When serving homeless and unhoused communities with HMIS systems, it’s important to remain compliant in order to qualify for grants and assistance from government agencies. But money isn’t everything. To provide services uniquely tailored to each individual’s needs, nonprofits must be able to store information about people’s histories, lives, preferences, and more.
There are federal regulations on Homeless Management Information Software to determine what information is collected and how it is stored. HMIS systems typically emphasize individuals’ housing needs, but it is undeniable that housing is just one of several other factors contributing to homelessness. With more data about the local unhoused population, teams within a continuum of care can better understand problems and develop solutions to benefit individuals and entire groups.
Below, we explore ways case management features in HMIS can help your team better address the needs of individuals — and ultimately the entire community.