Background

Please use this article to determine what resources your staff need to excel in their job as it relates to HMIS. This article is split into sections on HMIS Trainings (hosted on the OC HMIS Training Site and tied to HMIS access) and Additional Resources (not required, but recommended for certain users).

 

Topic Covered in This Article

HMIS Trainings

• All HMIS Users
• Agency Administrators
• Agencies Participating in Coordinated Entry (CES) or Bed Reservation
• Agencies with Federal Funding

Additional Resources

• HMIS User Meetings
• OC HMIS Training Site
• Looker Training
• Orange County Reports
• HUD Materials
• OC HMIS Materials
• More Information

 

HMIS Trainings

The OC HMIS can only be accessed with a valid username and password combination. 211OC will provide a unique username and initial password for eligible individuals after completion of the required trainings below. On the user's first log-in to the Clarity software, they will be required the sign the HMIS User Agreement, which includes an agreement to abide by the HMIS Policies and Procedures.

 

211OC maintains an online training platform that contains trainings that HMIS Users are required to complete before being granted access to HMIS. Visit the OC HMIS Training Site to complete training or to reference trainings you've already completed.  Check out the Enrolling in an OC HMIS Training Course knowledge base article for instructions on how to navigate the training course website.

 

Please review the following training requirements for each level of access:

HMIS Users - Read-Only Access (view data only)

• HMIS Part 1 - Covers history of HMIS, privacy and security, basic HUD definitions, and HMIS best practices.

HMIS Users (view and enter data)

• HMIS Part 1 - Covers history of HMIS, privacy and security, basic HUD definitions, and HMIS best practices.
• HMIS Part 2 - Covers HMIS functionality.
• HMIS Part 2 Task List 

Agency Administrators

Agency Administrators are HMIS Users who have additional responsibilities at their agency. Please see Section VII of the Orange County HMIS Policies and Procedures for more information on Agency Administrator responsibilities. In addition to HMIS Part 1 and HMIS Part 2, Agency Administrators must complete the following training:

• Agency Administrator - Covers the responsibilities and additional HMIS functionality provided to Agency Administrators, as well as tips on how to maintain data quality.

Agencies Participating in Coordinated Entry (CES) or Bed Reservation

If your agency participates in CES or Bed Reservation, all HMIS Users who need access to CES or Bed Reservation functionality will need to complete the following training:

• HMIS CES Training - Covers CES best practices and functionality. Because the Bed Reservation system uses the community queue functionality, this training is required for users whose agencies participate in the Bed Reservation system even if they do not participate in CES.

Agencies With Federal Funding

If your agency receives federal funding, all users at your agency will need to complete the appropriate training. For example, if your agency receives SSVF funding, all users at your agency will need to complete the 2020 SSVF Data Standards Training:

• 2017 HOPWA Data Standards Training 
• 2020 PATH Data Standards Training
• 2020 RHY Data Standards Training
• 2020 SSVF Data Standards Training 
• 2020 VASH Data Standards Training 
• OC HMIS Guide for Federally Funded Agencies (not a required training, these documents provide an overview of federal funding types and work related to HMIS for each funding source)

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Additional Resources

OC HMIS Training Site

The OC HMIS Training Site is a version of HMIS that can be used for practice and training. You can use this site to enter fake data into HMIS in order to familiarize yourself with the HMIS workflow. Log in to the OC HMIS Training Site here with credentials provided by your Agency Administrator. If you are an Agency Administrator and don't remember your agency's OC HMIS Training Site credentials, please enter a ticket with the HMIS Help Desk.

HMIS User Meetings

All HMIS Users are encouraged to attend monthly HMIS User Meetings webinars that occur the first Wednesday of each month. Please view the previous three months of recordings and minutes here on ochmis.org to gain an understanding of current updates regarding HMIS. 

Looker Training

Looker is the adhoc reporting software available in the OC HMIS. Agency Administrators should familiarize themselves with Looker in order to be able to create custom reports when the "canned" or Clarity created reports don't capture exactly what your agency needs. Other HMIS users can benefit from learning how to use Looker as well, but it is not necessary for all users. Check out the recorded Looker For Beginners training webinars and the Looker For Beginners knowledge base article for information on getting started with Looker.

Orange County Reports

211OC produces a number of reports on the state of the Orange County Continuum of Care using HMIS data. Agency Administrators, in particular, should familiarize themselves with these reports, and other HMIS users may also benefit from seeing how their work in HMIS contributes to the overall pictures of homelessness in Orange County these reports show:

• Understanding Orange County Reports

HUD Materials

The Orange County Reports mentioned in the section above are based on a series of specific guidelines from HUD. More detailed information can be found in the following articles:

• Introductory Guide to the CoC Program
• System Performance Report Introductory Guide
• System Performance Measures Programming Specifications
• System Performance Improvement Briefs 

OC HMIS Materials

The following resources are maintained by 211OC in order to supplement the HMIS Trainings and deepen users' understanding of HMIS. These materials are recommended for all HMIS users to review:

• HMIS Policies and Procedures
• HMIS Data Standards Manual
• HMIS Reports Webinar
• HMIS Cheat Sheets
• HMIS Glossary
• HMIS YouTube Training

More Information

211OC maintains a Knowledge Base of articles about topics related to HMIS. Should you ever have a question about HMIS functionality or related topics, try searching the Knowledge Base to see if an article on the topic you are interested in exists.

 

If you are not able answer your question, please submit a ticket to the HMIS help desk if you are an Agency Administrator. If you are not an Agency Administrator, please contact your Agency Administrator with your question.