Attachment 06 - HOMES Reporting Policy.pdf

VHA Homeless Program Office Issue Date: February 17, 2022 HOMES Reporting Policy 17-01-06 Recertification Date: February 17, 2024

HOMELESS OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT AND EVALUATIONS SYSTEM (HOMES)

REPORTING POLICY

1. Purpose: This Homeless Program Office (HPO) policy establishes standards for timely documentation within the Homeless Operations Management and Evaluation System (HOMES).

2. Definitions:

a. HOMES. HOMES VA’s primary platform for collecting intake, progress, and outcome information for homeless Veterans as they move through VA’s Homeless Program services. The system streamlines data collection processes and facilitates communication between VA homeless program staff and leadership on the VAMC, VISN, and national levels. By providing a centralized data collection system, HOMES enables VA to efficiently and effectively collect, manage, and access homeless Veteran information. The data collected in HOMES is used for national performance measurement, ensuring Veterans are prioritized for appropriate services, providing insight into program outcomes, managing caseloads, and strategically allocating resources.

b. HOMES User. A HOMES user is a VA Homeless Program staff member with edit or read-only access to HOMES data (see HOMES Access Policy 17-01-02).

c. Lead Case Manager (LCM). A Lead Case Manager is a VA Homeless Program provider designated with the primary responsibility for providing clinical services to a Veteran. The LCM feature in HOMES is designed to identify and track LCMs for Veterans participating in VA Homeless Programs.

3. Policy: All documentation is required to be entered in HOMES within three business days, including:

a. Assessments*;

b. Referrals;

c. Program entries*;

d. Program exits;

e. Veterans Justice Outreach progress reports;

f. HUD-VASH Housing Progress Form (HPF) entries and updates;

g. Housing and Employment Tracker (HET) updates to housing, employment, and voucher status;

h. Lead Case Manager, Team, and Case Management Stage (HUD-VASH) designation as applicable.

*Grant and Per Diem (GPD) Episodes: In cases where a GPD referral does not come directly from the VA, GPD Liaisons have 7 calendar days to meet with the Veteran to complete the assessment interview. In those cases, the Assessment and Entry form should be documented within three business days from the date of the interview.

Documentation entered in HOMES must align with the information in the Veteran’s electronic health record (CPRS or Cerner). In the course of performing responsibilities associated with

VHA Homeless Program Office Issue Date: February 17, 2022 HOMES Reporting Policy 17-01-06 Recertification Date: February 17, 2024

HOMES documentation, staff must utilize and maintain HOMES data in accordance with VA and VHA policy, federal law, and ethical practices (see section 5).

4. Responsibilities: The Lead Case Manager (LCM) assigned to a Veteran has the primary responsibility for accurate and timely documentation for all homeless program services and status updates. Additionally, it is the responsibility of the LCM to routinely review HOMES records and Operational Reports to determine incorrect or outdated information. LCMs are responsible to independently take the necessary action to update the record or to request corrections in accordance with the HOMES Correction Policy when errors are discovered.

5. References:

a. HOMES Access Policy 17-01-02;

b. HOMES Correction Policy 17-03-02;

c. VHA Handbook 1162.09, Health Care for Homeless Veterans (HCHV) Program;

d. VHA Handbook 1162.01(1), Grant and Per Diem (GPD) Program;

e. VHA Handbook 1162.05(1), Housing and Urban Development (HUD) – Department of

Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (VASH);

f. VA Directive 6500, Information Security Program;

g. VHA Directive 1605, VHA Privacy Program; and

h. Locally-determined policies, procedures, and standards related to confidentiality and information security.

6. Rescissions: 17-01-04