VA SSVF Data Updates - March 9, 2018

From:                                         SSVF
Sent:                                           Friday, March 09, 2018 8:27 AM
To:                                               SSVF
Subject:                                     Special Edition: SSVF Program Update March 8, 2018

Topics:  

1.            VA SSVF Program Eligibility change, VA Veteran Definition, and HMIS Data Standards/Data Entry

2.            Additional Data Collection Requirements for SSVF Projects in HMIS and for VA Repository Reporting


VA SSVF Program Eligibility change, VA Veteran Definition, and HMIS Data Standards/Data Entry:

HUD’s current definition of “Veteran” excludes those individuals who attended training but were discharged before reporting to a duty station. Currently, HUD and VA are reviewing this definition. However, effective immediately, it is expected that SSVF grantees will serve this group of Veterans if they are otherwise eligible for services. We recognize that certain circumstances can arise where project eligibility and data collection requirements in HMIS do not always perfectly align. At this time, however, data entry in HMIS should comport with the instructions provided in the HMIS data standards. The “3.7 Veteran Status” for clients served under this expanded SSVF program eligibility criteria (where SSVF projects can serve clients who only had service time in Basic Training) should be entered with a “3.7 Veteran Status” of “No” in HMIS, as stated in the HMIS Data Manual. Documentation of the client's eligibility for the project should be retained on file for the client for monitoring purposes, and this guidance can be saved as backup to explain the apparent discrepancy between the client file and the HMIS record.


Additional Data Collection Requirements for SSVF Projects in HMIS and for VA Repository Reporting:

The VA is interested in obtaining employment information about persons served by SSVF programs. To that end, the HMIS Data Dictionary will be updated to include R6 Employment Status as a required element to collect at project start and project exit for heads of households and adults served in SSVF-funded Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-housing programs. The VA is requesting that SSVF Grantees, HMIS Leads, and HMIS Software Vendors work together to add data element R6 “Employment Status” to both front-end data collection workflows in local HMIS implementations, and to the CSV export/upload process for the national HMIS Repository each month.

Employment Status data collection for actively enrolled heads of households and adults served by SSVF programs should begin as soon as your HMIS providers (leads and/or vendor) make it available in your system, no later than April 30, 2018. Please note, SSVF Grantees are required to “back-enter” R6 data at project start for active heads of households and adults.

The VA will check for data quality in the R6 Employment Status field in the June 2018 upload period for all SSVF HMIS Repository Uploads for clients served as of May 1, 2018.  Please email ssvfhmis@abtassoc.com if you foresee any issues with the implementation of this data collection requirement.


Thank you,

SSVF Program Office

NOTE:  If you are receiving this email in error, please disregard.  We request your patience as the SSVF Program Office continues to address system issues with the grants management database.