How Many California Continuums of Care Recently Changed Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) Software Vendors?

-11 or 27% of 41 recently changed HMIS software vendors-

Joe Colletti, PhD
October 2018

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has recently provided a Data Strategy for CoCs to best use HMIS to accomplish the ultimate goal of ending homelessness in their jurisdictions. The strategy emphasizes data quality and accuracy, system-level data analysis, and project-level data analysis. HUD has also produced new reports and tools to help CoCs fulfill the strategy.

As a result, the software that HMIS vendors provide should be aligned with the strategy to end local homelessness for each of the CoCs that they serve. Helping ensure that CoCs are compliant with HUD’s standards for data collection, management, and reporting standards is important. Helping CoCs to collect complete and accurate data, to seamlessly share data in real time, to develop the capacity to analyze data at system and project levels, and to evaluate their efforts, including real-time bed availability assessment and assignment, is imperative.

As noted in table 1, 11 or 27% of the 41 California continuums of care changed HMIS software vendors. The change from one year to another is highlighted in bold.

Table 1. California continuums of care and HMIS software vendors: 2015 – 2018

Continuum of Care 2015 2016 2017 2018
San Jose/Santa Clara City & County CoC Bitfocus, Inc Bitfocus,
Inc
Bitfocus, Inc Bitfocus, Inc
San Francisco CoC Social Solutions Social Solutions Bitfocus, Inc Bitfocus, Inc
Oakland, Berkeley/Alameda County CoC Mediware* Mediware Mediware Bitfocus, Inc
Sacramento City & County CoC Bitfocus, Inc Bitfocus,
Inc
Bitfocus, Inc Bitfocus, Inc
Santa Rosa, Petaluma/Sonoma County CoC Social Solutions Social Solutions Social Solutions Social Solutions
Richmond/Contra Costa County CoC

Mediware*

Mediware Bitfocus, Inc Bitfocus, Inc
Salinas/Monterey, San Benito Counties CoC Community Technology Alliance Community Technology Alliance Mediware Mediware
Marin County CoC Caseworthy Caseworthy Bitfocus, Inc Bitfocus, Inc
Watsonville/Santa Cruz City & County CoC

Mediware*

Mediware Mediware Bitfocus, Inc
Mendocino County CoC Eccovia Solutions** Eccovia Solutions Eccovia Solutions Eccovia Solutions
Turlock, Modesto/Stanislaus County CoC Eccovia Solutions** Eccovia Solutions Eccovia Solutions Eccovia Solutions
Stockton/San Joaquin County CoC Bitfocus, Inc Bitfocus,
Inc
Bitfocus, Inc Bitfocus, Inc
Daly City/San Mateo County CoC Bitfocus, Inc Bitfocus,
Inc
Bitfocus, Inc Bitfocus, Inc
Visalia/Kings, Tulare Counties CoC Eccovia Solutions** Eccovia Solutions Eccovia Solutions Eccovia Solutions
Fresno City & County/Madera County CoC Mediware* Mediware Mediware Mediware
Roseville, Rocklin/Placer, Nevada Counties Mediware* Mediware Mediware Mediware
Redding/Shasta County CoC Bell Data Systems Bell Data Systems Mediware Mediware
Napa City & County CoC Bitfocus, Inc Bitfocus,
Inc
Bitfocus, Inc Bitfocus, Inc
Vallejo/Solano County CoC Mediware* Mediware Mediware Mediware
Chico, Paradise/Butte County CoC Bitfocus, Inc Bitfocus,
Inc
Bitfocus, Inc Bitfocus, Inc
Merced City & County CoC Mediware* Mediware Mediware Mediware
Davis, Woodland/Yolo County CoC Bitfocus, Inc Bitfocus,
Inc
Bitfocus, Inc Bitfocus, Inc
Humboldt County CoC Mediware* Mediware Mediware Mediware
Yuba City/Sutter County CoC Bell Data Systems Bell Data Systems Bell Data Systems Bell Data Systems
El Dorado County CoC Bell Data Systems Bell Data Systems Bell Data Systems Bell Data Systems
Tuolumne, Amador, Calaveras, Mariposa Counties CoC Bell Data Systems Bell Data Systems Bell Data Systems Bell Data Systems
Tehama County CoC Bitfocus, Inc Bitfocus,
Inc
Bitfocus, Inc Bitfocus, Inc
Alpine, Inyo, Mono Counties CoC* Bell Data Systems Did not submit Did not submit Bell Data Systems
Los Angeles City & County CoC Adsystech Inc Adsystech Inc Bitfocus, Inc Bitfocus, Inc
San Diego City and County CoC Mediware* Mediware Mediware Mediware
Santa Ana, Anaheim/Orange County CoC Adsystech Inc Adsystech Inc Adsystech Inc Bitfocus, Inc
Santa Maria/Santa Barbara County CoC Mediware* Mediware Mediware Mediware
Bakersfield/Kern County CoC Eccovia Solutions** Eccovia Solutions Eccovia Solutions Eccovia Solutions
Long Beach CoC Mediware* Mediware Mediware Mediware
Pasadena CoC Adsystech Inc Adsystech Inc Bitfocus, Inc Bitfocus, Inc
Riverside City & County CoC Eccovia Solutions** Eccovia Solutions Eccovia Solutions Eccovia Solutions
San Bernardino City & County CoC Eccovia Solutions** Eccovia Solutions Eccovia Solutions Eccovia Solutions
Oxnard, San Buenaventura/Ventura County CoC Mediware* Mediware Mediware Mediware
Glendale CoC Adsystech Inc Adsystech Inc Bitfocus, Inc Bitfocus, Inc
Imperial County CoC Mediware* Mediware Mediware Mediware
San Luis Obispo County CoC Bell Data Systems Bell Data Systems Bell Data Systems Bell Data Systems

*Bowman became Mediware and recently became WellSky
**Client Track became Eccovia

HUD has been working to standardize communication between HMIS vendors, CoC HMIS lead agencies, and system administrators. The purpose of the 2017 HMIS Data Dictionary is to help HMIS vendors and HMIS lead agencies identify the data elements required by HUD and to help with understanding the function and specific use of each element. The 2018 HMIS Data Standards Manual aims to help CoCs, HMIS Lead Agencies, HMIS System Administrators, and HMIS Users “understand the data elements that are required in an HMIS to meet participation and reporting requirements established by HUD and the federal partners.”

As a result, HUD states that HMIS software

  • “must be able to collect all the data elements defined within these HMIS Data Standards, support the system logic identified in the HMIS Data Dictionary, and ensure that the visibility of data elements is appropriate to the Project Type and Federal Partner Funding Sources for any given project.”

HUD notes that

  • “There are many software products on the market that communities across the county have chosen to use as their HMIS. Each product has unique features and was built to meet the different data collection needs of each community.”

and that

  • “Each software vendor should provide the guidance, support, and documentation necessary for the CoC to understand the system they are using.”

HUD also notes that

  • “Communities may elect to add data elements or maintain historical data element collection beyond what is specified in the Data Standards as long as it does not impact the ability of the CoC to accurately collect and report on the required data elements. In these cases, HMIS Leads should work directly with their HMIS vendors to meet their individual needs.”

Thus, each HMIS software vendor should be providing each CoC served with a customizable software system that helps CoCs fulfill the data strategy by effectively providing housing and services systemically. Each CoC should ensure that they have what is needed from their HMIS software vendor to do so and receive any technical assistance necessary.

 

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