2022 HMIS Data Standard Updates
HUD has released the 2022 HMIS Data Standards. These standards were created and are updated every few years to better understand those experiencing homelessness or those at risk of experiencing homelessness. The updated standards allow HUD, funders, CoCs, and Agencies to more successfully record and analyze, client, service, and housing data. The following changes will be implemented on October 1, 2021, in Clarity HMIS System.
Please note that HMIS Data Standards and question/response options are set by HUD and determine what data is collected from individuals and households and stored within the HMIS. The Cincinnati/Hamilton County CoC is not able to make any changes to HUD required data elements.
The updated HUD documents and manuals can be found here: HMIS Data Standards - HUD Exchange.
1. Universal Data Elements / Client Profile
a. Element/Field Change: RACE
| 2020 | 2022 |
1 - American Indian or Alaska Native 5 – White | 1 - American Indian, Alaska Native, or Indigenous 5 – White |
Rationale: Revisions made to race descriptions and labeling to provide more inclusionary and representative language for all demographics.
Applicable to: ALL PROGRAMS
b. Element/Field Change: ETHNICITY
| 2020 | 2022 |
| 0 - Female 1 - Hispanic/Latino 2 - Non-Hispanic/Latino (*CDK, CR, DNC) | 0 - Hispanic/Latin(a)(o)(x) 1 - Non-Hispanic/Latin(a)(o)(x) |
Rationale: revisions were made to ethnicity descriptions and labeling to provide more inclusionary and representative language for all demographics.
Applicable to: ALL PROGRAMS
c. Element/Field Change: GENDER
| 2020 | 2022 |
| 0 - Female 1 - Male 2 - Trans Female (MTF or Male to Female) 3 - Trans Male (FTM or Female to Male) 4 - Gender Non-Conforming (*CDK, CR, DNC) | Select as many as apply 0 - Female 1 - Male 4 - A gender that is not singularly ‘Female’ or ‘Male’ 5 - Transgender 6 – Questioning (*CDK, CR, DNC) |
Rationale: Revisions made to gender categories to provide actual gender options and more inclusionary and representative answers. This data field will also be updated to a multi-select picklist.
Applicable to: ALL PROGRAMS
2. Project Enrollments/Updates/Exits
a. Element/Field Change: INCOME and SOURCES (4.02)
| Added descriptor: “Earned income may mean any income that is earned by the client, even if not supported by official documentation of that income.” |
Rationale: Added clarification about what “earned” income may include in the FY 2022 HMIS Data Standards Manual (hudexchange.info).
Applicable to: ALL Programs
b. Element/Field Change: MENTAL HEALTH DISORDER (4.09)
| 2020 | 2022 |
| Mental Health Problem | Mental Health Disorder |
Rationale: Current language is outdated.
Applicable to: ALL PROGRAMS
3. Coordinated Entry
a. Element/Field Additions: COORDINATED ENTRY EVENT (4.20)
| Options added to the event response list: 16 – Referral to emergency assistance/flex fund/furniture assistance |
Rationale: To collect additional referral information.
Applicable to: CoC/ESG Coordinated Entry
4. New Program Data Elements
a. NEW Element/Field: WELL-BEING (C1)
| 2022 - New Questions | Response Options |
| 2022 - New Questions 2 - Client perceives their life has value and worth 3 - Client perceives they have support from others who will listen to problems 4 - Client perceives they have a tendency to bounce back after hard times | Response Options 0 – Strongly Disagree 1 – Somewhat Disagree 2 – Neither Agree or Disagree 3 – Somewhat Agree 4 – Strongly Agree (*CDK, CR, DNC) |
5 - Client's frequency of feeling nervous, tense, worries, frustrated, or afraid. | 0 – Not at all 1 – Once a month 2 – Several times a month 3 – Several times a week 4 – At least every day (*CDK, CR, DNC) |
Applicable to: PSH Only
b. NEW Element/Field: MOVING ON ASSISTANCE PROVIDED (C2)
| New Questions | Response Options |
1. Date of Moving Assistance (date) 2. Type of Moving on Assistance (may be collected as services in Clarity) | 0 – Subsidized housing application assistance 1 – Financial assistance for Moving On (e.g., security deposit, moving expenses) 3 – Non-financial assistance for Moving On (e.g., housing navigation, transition support) 4 – Housing referral/placement 5 –Other (please specify) |
Applicable to: PSH Only
c. NEW Element/Field: YOUTH EDUCATION STATUS (C3)
| 2022 - New Questions | Response Options |
c. Current School Enrollment and Attendance | 0 - Not currently enrolled in any school or educational course 1 - Currently enrolled but NOT attending regularly (when school or the course is in session) 2 - Currently enrolled and attending regularly (when school or the course is in session) (*CDK, CR, DNC) |
Dependent A – Response 0 Most recent Education Status | 0 – K12: Graduated from high school 1 – K12: Obtained GED 2 – K12: Dropped out 3 – K12: Suspended 4 – K12: Expelled 5 – Higher Education: Pursuing a credential but not currently attending 6 – Higher Education: Dropped out 7 – Higher Education: Obtained credential/degree (*CDK, CR, DNC) |
Dependent B – Response 1 or 2 Current Education Status | 0 – Pursuing a high school diploma or GED 1 – Pursuing Associate’s Degree 2 – Pursuing Bachelor’s Degree 3 – Pursuing Graduate Degree 4 – Pursuing other post-secondary credential (*CDK, CR, DNC) |
Applicable to: YHDP Funded Only (TH, PSH, Services Only, Other, PH-RRH)
5. HOPWA
a. NEW Element/Field: Prescribed Anti-Retroviral
| 2022 - New Question | Response options |
Rationale: To document the progression of any medication prescribed during HOPWA-funded project participation.
Applicable to: HOPWA Funded Only
b. Element/Field Change: Services Provided
Language Change on 12 “Substance Abuse Services/Treatment” to “Substance Use Disorder Services/Treatment.” |
Applicable to: HOPWA Funded Only
c. NEW Element/Field: Medical Assistance
New field added “Receiving Ryan White-funded Medical or Dental Assistance” and response options and “Reason” dependency field. |
Applicable to: HOPWA Funded Only
d. Element/Field Change: T-Cell (CD4) and Viral Load
Changed language to align with W3 and new W6. “All household members with HIV/AIDS” (instead of “Only Clients funded in a HOPWA project presenting with HIV/AIDS”). |
Applicable to: HOPWA Funded Only
6. RHY
a. Element/Field Change: General Health Status (R7)
Added “HUD: CoC Permanent Supportive Housing” to Funder/Component Requirement |
Applicable to: RHY Funded Projects, CoC PSH projects
b. Element/Field Change: Pregnancy Status (R10)
| 2020 | 2022 |
| Data collected about “Female Head of Household and Female Adults” | Data collected about “Head of Household and Adults |
Remove limitation of applicability to only “female” participants to be more inclusionary and allow people who identify with any gender to respond.
Applicable to: RHY Funded Projects, CoC Projects
c. Element/Field Change: Family Critical Issues (R13)
| Revised Mental Health Disorder and Substance Use Disorder language in response options |
7. VA
a. Element/Field Change: Financial Assistance (V3)
| 2020 | 2022 |
| 11 - General housing stability assistance - emergency supplies 12 - General housing stability assistance - other | 12 - General housing stability assistance (merged 11 & 12) 16 - Food Assistance (new option) (Re-ordered list) |
b. Element/Field Change: HP Targeting Criteria (V7)
| Significant element revisions to improve editability and consistency. Removed redundancies. Element re-named to remove “SSVF” as element may become applicable for other partners. Changes made to improve validity and reliability of results. |
8. Updated Guidance
Bed and Unit Inventory Information (2.07)
- Traditionally updated during the HIC/PIT
- New guidance requires bed/unit inventory to be collected if any significant change occurs
- Changes in beds/units should be reported to HMISsupport@end-homelessness.org at the time of the change
- Minor day to day fluctuations do not need to be reported
- A bed must be reported for every client staying overnight
- “Overflow” beds can be used to track couches, cots, cribs, and other sleeping spaces that may not be considered day-to-day bed inventory
Current Living Situation (CLS) (4.12)
- Outreach Encounters – CLS should be recorded for each outreach encounter
- NBN Shelter – CLS should be completed if the client/staff interactions go beyond basic provision of shelter services
- Coordinated Entry – CLS should be completed when a CE event or assessment is completed, if the client’s situation changes, or if one has not been completed within one year (timeframe determined by each CoC).
Bed Night Date (4.14)
- There must be a bed-night recorded on the night of the project start date.
- Additional bed-nights must be recorded between the project start and project end dates.
9. System Logic and Other System Updates
Date of Birth (3.03)
Guidance added: "Client doesn't know," "Client refused," and "Data not collected" are explanations for missing DOB data. None of these three options are valid in conjunction with a valid or approximated date entered in 'Date of Birth.' DOB can be estimated within one year of actual DOB.
Project Exit (3.11)
Guidance added for auto-exit functionality
Relationship to Head of Household (3.15)
Added System Logic to explain that there must be at least one, but not more than one, HOH for each enrollment.
Housing Move-In Date (3.20)
More alignment between Manual & Dictionary regarding Housing Move-In Date management and logic. For example, Housing Move-In Date can only be on or between Project Start Date and Project Exit Date for each enrollment.
Non-Cash Benefits (4.03)
Updated System Logic and Other System Issues
(*CDK, CR, DNC) The options of Client Doesn’t Know (CDK), Client Refused (CR), and Data Not Collected (DNC) are also available in these option lists or pick lists.
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 through Friday excluding holidays.
Please note: When contacting HMIS Support, please do not include any Personal Identifiable Information such as social security numbers, birth dates, etc. Please use the Clarity Unique Identifier found on the Clarity client's profile page.