How client data is shared inside HMIS and what you need to know about it

Author: Britt Heinz-Amborn | Date Created: July 21, 2025 | Date Updated:

What this is

This article explains data sharing in HMIS and its benefits, and your responsibility to explain and to document a client's choice on the HMIS Release of Information (ROI).

What you need to know about data sharing

Data sharing is about what client information licensed users can see inside HMIS. Some information is always shared, some requires consent:

Client information	Data	Data sharing
Basic	Name, date of birth, contact information, etc.	Always visible inside HMIS
Transactional	Info about a client's situation, services, or enrollment	Client consents to either: SHARE - enrollments and services will be visible to other agencies. NOT SHARE - keeping enrollments and services private to the organization serving them.

Client information

Data

Data sharing

Basic

Name, date of birth, contact information, etc.

Always visible inside HMIS

Transactional

Info about a client's situation, services, or enrollment

Client consents to either:

SHARE - enrollments and services will be visible to other agencies.
NOT SHARE - keeping enrollments and services private to the organization serving them.

The benefits of data sharing

Sharing HMIS information improves service delivery:

It helps agencies understand a client's situation and eligibility for services more quickly.
It helps clients spend less time answering questions about your situation.
It helps agencies work together to coordinate housing, referrals, and services for clients.

For some programs and community efforts, HMIS data sharing is the foundation that makes the work effective. If a client does not want to share statewide, it is essential to help them understand the tradeoffs of that choice.

These community efforts include programs like Coordinated Entry, diversion, shelter hotlines, and care coordination.

What you need to do about data sharing at intake

It is your responsibility to present and document client choice about data sharing through the HMIS ROI.

The HMIS ROI is a form that explains how client information is shared with other programs in the statewide HMIS. It presents their choice to share some or most information and serves as documentation of that decision.

Follow these steps when meeting with your client

If your client does not have an ROI on file, give them a printed copy at intake.
Review the ROI with them, including the benefits of data sharing.
Answer any questions they have about data sharing.
Clients should feel informed about the ROI before signing to indicate their decision.
Each adult must sign a copy for your agency's records; the head of household signs for any minor children.

The HMIS ROI only needs to be presented to a client once when their HMIS record is first created. This means if the client already has a record in HMIS, you can check their profile to see their data sharing choice:

Now that you know how client data is shared in HMIS and how it is documented through the HMIS ROI, the next article offers a script to use when talking to clients about data sharing and the ROI.