HHA is committed to empowering our community to end homelessness by utilizing data to identify best practices and gaps in services.
That assessment process is only as powerful as the data included in the assessment.
The Homelessness Management Information System (HMIS) is the data system that the Okaloosa and Walton County Continuum of Care utilizes to track the needs and services of people experiencing homelessness in our community.
Organizations that receive federal grants are required to utilize HMIS but all organizations serving the homeless are encouraged to do so. The more data we have the better we can understand what services need to be prioritized to effectively address homelessness.
Read more about HMIS below and apply for a license today.
HMIS Agency Portal
Applying for or renewing your HMIS License is a three step process that must be completed annually. Agencies renewing their licenses for the 2023-2024 fiscal year must do so by August 31, 2023.
Step 1: Apply for or Renew you Agency License.
New applicants must submit a signed participation agreement and provide information on their HMIS administrator and security officer. The administrator and security officer must resign their agreements annually. Click below to submit these documents.
Step 2: Apply for or Renew Employee Licenses
Licenses must be renewed annually and agencies must certify that employees with access to HMIS have a background check on file. New employees must complete HMIS training prior to their license being granted. This training must be re-certified each year. Click below to begin the license application or renewal process for your employees. This step cannot be completed until you’ve applied for or renewed your agency license.
Step 3: Submit Annual Compliance Documents
To protect the privacy and confidentiality of clients, organizations using HMIS must agree to strict privacy and security safeguards. Those safeguards are listed in the Policies and Procedures Manual below. Every year HHA conducts HMIS monitoring to ensure these standards are being met. Click below to submit your documents for FY2023-2024 Monitoring. This step cannot be completed until you’ve applied for or renewed your agency license.
About HMIS
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Learn More: What is HMIS?
The Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) provides an electronic case management system including software, hardware, internet services as appropriate, and all training to various homeless service providers in the effort to end homelessness. HMIS is mandated by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) in an attempt to quantify homelessness, track services provided by community agencies, and report progress towards ending homelessness.
Learn More: FL 505 HMIS Policies and Procedures
Learn More: HMIS Documents
Learn More: HMIS Public Notice for HHA
HHA receives funding from the U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development to provide services for homeless and near homeless individuals and their families. A requirement of this funding is that the agency participates in HMIS, the Homeless Management Information system for the Program Management System of the Southeast (PromisSE), which collects basic information about clients receiving services from this Agency.
This requirement was enacted in order to get a more accurate count of individuals and families who are homeless and to identify the need for different services. We only collect information that we consider to be appropriate. The collection and use of all personal information is guided by strict standards of confidentiality.
A copy of our Privacy Notice describing our privacy practice is available to all consumers upon request. You do have the ability to share your personal information with other area agencies that participate in the network by completing a Release of Information form or verbally consenting to the Release of Information. This will allow those agencies to work in a cooperative manner to provide you with efficient and effective services.
The collection and use of all personal information is guided by strict standards of confidentiality. A copy of our Privacy Notice can also be found in our HMIS Policies and Procedures.