If you would like to talk to an administrator of the HMIS
system, please call our help line at 651-280-2780 or 1-800-328-2972,
or e-mail us at HMIS@wilder.org.
HMIS Calendar: Calendar includes trainings, user group meetings, governing group meetings, report due dates, and other HMIS events.
Update
on the Violence against Women Act (VAWA) (December
2005)
New Legislation
for Domestic Violence Agencies - (March
2006)
HUD
HMIS final data & technical standards (Federal
Register)
HUD
HMIS data standards –summary (from
Federal Register)
ART Access TroubleShooting Fixes: This document is helpful if you are having trouble accessing ART or saving reports.
ART Report Formatting Fixes: This document is helpful if you are having trouble saving a report as a PDF. Technical FAQ
Client Notice & Consent and Release of Information
Funder-specific data entry forms
Explorer 6 with Windows XP-Service
Pack 2
If you’re running Internet Explorer
7 and having trouble with pop-ups, read the document, Settings for
IE7
I'm having trouble logging on and/or pop-up windows aren't
working properly. Can this be fixed?
Users
running Internet Explorer 6 with the Windows XP operating system may experience
difficulties with pop-up windows. To fix this problem,
read the document, Settings for Internet Explorer 6 with
Windows XP-Service Pack 2
What should I do if I have ruled
out problems with Internet Explorer and I still can't
log onto the system?
Call Wilder Research and ask for a new password.
If a user enters an incorrect logon or password four times
consecutively, ServicePoint will inactivate the account,
and you must contact Wilder to get your account reactivated.
Your agency may also be late in their renewal payment. If
this is the case, Wilder will let you know when you contact
us and will give you access to the system again after payment
has been received.
Why can't I access the system
or parts of the system?
Occasionally, the ServicePoint system is not working
and you will get error messages. (ServicePoint problems
affect all users.) Other times, an issue might arise with
your own computer system or Internet service affecting just
your organization. Either way, we suggest you first try
exiting from ServicePoint and your Internet browser. Then
open the program and log in again. If this doesn't help,
check with Wilder to see if the ServicePoint system is down.
If so, we will work with Bowman to correct the issue. If
the issue lies within with your own system, assistance may
be needed from your own technical staff.
Why won’t one of
the buttons work when I click on it (such as saving services
or hitting backdate mode)?
Occasionally, there is a glitch in your computer’s
connection to the internet which results in ServicePoint
not working correctly. To get it to work again, log off
of ServicePoint and exit your browser (such as Internet
Explorer). Then open up your browser again and log in. The
buttons should all be working. If not, let Wilder know so
they can contact ServicePoint as there may be a problem
with the system.
My computer is running very slowly when I use ServicePoint.
Can this be improved?
If your computer
is getting bogged down, read the document, Work
Station Best Practices for some
tips to keep your machine running smoothly.
A user in our agency has left
and we need someone else to use the system. What should
we do?
Contact Wilder Research right away to let them
know to close down the user's access to the system. Failing
to inform Wilder that a user has left your agency is a violation,
since this individual could access the system and confidential
client information from any computer for non-official business.
Once you have identified who your new user will be, Wilder
can help you find a time to train in this person.
Data Quality Report Instructions (December 2009)
Does anyone else have access to
the client data I enter?
ServicePoint is designed to share limited client data with
select agencies, but only if the client approves it. Domestic
violence programs, youth programs, programs covered under
HIPAA, and programs covered under 42 CFR do not share data
with any other agencies. Programs within an organization
can also decide not to share client data with other parts
of their organization. Wilder Research has access to the
data as the system administrator for data accuracy and reporting
purposes. No client identifying information is used in reporting.
As the software developer, Bowman Internet Systems has access
to the data for purposes of system maintenance.
If you do want to share data with other agencies using
the system, contact Wilder with the list of these agencies
and they will set up sharing permissions. You can share
with up to 10 other agencies if you are not covered by HIPAA,
or are not an agency primarily serving youth or domestic
violence victims.
What if a client doesn't want
to put his/her social security number in ServicePoint?
While you are required to ask for a client’s
Social Security number, he or she is not required to give
it to you. You can leave this field blank. The system uses the social
security number to create the client's identifying number,
so you should enter it if the client gives it to you. The
social security data quality drop-down box allows you to
indicate if a client has refused to give you all or part
of his/her social security number.
What if a client doesn’t
want to share his/her Social Security number with other
agencies, but is fine sharing other information (only for
those agencies sharing data)?
If a client doesn’t want to share his/her
Social Security number with other agencies, you have to
close the record down so other people can’t see it.
Unlike some other data elements, there isn’t a way
to just close down the social security number.
Why aren't client Releases of
Information (ROIs) that I've entered showing up under the
client name?
Most likely, for the provider on the ROI screen,
you selected the specific program the client is being served
by rather than the overall agency. For ROIs, you don't need
to change the provider from the program name that appears
automatically in the box. Go back and select the top level
provider. The amount of time remaining for the ROI should
then appear under the client's name. You only need to fill
out the ROI button if you are sharing data with other agencies.
If I need help figuring out what
isn't working with a particular client's record, can I email
the client's name to the HMIS helpdesk at Wilder Research?
No, you should never
send client names in email. You can email us the client’s
initials and client id number (assigned to a client by ServicePoint
and located next to his/her name), ask us to contact
you to discuss the matter over the phone, or call our helpdesk.
I'm not sure if I am using the
client agreement forms correctly. What should I do?
Wilder Research's client agreement forms
are designed to cover different kinds of programs such as
those serving youth and victims of domestic violence, HIPAA-covered
organizations, or agencies that only share with a few other
agencies. Please look over the agreement form to make sure
you are using the section that applies to your type of agency
and data sharing information.
If you
have further questions, please contact Wilder Research.
What if my supervisor or my agency's
computer/technical department requires me to share passwords
with them?
The HMIS user agreement requires that you do not
share your username and password with anyone else. Sharing
them is a violation of this agreement and you will be denied
access to the system. If you or others in your agency have
questions about this, please contact Wilder Research.
A number of clients are not willing
to have their data identified in the system and I’m
concerned that so many are refusing. What should I do?
Many times, one of the issues is that the clients
don’t fully understand what the form is saying. Walking
through the bullets with them and explaining what they really
mean and how likely (or unlikely) it is that anyone else
will see their data often helps. Clients also feel more
comfortable if they clearly understand why their information
is helpful (such as to help keep funding coming for these
kinds of programs). If you need more help with this, your
funders are a good source of assistance.
What does the “date removed”
field in the “Households overview” box mean?
The household “date removed” box indicates when
a household member is no longer part of a family such as
through a divorce or death. You should almost never need
to use this box. If you use this box mistakenly as a way
to record when a client exits your program, the household
information will not show up correctly in your reports.
To remove this date, click on the pencil next to the “Households
containing” box and delete the date for the client(s)
that mistakenly have it entered.
I’m entering single adults
into the system. Do I need to set up a household for him
or her?
No, you do not. Only clients who are part of a family (and
for HUD purposes, who are living together) should be set
up as a household. You should never create a household for single clients.
How do I add household members
to an entry/exit that were initially missed?
Entry/exits must be completed in the head of household’s record, so first check to make sure you are in the head of household’s record. Click on the orange Entry/Exit button and then click on the pencil next to the entry record you have already completed. At the top of the box, in the “Overview” section there will be a little drop down box under the names of the household members you have already recorded. Select the name you missed from that box and click “Add related entry/exit.” Repeat this until all household members have been added.
How do I add household members
to the Service Transactions section if I initially missed
including them?
Unfortunately, the system doesn’t let you retroactively add household members to services. You need to delete the service and start over. To do this, click on the “Display Services” button. Then click on the trash can icon next to the service you want to delete. This must be done in each household member’s record. You can move between household member’s records by clicking on their name in the “household overview box.” Then complete the service entry process, clicking on the boxes by all household members’ names.
How do I know what information
my funders require me to collect in ServicePoint?
You can click on the “HMIS Forms” page
of the website (www.hmismn.org) as a guide. We have put
together a list of the different funding sources and forms
that are required by the various funding sources. The forms
also show the data elements within each part of the system
that are required or optional. The Detailed Instructions
can help you figure out what steps you need to do. Also,
certain parts of ServicePoint (such as the assessments)
say “optional” across the top of a section,
indicating that you are not required to collect this information.
I'm not sure how to answer some
of the questions in an assessment for my funder. How can
I figure out what they are asking?
If you are unsure what a specific question is asking, you can click on the question or item and a pop-up will appear with a definition of the question. It is very important that you correctly understand what a question is asking. Wilder can answer many of your questions but may ask that you contact your funder for further clarification. You should never answer “don’t know” to a question because you do not understand what it is asking.
I entered my data using
the Backdate mode button, but when I go back to the record,
it still says today’s date in the “Assessment
date” box. Why is that?
No matter what, the assessment date will always appear as today's date. Click on the "H" next to the answer to a question in the assessment to see the history of who entered the data and when.
What if a report I'm trying to
run isn't working correctly?
Usually, a report isn't working correctly because information is missing or has not been entered correctly. First check to make sure you are running the report correctly, then that all of your data has been entered correctly. If the report is still not working correctly, contact the HMIS help desk.
Children who become part of my program later than their family members or children who born into the household are appearing as single adults on the APR report. Why is this?
Make sure the new children have the same program entry date as their parent(s).’ Unfortunately, the APR report only recognizes individuals as part of a household if they have the same program entry date. You will need to look at the Entry/Exit section to make sure the entry dates are the same for each person in the household. Also, the children of Juvenile parents (households where everyone is under 18) or households where everyone is over 18 (no children under 18) will always appear as singles in the APR.
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