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Accomplishing a Rapid HMIS Implementation for The Entire State
The Georgia Department of Community Affairs (DCA) manages homeless response for the entire state, coordinating public and private resources to fulfil their mission of making homelessness rare, brief, and non-recurring. With an estimated 10,000 people experiencing homelessness on any given day, Georgia needed a unified approach to track clients, streamline services, and improve data visibility across eight Continuums of Care (CoCs) and 450+ agencies.
In 2017, DCA partnered with Eccovia (which in 2025 merged with CaseWorthy) to implement ClientTrack as Georgia’s statewide Homeless Management Information System (HMIS). However, the goal to replace an outdated, siloed system with a modern, compliant HMIS application that could improve coordination, compliance, and care delivery became a race against time.
The Challenge
Georgia faced a perfect storm of obstacles in transitioning to a new HMIS. The state’s previous system was highly customized, unsupported software that no longer met HUD compliance standards, putting federal funding at risk. Worse, the vendor was exiting the HMIS business entirely, forcing an abrupt migration.
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Tight Timeline: The migration had to be completed in under six months—far shorter than the typical 18-month implementation.
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Data Fragmentation: Agencies used different systems, leading to inconsistent data quality and siloed services.
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Compliance Risks: The previous system was non-compliant with HUD standards, putting federal funding at risk.
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Diverse Stakeholders: Serving urban, suburban, and rural communities required flexible, localized solutions.
The compressed timeline was particularly daunting. As Jeanette Pollock noted, “We didn’t have the luxury of a phased rollout—we needed a fully functional system from day one.” Without immediate success, Georgia risked losing critical visibility into homelessness trends and service gaps statewide.
The Solution
CaseWorthy deployed a multi-pronged strategy to ensure Georgia’s HMIS transition was both quick and succeessful. Recognizing that a traditional waterfall approach wouldn’t work, the team employed agile development sprints, delivering core functionality every two weeks, allowing for rapid iteration while maintaining compliance.
System Admin as a Service
Dedicated ClientTrack and HMIS experts from Eccovia provided day-to-day support, compliance guidance, and training, ensuring smooth operations.
Configured Workflows
Tailored assessments and coordinated entry processes for different CoCs.
Data Integration
Consolidated 100+ datasets from disparate sources into a unified system.
Mobile & Onsite Access
Deployed kiosks in libraries, hospitals, and shelters to improve outreach.
The System Admin as a Service model proved particularly valuable. “Our system admins aren’t just vendors—they’re part of our team,” Pollock emphasized. These embedded specialists handled everything from complex data migrations to training 2,400+ end users, allowing Georgia’s staff to focus on strategic priorities rather than technical troubleshooting.
Successes
The results exceeded expectations. Against all odds, Georgia launched its new HMIS on time and fully compliant, avoiding any disruption to services or reporting. The system’s impact has been transformative:
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Faster Implementation: Achieved go-live in under six months, avoiding compliance risks and service disruptions.
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Improved Coordination: 1,800+ users across 450+ agencies now share real-time data.
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Better Outcomes: Identified service gaps, secured new funding, and reduced duplicative efforts.
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Scalability: Expanded to include non-HUD data, enabling broader homelessness prevention strategies.
Perhaps most telling is how other state agencies have responded. “We’ve become the go-to source for homelessness data,” Pollock noted. “Departments that never collaborated with us before now request our reports to inform their policies”—the system’s success has even attracted attention from other states exploring similar transformations.
Conclusion
Georgia’s statewide HMIS implementation demonstrates how technology, collaboration, and expert support can transform homelessness response. By leveraging ClientTrack and taking advantage of CaseWorthy’s System Administration as a Service, DCA improved data accuracy, compliance, and service coordination—ultimately helping more Georgians secure stable housing.
For other communities facing similar challenges, Georgia’s experience underscores the importance of:
✔ Early stakeholder engagement
✔ Flexible, scalable technology
✔ Ongoing expert support
Because so many organizations have found System Administration as a Service—a service that continues strong after Eccovia’s merger with CaseWorthy—we held a webinar exploring the benefits and success stories achieved, including DCA’s, available for on-demand free viewing!
