HMIS stands for Homeless Management Information System. Basically, an HMIS system is a computerized way to track, serve, and report on the homeless population within a community. The US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) set a 2004 deadline for state and local agencies receiving federal funds to assist homeless to implement an HMIS. 

In the rush to meet HUD’s deadline, many software systems were developed, both professionally and in-house.  The systems, while providing for HUD data collection and reporting, did not always integrate easily with an agency’s operational systems. Agencies were forced to use various database, spreadsheet, and word processing applications to manage information. The result of using multiple systems was lost productivity and inconsistent data across systems.

Long before HUD's 2004 deadline, BELLDATA had established a reputation for building comprehensive case management and HMIS systems. Systems that not only could meet HUD reporting requirements, but could also manage agency operations and programs. The systems were designed to be feature rich, but more importantly easy to use.

Today, BELLDATA's Client Services Network (CSN) application is a browser-based fully integrated client tracking and case management system with full HMIS functionality and reporting. The application is designed to be scalable in terms the number of users and agencies using the system, flexible in the number and types of integrated modules, and customizable in the ability to have the application tailored to meet the needs of the end user.

CSN is Scalable: CSN effectively handles the case management and HMIS needs of all types and sizes of social service agencies; from a single agency to large diverse Continuums of Care; from a single user to well over 200 concurrent users.

CSN is Flexible: The software can be configured as a complete client tracking and case management system or it can be set up to simply gather the minimum data elements required by HUD for an HMIS and for APR Reporting. The product is flexible in that is uses a modular approach to development.  Modules make it possible for the system to be used effectively and efficiently by many types of agencies including, but not limited to, homeless shelters, domestic abuse programs, direct assistance agencies, training and rehabilitation, physician referral, and more.

CSN is Customizable: No two social service agencies work exactly the same way. With most case tracking and HMIS systems, the agency has to change the way they do business to match their inflexible software. Not with CSN. CSN can be configured and customized to meet the needs of the end user. Fields can be added and removed. Custom workflows based upon the agency can be integrated into the system.

CSN is Shareable:  When CSN is implemented within a Continuum of Care (CoC), client information entered by one agency with client consent can be shared with other agencies within the CoC. Several levels of sharing can be set within the application to allow sharing with all agencies, select agencies, or no agencies. Additionally, the application allows for record and program level sharing or blocking depending upon the clients consent.

BELLDATA's CSN application is a system for the way you work.

CSN is Priced Fairly: Pricing of the system is based upon a number of annual licenses, not the number of user IDs.  Thus an agency with a large number of volunteer or part-time users is not required to purchase a license for each user. Additionally, since pricing is based upon the number of users, single agencies or small continuums can afford the same high quality software used by much larger CoC's with deeper pockets.

Call or contact BELLDATA today to arrange a free demonstration of CSN.