FY2027 Data Elements Survey Now Open
A message from the co-chairs of the Policy & Prioritization Committee:
The MN HMIS data element survey is a great way for end users of HMIS to positively influence changes to data collection specific to Minnesota. What data is most needed to inform our collective approach to ending homelessness? What needs adjustment, removal, or addition? These decisions should be informed by those responsible for collecting this data, and the experience of those sharing their data.
Your feedback will help inform decisions like:
Are there data elements we should collect but do not?
Are questions trauma informed and clear?
Are there gaps, redundancies, or confusing elements?
The best way you can influence the review of data collected is by filling out the MN HMIS Data Element Feedback Survey, a joint effort between the Policy and Prioritization (P&P Committee) and ICA. We want to hear from HMIS end users and data collection staff!
All HMIS users
Even if you don’t ask intake questions directly, your perspective still matters.
We encourage you to:
Gather input from frontline staff
Discuss questions in team meetings
Include feedback from people with lived experience
If you are collecting group feedback, please assign one person to submit responses.
The deadline to complete the survey is Friday, May 22.
Once the changes to MN's HMIS data elements have been decided on, they will go into effect starting October 1, 2026, which aligns with the beginning of the federal fiscal year (FY) 2027.
If you want to move to filling in the survey, please go here. There will be instructions on how to fill out the survey once you click the link.
How are the MN HMIS Governing Board and ICA making sure the voices of HMIS users are represented?
The Policy & Prioritization Committee will host a virtual meeting on June 10 from 1-3 PM. HMIS users are invited to join the meeting to review and give input on the feedback received. P&P members will then vote to adopt additions, edits, or removals of MN Universal Data Elements at the July 8 meeting (1pm-3pm). If you are interested in attending either meeting, please email us at mnhmisboard@icalliances.org for the meeting invite and/or more information.
How-To: Submitting Feedback for the MN HMIS Data Element Feedback Survey
Open the MN HMIS Data Element Feedback Survey
Read the instructions at the top of the form. You will submit one form per question.
Follow the prompts and answer the questions in the order they appear. 4.
-This form uses "Conditional Logic." Conditional logic is a set of rules that we've setup behind the scenes to show you the questions you need to answer based on your answers to questions earlier on in the form.
If you are proposing an edit to an existing question, you will be provided links to the "Data Elements List" for your reference as you complete the Feedback Form. Read more about the Data Elements List in the next section.
Once you submit a form, you will be prompted to click on "Submit another response" if you wish to suggest additional new data elements or provide feedback on existing data elements.
The Data Elements List
The Data Element List is a library of Minnesota’s Universal Data Elements (required by all projects in Minnesota) and Minnesota’s Program-Specific Data Elements (elements created and required by your State program partner). The list contains: Question Text or Name, Universal Data Element or State Program, Rationale, and other contextual information to assist you in providing feedback for the FY 2027 MN HMIS Data Standards Feedback Survey. Be sure to hover over the (i) of each column name for a description of what each column pertains to. of what each column pertains to.
The Data Elements List can be filtered in several ways and is easily searchable. Below is an example of how to filter:
As always, if you have any questions regarding the MN HMIS Data Element Feedback Survey please reach out to the Helpdesk (mnhmis@icalliances.org). Thank you in advance for your participation! We look forward to your feedback.