Track Emergency Housing Voucher Distribution

This article describes the HMIS data entry and reporting workflow for Emergency Housing Vouchers (EHVs). Select the scenario from the list below that best describes the situation in your community:

No HMIS-Participating Service Provider or Public Housing Authority (PHA)

In this scenario, the client is not receiving services from an HMIS-participating agency and the PHA does not use HMIS. The client receiving the EHV referral may be on the Priority List or may be residing in a housing program: There are separate instructions for those two cases.

Client Receives an EHV Referral while on the Priority List

These data entry steps are completed by Priority List Managers.

  1. The Priority List Manager creates a Coordinated Entry Event like they would for any housing program, with the following modifications:
    1. Event: "Referral to Emergency Housing Voucher (EHV)"
    2. Location of Crisis Housing or Permanent Housing Referral: The PHA's non-participating provider (NPP). (Click here to see a list of PHA HMIS providers.)
    3. Housing Provider Contact Details: If known, the contact information for the PHA staff person responsible for communicating with the PLM about referrals
    4. Date Referral Acknowledged: Same as the event's Start Date. Here, the Priority List Manager is acknowledging the referral on behalf of the PHA
  2. The Priority List Manager and Public Housing Authority communicate about the client's status; if desired, the Priority List Manager can record notes in the event's Referral Notes field. 
  3. When it is confirmed that the client has received the voucher (successful referral) OR that they will not be using the voucher (unsuccessful referral), the Priority List Manager updates the referral event they created:
    1. Referral Result: "Successful referral: client accepted" OR "Unsuccessful referral: client rejected" OR "Unsuccessful referral: provider rejected"
    2. If Unsuccessful, Reason: If the referral is unsuccessful and the reason why is known, select the most accurate option
    3. Date of Result: The date the referral was resolved

Successful Referrals Only

  • If a client that receives an EHV moves into housing, the Priority List Manager removes them from the Priority List by adding the following to the Coordinated Entry Assessment entry:
    • Exit Date: The date the client moved into housing
    • Destination: "Rental by client, with HCV voucher (tenant or project based)"
    • Fill out the exit assessment as completely and accurately as possible
  • If a client that receives an EHV does not move into housing and wishes to return to the Priority List, the Priority List Manager updates their referral event:
    • If Not Housed, Reason: If the reason is known, select the most accurate option
    • End Date: The date that the client was returned to the Priority List

Client Receives an EHV Referral while in a Transitional Housing (TH), Rapid Re-Housing (RRH), or Permanent Housing (PH) Program

These data entry steps are completed by TH/RRH/PH service providers.

  • When the client leaves the housing program, the service provider exits them from the program's entry:
    • Exit Date: The date the client left the housing program
    • Destination: "Rental by client, with HCV voucher (tenant or project based)"
    • Fill out the exit assessment as completely and accurately as possible

[OPTIONAL] Priority List Managers can choose to complete the data entry steps below to track referrals for clients that have not been added to their priority lists.

  1. The Priority List Manager creates a Coordinated Entry Event like they would for any housing program, with the following modifications:
    1. Event: "Referral to Emergency Housing Voucher (EHV)"
    2. Location of Crisis Housing or Permanent Housing Referral: The PHA's non-participating provider (NPP). (Click here to see a list of PHA HMIS providers.)
    3. Housing Provider Contact Details: If known, the contact information for the PHA staff person responsible for communicating with the PLM about referrals
    4. Date Referral Acknowledged: Same as the event's Start Date. Here, the Priority List Manager is acknowledging the referral on behalf of the PHA
  2. The Priority List Manager and Public Housing Authority communicate about the client's status; if desired, the Priority List Manager can record notes in the event's Referral Notes field. 
  3. When it is confirmed that the client has received the voucher (successful referral) OR that they will not be using the voucher (unsuccessful referral), the Priority List Manager updates the referral event they created:
    1. Referral Result: "Successful referral: client accepted" OR "Unsuccessful referral: client rejected" OR "Unsuccessful referral: provider rejected"
    2. If Unsuccessful, Reason: If the referral is unsuccessful and the reason why is known, select the most accurate option
    3. Date of Result: The date the referral was resolved

Please note that referrals recorded for these clients will be counted on the Coordinated Entry APR but will not be counted on the 266 CE Monitoring report or the Coordinated Entry Dashboard maintained by ICA.

Service Provider Participates in HMIS, Public Housing Authority Does Not Participate in HMIS

In this scenario, the client is receiving services from an HMIS-participating agency but the Public Housing Authority does not use HMIS. These instructions assume that only clients on the Priority List will be referred to a service provider.

Client Receives an EHV Referral while on the Priority List

These data entry steps are completed by Priority List Managers.

  1. The Priority List Manager creates a Coordinated Entry Event like they would for any housing program, with the following modifications:
    1. Event: "Referral to Emergency Housing Voucher (EHV)"
    2. Location of Crisis Housing or Permanent Housing Referral: The PHA's non-participating provider (NPP). (Click here to see a list of PHA HMIS providers.)
    3. Housing Provider Contact Details: If known, the contact information for the PHA staff person responsible for communicating with the PLM about referrals
    4. Date Referral Acknowledged: Same as the event's Start Date. Here, the Priority List Manager is acknowledging the referral on behalf of the PHA
  2. The Priority List Manager and Public Housing Authority communicate about the client's status; if desired, the Priority List Manager can record notes in the event's Referral Notes field. 
  3. When it is confirmed that the client has received the voucher (successful referral) OR that they will not be using the voucher (unsuccessful referral), the Priority List Manager updates the referral event they created:
    1. Referral Result: "Successful referral: client accepted" OR "Unsuccessful referral: client rejected" OR "Unsuccessful referral: provider rejected"
    2. If Unsuccessful, Reason: If the referral is unsuccessful and the reason why is known, select the most accurate option
    3. Date of Result: The date the referral was resolved

Successful Referrals Only

  • If a client that receives an EHV moves into housing, the Priority List Manager removes them from the Priority List by adding the following to the Coordinated Entry Assessment entry:
    • Exit Date: The date the client moved into housing
    • Destination: "Rental by client, with HCV voucher (tenant or project based)"
    • Fill out the exit assessment as completely and accurately as possible
  • If a client that receives an EHV does not move into housing and wishes to return to the Priority List, the Priority List Manager updates their referral event:
    • If Not Housed, Reason: If the reason is known, select the most accurate option
    • End Date: The date that the client was returned to the Priority List

Client is Referred to a Service Provider

These data entry steps are completed by Priority List Managers and service providers.

The Priority List Manager creates a Coordinated Entry Event like they would for any housing program: This means that a client will have two referral events, one for an EHV and one for a housing program. The service provider is responsible for their usual data entry, including updating the referral event and enrolling the client in their housing program. However, because they will be updating an EHV referral already, the Priority List Manager may prefer to be responsible for removing housed clients from the Priority List using the process outlined in the previous section.

Public Housing Authority Participates in HMIS, No HMIS-Participating Service Provider

In this scenario, the client is not receiving services from an HMIS-participating agency but the Public Housing Authority does use HMIS. The client receiving the EHV referral may be on the Priority List or may be residing in a housing program: There are separate instructions for those two situations.

Client Receives an EHV Referral while on the Priority List

These data entry steps are completed by Priority List Managers and PHAs.

  1. The Priority List Manager creates a Coordinated Entry Event like they would for any housing program, with the following modifications:
    1. Event: "Referral to Emergency Housing Voucher (EHV)"
    2. Location of Crisis Housing or Permanent Housing Referral: The PHA's EHV provider. (Click here to see a list of PHA HMIS providers.)
  2. The PHA is responsible for a housing program's usual data entry, including updating referral events and enrolling clients in the EHV program. When a client is housed, the PHA is responsible for removing them from the Priority List.

Client Receives an EHV Referral while in a Transitional Housing (TH), Rapid Re-Housing (RRH), or Permanent Housing (PH) Program

These data entry steps are completed by TH/RRH/PH service providers and PHAs.

  1. When the client leaves the housing program, the TH/RRH/PH service provider exits them from the program's entry:
    1. Exit Date: The date the client left the housing program
    2. Destination: "Rental by client, with HCV voucher (tenant or project based)"
    3. Fill out the exit assessment as completely and accurately as possible
  2. The PHA is responsible for enrolling the client in its EHV program.

Service Provider and Public Housing Authority Both Participate in HMIS

In this scenario, the client is receiving services from an HMIS-participating agency and the Public Housing Authority uses HMIS. These instructions assume that only clients on the Priority List will be referred to a service provider.

Client Receives an EHV Referral while on the Priority List

These data entry steps are completed by Priority List Managers and PHAs.

  1. The Priority List Manager creates a Coordinated Entry Event like they would for any housing program, with the following modifications:
    1. Event: "Referral to Emergency Housing Voucher (EHV)"
    2. Location of Crisis Housing or Permanent Housing Referral: The PHA's EHV provider. (Click here to see a list of PHA HMIS providers.)
  2. The PHA is responsible for a housing program's usual data entry, including updating referral events and enrolling clients in the EHV program. When a client is housed, the PHA is responsible for removing them from the Priority List.

Client is Referred to a Service Provider

These data entry steps are completed by Priority List Managers and service providers.

The Priority List Manager creates a Coordinated Entry Event like they would for any housing program: This means that a client will have two referral events, one for an EHV and one for a housing program. The service provider is responsible for their usual data entry, including updating the referral event and enrolling the client in their housing program. However, because it will be updating an EHV referral already, the PHA will be the party responsible for removing housed clients from the Priority List.

Hennepin County EHVs and Case Management Services

In this scenario, the client is receiving case management services from Hennepin County or a partner agency. With a few exceptions, it is expected that all clients receiving an EHV referral will be on the Priority List.

Case Manager Identifies a Client as Needing an EHV Referral

These data entry steps are completed by case managers.

  1. Log into HMIS and select provider #6195 or #6196 to "enter data as." For this task, it does not matter which provider is selected.
  2. Open the client's record and go to the Entry/Exit tab.
  3. Find an Entry/Exit row for Hennepin Coordinated Entry Assessment (provider #4314 or #4315). The row should not have an Exit Date.
  4. Add an interim review to the Coordinated Entry Assessment row. In the interim assessment, scroll down to the Client Workers and Key Contacts sub-assessment and add a new row with your information. Be sure to select "EHV Case Manager" for the Provider Type.
  5. Click on Save & Exit at the bottom of the assessment when finished.
  6. Need to show that a client is no longer engaged with an EHV Case Manager? Add an End Date to the EHV Case Manager row in the Client Workers and Key Contacts sub-assessment (found in the client's Coordinated Entry assessment).

Client Receives an EHV Referral while on the Priority List

These data entry steps are completed by Hennepin County's CES Team and case managers.

  1. The CES team member creates a Coordinated Entry Event like they would for any housing program, with the following modifications:
    1. Event: "Referral to Emergency Housing Voucher (EHV)"
    2. Location of Crisis Housing or Permanent Housing Referral: The PHA's EHV provider.
      1. Metro HRA: (6195) Hennepin-PH S-HCC-<>-Metro HRA EHV
      2. Minneapolis Public Housing Authority: (6196) Hennepin-PH S-HCC-<>-MPHA EHV
  2. The CES team member alerts that case manager that a referral has been made for their client.
  3. After being alerted that a referral has been made, the case manager is responsible for the following:
    1. Updating the referral event created by the CES team member. This step includes entering a Date Referral Acknowledged when the referral is first received, then marking the referral as "successful" or "unsuccessful" once the referral's outcome is determined.
    2. Creating an Entry/Exit for the correct PHA EHV provider upon a referral being marked as "successful."
    3. Removing a client from the Priority List upon that client's move into housing. This step includes selecting a Destination value of "Rental by client, with HCV voucher (tenant or project based)" and entering the important Housing Move-In Date value.
    4. Adding an Exit Date and Destination to the PHA EHV provider Entry/Exit when the case manager is no longer working with the client.

For more information about updating referrals and related data entry, case managers can review ICA's Housing Provider Frequently Asked Questions and HMIS Data Entry Instructions for Housing Providers.

Reporting

Reporting on Emergency Housing Vouchers will be possible using the 266 CE Monitoring report and the Coordinated Entry APR report. It is anticipated that these reports will be updated to track EHVs in October 2021.

Additional Notes

Do we need to change the referral destination if a referral is being "ported" to another PHA? (e.g. Willmar HRA, which did not receive any EHVs, could utilize those allotted to Pipestone HRA.) 

No: The PHA that received the EHV allocation should remain as the referral destination in HMIS.

What do we do about clients who are not participating in HMIS or who do not participate in SWDS?

Clients who participate in a non-HMIS Coordinated Entry process, including those who do not consent to share their information statewide, will not have their EHV details tracked in HMIS.

Why do some of my referral events have the type "Referral to Other PH project/unit/resource opening"?

Prior to the option "Referral to Emergency Housing Voucher (EHV)" being made available in HMIS, users were directed to select "Referral to Other PH project/unit/resource opening" when creating EHV referral events.

Did this answer your question? Thanks for the feedback There was a problem submitting your feedback. Please try again later.

Still need help? Contact Us Contact Us