Through multi-year contracts with the City of Boston, City of Cambridge, City of Lowell, City of Lynn, the State of Massachusetts, and The Boston Foundation, CSP has been the lead organization for implementation of a statewide homeless management information system (HMIS), currently involving more than 80 agencies and 220 programs providing homeless assistance services across the Commonwealth. The overarching goal of the project is to collect quality statewide information on those persons relying on homeless services in Massachusetts by providing beneficial and efficient tools to service providers and clients. CSPTech links together service providers, consumers, advocates, researchers, state and local government, and funders through a web-based information system called ServicePoint developed by Bowman Internet Systems. By design, CSPTech involves all stakeholders in using advanced technology to understand and address homelessness in Massachusetts.

In 2005, CSP transitioned out of its role as an HMIS lead agency for Massachusetts. As part of this transition, we are providing information on the new HMIS being developed by the Massachusetts Department of Transitional Assistance and the software solutions currently being used in the state. See DTA and Other HMIS Solutions in Massachusetts

CSPTech incorporates research, technical assistance, and a range of partnerships.

Benefits for Homeless Men, Women, and Children:

• A decrease in duplicative intakes and assessments
• Streamlined referrals
• Coordinated case management

• Tracking client outcomes
• Coordinating services, internally among agency programs, and externally with other providers
• Preparing financial and programmatic reports for funders, boards, and other stakeholders
• Information for program design decisions

• Understanding the extent and scope of homelessness
• Unduplicated count
• Identifying service gaps
• Informing systems design and policy decisions
• Development of a forum for addressing community-wide issues

The CSP research team analyzes the data collected through the HMIS, produces aggregate reports on the homeless populations served, and highlights significant finding.

*Please click on the links for the full reports (in pdf format).

Homeless Individuals
MASShelter Data Center (Updated June 2004)

MASShelter Data Center provides access to the most comprehensive aggregate, unduplicated data available on homeless individuals using Massachusetts emergency shelters. MASShelter Data Center is a brand new tool that allows you to dynamically design your own reports and cross-cut the data in many more ways than are possible in a written report. Three easy screens guide the process. You can view your results as a table, chart, text document or spreadsheet.

Hard Numbers, Hard Times: Homeless Individuals in Massachusetts Emergency Shelters 1999-2003 (July 2004)

This report contains authoritative information about individuals using Massachusetts emergency shelters. Data were collected at 17 shelters on 18,708 unduplicated unaccompanied individuals in 2003. Highlights include:

• An estimated 28,800 individuals were served in the state’s emergency homeless shelter system in calendar year 2003.
• Close to 80% of 2003 shelter guests lived in Massachusetts before becoming homeless
• Most shelter guests attributed their homelessness to financial problems and unemployment.
• Health insurance coverage has decreased since new eligibility standards were implemented in April 2003.
• Over 50% of shelter guests stayed in shelter for a week or less.
• Elders were the fastest growing group among the emergency shelter population.

Homeless Families
Characteristics of Homeless Families Accessing Massachusetts Emergency Shelters 1999-2001 (April 2003)

Data highlighted in this report include:

• Education levels of heads of homeless families appears to be increasing
• A steady 60% of homeless families in shelters receive food stamps
• Decreasing proportions of families in shelters with income from employment and/or welfare

Data Release Parameters
Massachusetts CSPTech Data Release Parameters (December 2002)
This document details the rules governing the release of data by the CSPTech project.

Archive

• Characteristics of Homeless Individuals Accessing Massachusetts Emergency Shelters 1999-2002 (October 2003)
• Characteristics of Homeless Individuals Accessing Massachusetts Emergency Shelters 1999-2001 (January 2003)
• A Comparative Portrait of Individuals and Families Accessing Massachusetts Emergency Shelters 1999-2000 (September 2001)
• A Comparative Portrait of Individuals and Families Utilizing Boston Emergency Shelter Programs, 1999 (December 2000)
• A Preliminary Look at Boston's Homeless Population(January 2000)
• A Snapshot of Individuals and Families Assessing Boston's Emergency Homeless Shelters (August 1997)

Technical Assistance
CSP administers the HMIS, conducts user trainings, provides end-user support, and oversees adherence to the privacy and security policies developed by the Massachusetts community. Additionally CSPTech provides User Group trainings to ServicePoint Users allowing them to talk to each other about issues and concerns, and get answers from a CSPTech Technical Assistant. CSPTech is also embarking on several pilot projects to assist homeless shelters in Massachusetts.

Newsletters
Spring 2004 Newsletter (April 2004)
Fall 2003 Newsletter (September 2003)
Spring 2003 Newsletter (April 2003)
Winter 2003 Newsletter (February 2003)

Trainings
Four types of training are offered: User training, Administrator training, and two levels of Report Writer training. To sign up for a training send an email to csptech@umb.edu
2003 Training Schedule

Policies and Procedures
CSPTech’s Standard Operating Procedures manual lists local procedures for operating the HMIS. It documents specific expectations regarding the use of the system and procedures that should be followed regarding routine and occasional functions.
Outline of Standard Operating Procedures ( SOPs) Manual

Data Integration
The Homelessness in Massachusetts Data Integration Project (HIMDIP) allows agencies that use software other than ServicePoint to send CSPTech their data and have it included in aggregate reports. CSPTech provides a complete, HUD-compliant comma-separated data standard, which details the format of the data. In addition, the "HIMDIP Assistant" is a free software tool that helps agencies to generate valid text files. The tool automates the process of creating lookup values that match the values in the standard, and it validates the data files.

Pilot Grants

Information Security at Jeremiah’s Inn
CSPTech will work intensively with Jeremiah’s Inn in Worcester to provide a total of eight information security trainings and assessments. Training and assessments will be offered for both senior management and line staff. Training topics will include: ‘Overview of Information security’; ‘Personnel Policies and Procedures’; ‘Physical Security’; ‘Process Controls for Shelters’; ‘Backup and Recovery Measures’; ‘End User Controls’; ‘Network Security Controls’; and ‘Internet Security Controls. After trainings have been completed, CSP will spend two days working with Jeremiah’s Inn’s Executive Director and staff to present potential vulnerabilities. CSP will conduct one on one interviews with all key staff and examine hardware and software in use. After the assessment is completed, CSP will prepare a written report and include recommendations. CSP will be available for phone guidance as the agency’s Executive Director attempts to implement this plan.

Emergency Preparedness: A Manual for Homeless Service Providers
This manual contains checklists and resources to to help homeless service providers prepare for different types of terrorist asttacks as well as natural disasters. It explains what to do in different types of emergencies and also includes a list of other useful resources.

Partners
Though CSP is the lead organization, CSPTech is a community project that encourages and receives guidance from key stakeholders in Massachusetts who are interested in understanding and alleviating homelessness.

Consumer Advisory Council
The Consumer Advisory Council is a group of homeless or formerly homeless individuals who convene regularly to provide feedback and input regarding the overall direction of the project.

Service Providers
CSPTech is currently working with about 80 homeless service agencies and approximately 220 programs throughout Massachusetts. They consist of emergency, transitional, and services only programs serving both individuals and families. The programs and range in size from programs serving a handful of people a year to those serving thousands of people.
Service Providers

Steering Committee
The steering committee consists of key stakeholders in the project including homeless or formerly homeless individuals, service providers, city and state government agencies, and advocates. The Steering Committee meets on a quarterly basis and advises the Project in the areas of fundraising, data quality, consumer involvement, evaluation and public policy.
Steering Committee Members