Homeless Management Information System
The O‘ahu Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) is a countywide software program that is designed to capture client-level information over time on the characteristics and service needs of individuals at-risk of and experiencing homelessness. In response to a Congressional directive, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has required all Continuum’s of Care (CoCs) across the country to implement HMIS at the local level.
The primary goal of the HMIS is to better understand the scope and dimensions of homelessness locally and nationally in order to address the problem more effectively. Through the implementation of advanced technology, the HMIS also directly benefits service providers and homeless clients by providing more efficient and coordinated services. The HMIS is a valuable resource because of its capacity to integrate and unduplicate data from all homeless assistance and homelessness prevention programs within the Honolulu CoC. Aggregate HMIS data can be used to understand the size, characteristics, and needs of the homeless population at the local, state, and national levels. The HMIS application enables organizations that operate homeless assistance and homelessness prevention programs to improve case management by collecting information about client needs, goals, and service outcomes.
On O‘ahu, the HMIS is administered by a designated HMIS Lead Organization that receives funding to develop and implement O‘ahu’s HMIS. Since inception in 2004, the HMIS has matured into a complex data collection and reporting tool utilized by homeless service providers across the Island of O‘ahu. O‘ahu’s HMIS enables the sharing of client data, allowing for a greater collaboration among homeless service providers across the island.
Project Goals
The goals of Oahu’s HMIS Project are to:
Assist homeless service agencies with information allowing them to better serve their clients.
Gain a greater understanding of the numbers and characteristics of the homeless population.
Identify the needs of the homeless, both met and unmet.
Provide information on services homeless receive as well as monitor outcomes and program performance.
Increase community awareness and understanding of issues related to homelessness.