Cincinnati/Hamilton County's HMIS Security and Privacy Plan provides a detailed overview of the requirements and responsibilities essential to keeping electronic data, networks, hardware, and all HMIS information safe from unauthorized access.
To read the full Security and Privacy Plan, click here and look for HMIS Security and Privacy Plan. (The link will have the most recently updated version.)
Background
In 2004 and 2011, HUD released standards (69 Federal Register 45888; Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 237 / Friday, December 9, 2011 / Proposed Rules, respectively) outlining the responsibilities of both an HMIS and the agencies that participate within the HMIS. Our Privacy and Security Plan intends to be consistent with those standards by providing our community and participants with information about preventing network and data security breaches, user responsibilities, and client rights.
Basic Steps to Protect Data
While it may be impossible to completely avoid security breaches, you can make it harder for hackers to break into your systems by taking the following steps:
1. Do not share your username and password.
2. Keep your password secure and change your password on a regular basis
3. Back up your data
4. Contact your IT professional if you run into any issues
Additional articles in this series on the Cincinnati/Hamilton County Security and Privacy Plan will detail how to prevent security breaches, how to handle client data (aka Personal Identifiable Information--PII), HMIS user responsibilities, client rights, and consequences of security violations.
Learn More
Computer and Hardware Security Requirements
Contact Us
If you need help, or wish to offer suggestions or feedback, please contact the Cincinnati/Hamilton County HMIS Support Team at HMISsupport@end-homelessness.org or by calling 513-263-2790 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. Monday-Friday excluding holidays.
When contacting HMIS Support, please do not include any Personal Identifiable Information such as social security numbers, birth dates, etc. Acceptable information is first name and last 4 digits of SSN, or Clarity Unique Identifier found on the Clarity client's profile page.