidance about how to implement PKI requirement
• Financial and administrative constraints
• NHSDC sent Letter to HUD- as follow up to Loren Hoffman requirement
• Looking for additional clarification
• Seattle and Chicago were examples
• Issues were universal: Cost, Public Access Interpretation, administrative burden,
• NERHMIS Dates
• Series of Podcasts- audio files goc.com (securitynow.htm); vpn, PKI,
• PKI- Rhode Island

VAWA

• Passed out Section 605 and Section 3
• HUD has no guidance yet
• NH has a state system with Attorney Generals office that they trust

Outstanding Question: 

Question of Disclosure for Open Participation in Board Process:  If consumer participates in a board they need to sign that it is not a conflict of interest.  Consumer inadvertently discloses because they are a consumer of service. 

Regional Conference Notes: 

Confirmed Contact for each state: 

• Maine: Cindy Namer
• Vermont: Kim Woolaver
• New Hampshire: Linda Newell
• Massachusetts: Bill Silvestri
• Connecticut: Walt Hewitt
• Rhode Island:  Lisa Robinson
• Jonathan Sherwood: for HOPWA providers

Presenter recommendations: 

Making the Most: Peter Kelleher (Harbor Homes, NH); John Jazwinski (MA)

Using HMIS for Reporting:  Russ Cormier (CT: Consultant for Hardfort); Abt person (Alvaro); Paul Dragon (Vt: Chittenton County for local uses); Matt Simmonds (Ma); Eric Hirsch

Technology and Policies that can allow participation: Jonathan Sherwood; Michelle Hayes;

How to of HMIS: Melinda Bussino or Jay Entwisle James Stokes-buckles (VT); Mike Faris (Umass);

Understanding extent and nature of homelessness:  Eric Hirsch; Tatjana Meschede

HMIS and Consumers: Julia Tripp; Whitney (Brian); Carolyn Smith (Chicago); Maine (consumer)

Accurate and Reliable Data:  John McGah; Shelley (Rutland Housing Coalition); Kathy Green (MA); Ken Teele (CT)

Innovation Concepts: E-learning (Walt); Kat Freeman (common index);Vermont Point in time Kim Woolaver, Regional reporting

Objective: to inform the regional TA plan for NERHMIS

Sensitive Populations: benefits, challenges and solutions for implementation

Consumers:

Data Warehousing: data exchange formats, ownership of data; Brian Sokol

Vendors can set up in hallway. 

Next Meeting Dates:

• Next meeting: Deployment of Consumer Involvement Web Site;
• March 10^, 2006

To do list:

• Consumer Involvement Web-Site needs photos, announcements, content, etc. to add prior to deployment
• Technical Assistance Request to HUD??
• Follow up with HUD re: release of Consumer Involvement
• State Contacts send out Save the Date