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>>;I'd strongly recommend NOT building an HMIS system - the privacy and security requirements from the McKinney Act alone make this a tough proposition - as does the "reporting up stream" requirements in that act. Each state, city, county, and municipality is free to solve this in any way they like - but they all share the reporting requirements - so it makes a lot of sense to use a tool that is in use or going to be adopted by the rest of the folks in your area serving the homeless population.>>
Patrick, I totally agree!
That is why 4People.org uses Tapestry from VisionLink. So far Benton, Franklin, and Yakima counties in eastern Washington are using this case management system that interfaced with community resources to reduce the number of homeless in those areas. The system is HIPAA and HMIS compliant. We also have health care facilities using this in Yakima to reduce the number of uninsured in Yakima.
A stand alone non-profit could not afford this system, but 4People has been using it since 1998, and our fees are lower since we helped create the HMIS Case Management system. 4People provides this service to non-profits for $500.00 a year, and to individuals and faith based organizations for $25.00 a year. We are particularly impressed with the security measures. It goes beyond the normal HIPAA and HMIS security, by recording the name of any one that VIEWS the client files. All caseworkers sign releases, all clients sign releases, and caseworkers are only given the permissions to see what they need to see. Please take a look at 4People.org/Tour.
Ronda Evans
4People Secretary
RECA (Realizing Every Community Asset) Foundation - President
TCFN (The Columbia Free-Net since 1992)
revans
tcfn.org
info4People.us
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