Join Abt experts from our homelessness technical assistance team at the NHSDC Fall 2023 Conference in Philadelphia, where the human services industry will come together to tackle important issues like homelessness and other vital human services through data.
Presentations:
Institute: HMIS Fundamentals
October 23, 12 p.m. – 4 p.m.
Abt speaker: Sam Kameyama
New to the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS)? This institute will act as your HMIS starter kit, laying the foundation for staff to understand HMIS requirements and what resources exist to support your success. If you complete this institute, you will receive the HMIS Foundational Certificate of Completion.
Institute: System Modeling/Stella M for Facilitators
October 23, 12 p.m. – 4 p.m.
Abt speaker: Stephanie Reinauer
This institute will show participants how to operationalize the system modeling process using Stella M. Starting with a high-level introduction to the system modeling process, participants will learn how to use data to inform system modeling assumptions and Stella M inputs. The institute will address the data necessary for a successful system model, potential data sources and methodologies, and communication strategies when sharing data with workgroups and other partners.
HMIS Lead Monitoring
October 24, 9:30 a.m. - 10:45 a.m.
Abt speaker: Jessica Lurz
This session will provide Continuums of Care (CoCs) and HMIS Leadership with the skills to partner and provide regular and thorough monitoring of the HMIS Lead, including both resources and methodologies for documenting local processes, such as continuous quality improvement strategies. The session will detail a baseline for all CoCs to develop a monitoring process and improve the existing process for those that are currently monitoring.
System Performance Improvement: Part 1 – Overview of System Performance Analysis
October 24, 11 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.
Abt speaker: Stephanie Reinauer
This session will combine previous sessions 3.1 Leveraging HUD Reports and 3.8 Overview of System Performance Measures and Reports into one session. The new program will be an overview of key system performance measures with a focus on understanding why they are important. The session will address ways to enhance data analysis using varied data sources to identify areas for system improvement. Additionally, there will be a review of existing resources to help develop a better understanding of how to understand system performance measures and Stella Performance (Stella P).
HMIS Project Management and Calendar of Expectations
October 24, 1:45 p.m. - 2:45 p.m.
Abt speaker: Sam Kameyama
This session will describe the basics of HMIS project management, share an example of an annual calendar of important HMIS responsibilities, and provide HMIS leadership with the skills needed to prioritize what work can—and can’t—get done.
System Performance Improvement: Part 2 – Analyzing Performance and Developing Improvement Strategies
October 24, 4:15 p.m. - 5:15 p.m.
Abt speaker: Stephanie Reinauer
This session will equip attendees with a framework to develop and implement improvement strategies locally. Strategies based on performance analysis findings will assist communities in making more accurate changes based on local performance. A key focus of this session will be laying the foundation for communities to continuously evaluate performance improvement strategies to make mid-course corrections as needed.
HMIS Project Set-Up 101
October 25, 9:30 a.m. - 10:45 a.m.
Abt speaker: Sam Kameyama
What is project-set up in the HMIS? Project set up can present a lot of challenges and is central to accurate reporting. This session will detail the project set-up requirements, challenges, and best practices across all Federal Partners that utilize HMIS.
HMIS Project Monitoring
October 25, 11 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.
Abt speaker: Jessica Lurz
How can a CoC ensure the effective monitoring of the agencies that are participating in its HMIS? This session will ensure that CoC and HMIS leadership have the skills necessary to monitor HMIS participants, in accordance with federal partner HMIS standards.
FY2024 Data Standards Are Live – Now What
October 25, 2 p.m. – 3 p.m.
Abt speaker: Sam Kameyama
This session will offer an overview of FY24 Data Standards changes and an open Q&A session for the FY 2024 Data Standards delivered by the technical assistance team.
Additional Resources
With New Data Visualization Tool, Communities Can "See" An End To Homelessness
Stella Performance provides data insights for CoCs on key homelessness indicators.Rockville, Md. – The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) today released a new strategy and analysis tool, called “Stella,” that enables communities across the U.S. to understand how their homeless response system is performing and see what they can do to optimize results. Approximately 400 local planning bodies, known as Continuums of Care (CoCs), are leading the effort to help communities prevent and end homelessness. They work with limited resources to assist people with sometimes life-threatening needs. Stella analyzes data uploaded by CoCs and uses its visualization capabilities to help them literally see where they should improve their systems’ performances so they can maximize their impact in the fight to end homelessness. “Stella is an important extension of Abt’s long working relationship with HUD and CoCs to address homelessness at the national and community levels,” said Abt’s Joyce MacAlpine, who led the collaboration between Abt, HUD and other firms to develop the data visualization and analysis tool. Stella is informed by Abt’s decades of support on HUD’s Annual Homelessness Assessment Report, which uses data collected by CoCs to identify trends in homelessness over time.“Every decision we make is guided by our goal of preventing and ending homelessness across the country,” said Norm Suchar, director of the Office of Special Needs Assistance Programs at HUD, which oversees Continuum of Care Program funding and policy. “We expect that CoCs are doing that, too – using data to understand which efforts are effective and which areas need improvement. We created Stella so they can focus on the changes they need to make rather than expend valuable resources on building dashboards.”Before Stella, local CoCs may not have been able to successfully analyze their system data and prepare it for strategic use. Even if they could, they had to shoulder the cost and effort on their own. The accessibility and ease of use is considered a “game changer” in understanding what works best to end homelessness, according to CoC officials.“Stella is amazing!” said Kathleen Shanahan, Montgomery County (Ohio) Housing and Homeless Solutions program coordinator. “[This] puts performance analysis at a CoC’s fingertips … and helps to level the playing field by taking reports and making them usable for CoCs, regardless of their level of sophistication with data analysis tools or the size of their HMIS staff team. Stella will help CoCs shift even more to making data-informed decisions about their systems.”Learn more about Stella. About Abt GlobalAbt Global is an engine for social impact, dedicated to moving people from vulnerability to security. Harnessing the power of data and our experts’ insights, we provide research, consulting and technical services globally in the areas of health, environmental and social policy, technology and international development. http://www.abtglobal.comContact:Eric Tischlereric_tischler@abtassoc.com(301) 347-5492
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