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Center for Social Policy
McCormack Graduate School 
University of Massachusetts Boston
100 Morrissey Blvd.
Boston, MA 02125-3393
Phone: (617) 287 5550
Fax: (617) 287 5544

CSPNeXT: Progress in Human Services

Through CSPNeXT, CSP experts are now available to assist human services programs, continua, cities, and regions to implement homeless or human services management information systems, make sense of data, and improve programs.

CSPNeXT offers the following services:

CSPNeXT staff backgrounds include human services, technology, policy research and evaluation.

Contact: Nancy Sullivan, 617-287-3962, NancyK.Sullivan@umb.edu

Documents:  CSPNext Overview, CSPNext Projects, CSPNext Menu of Services, CSPNext Staff

Training

CSPNeXT trainers have extensive technology and human service backgrounds, which enable them to relate technology topics to the real world of human services. We also convene user groups and develop and custom trainings. Trainings include:
  • Computing Basics for Human Service Workers or Low-Income Constituents
  • HMIS/HSMIS Management (multiple courses)
  • ServicePoint (multiple courses)
  • Database Design and SQL
Trainings can be conducted at customer sites or at the advanced computer labs of the University of Massachusetts campus. See Training Services page for complete course descriptions.

Rates:
Delivery: $200 per person/per half-day course; group rates available
Custom Curriculum Development: $3000 per half-day course.

HMIS/HSMIS Management Consulting

For Homeless Continua: Although our manager trainings can tell you how to create policies and procedures, develop a risk management plan, or set up a secure network, sometimes you really need someone to take the lead on doing these with you or for you. CSPNeXT can be the extra staff you need to get things done.

For Homeless or Human Services Agencies: CSPNeXT can help human service agencies assess their information system needs across the organization, including case management as well as operational functions such as human resources, grants, and volunteer management. We help procure hardware and software, set up, and roll out the system.

Rates:
$95/hour or negotiable by project deliverable.

HMIS Data Standards and SuperNOFA

In July 2004, HUD issued detailed HMIS data and security standards. Different aspects of these standards apply to the software, the hosting entity, participating programs, and individual users. We can help verify your continuum-wide compliance at every level or help you identify any shortfalls.* If problems exist, CSPNeXT can also you help fix them through its management consulting service. Service includes examining software, hosting sites, reviewing policies and procedures, and sampling participating agencies and workstations.

CSPNeXT can also help continua gather community information and write sections of the HUD SuperNOFA application.

*Please note that this service does not constitute official compliance certification from HUD.

Rates:
Full compliance review, $2,000 + $100 per participating program

Staff Backup

Staff turnover is a major risk factor for most human service information systems implementations. Many implementations have only one staff member, and others are stretched very thin. If one person goes on vacation, takes an extended leave, or gets a new job, there is no one to fill the gap. Your users may have no one to call with simple questions or problems for weeks or even months. This major project risk can be avoided by hiring CSPNeXT as your backup staff. For a minimal retainer, CSPNeXT will meet with your project manager on a regular basis to keep up to date. Then, if the CSPNeXT backup service is activated, we can fill the gap without a learning curve for an additional weekly fee.

Rates:
Retainer, $1,000 per year; Activation: $95/hour up to $2,000/week, plus expenses.

Data Analysis and Dissemination

Once data is in your system, it is not always easy to get your data out, analyze it, or present it in a way that is meaningful to your community. Our database and homelessness experts can:
  • Generate clean, unduplicated aggregate data for programs, continua, or multiple continua
  • Fill in the table shells for the Annual Homeless Assessment Report (AHAR)
  • Create a tool for dynamic, web-based access to aggregate data.
  • Produce a full report on clients served or the dimensions of homelessness in your community, including an analysis of significant highlights and policy implications. The report can be limited to HMIS data, or for a fuller picture we can combine HMIS data with other data sources and our own independent research BONUS: We also oversee professional typesetting, cover design, and printing.

Rates:
$95/hour or negotiable by project deliverable.

Evaluations and Outcome Measurement

The Center for Social Policy conducts evaluation projects and collaborates extensively with agency and program staff throughout the design and implementation of an assessment. An important part of this process is an ongoing evaluation of the program's effectiveness. CSPNeXT measures the program's progress toward its goals and assesses its actual operation, thus providing a full picture of the ways it is carried out as well as its outcomes. The ongoing assessment also yields valuable information for potential program expansion and replication.

CSPNeXT is available to analyze individual programs, agencies, broad partnerships, and community initiatives. CSPNeXT can evaluate an HMIS/HSMIS or help you use MIS data to evaluate your program.

Rates:
$95/hour or negotiable by project deliverable.

 

 
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