Nine emergency shelter providers in Ottawa signed a new data sharing protocol to merge their data into a single database hosted on a city server. This integrated database containing over 10 years of data on 38,000 clients to provide an accurate picture of homelessness in Ottawa. The collaborative approach aims to eliminate duplication, improve data analysis and reporting, and help end homelessness through evidence-based decision making. Moving forward, the goal is to expand data sharing to non-emergency services and improve data collection.
11. Why is data quality important to me? Friends, ultimately I believe that good data collection will result from shelters who themselves value the information they collect. And while I hope they value that information for their own service evaluations and planning, they should, more importantly, value it for the knowledge it affords them to effectively work with their clients towards a successful outcome through the service continuum. We have lobbied hard to ensure newer versions of HIFIS reflect that mentality. It is a knowledge-based assessment tool to help the community successfully serve their clients - not just to facilitate reporting to stakeholders. Those results will be a tangible benefit from HIFIS being used as a service delivery tool in the community, not simply a data collection tool . -Jason Abbott
Duplication of services – now SPs can see that a client has been booked into another shelter. Can now refer them back. No longer need to fill in all client details if the client exists in the Db Duplication of work by staff is decreased Duplication of services is decreased Data quality is improved – no double clients Data is more complete System planning will benefit from more accurate data by reducing the duplication of client records across databases, and more comprehensive profile of clients accessing services .
9 SP’s with a common goal of eliminating homelessness. Service providers have organized themselves into service networks that share information and resources for more effective services. Took over 3 years to draft and sign the new DSP. We have 8 contracted community shelters plus one City operated shelter; Community shelters; (some have multiple programs that serve more than one clientele) 4 of them serve men, 1 serving men that are newcomers 4 serve women, 1 of them serving pregnant women and 1 serving women that are newcomer 2 serve young woman (youth), 1 of them serving pregnant youth 1 serves young men (youth) 1 serves newcomer families 1 City Family shelter; serves families also serves all the above (youth, men, woman etc) as part of their off-site overflow services. Ottawa’s shelter community identified the need to amalgamate their HIFIS data into a single database and together through numerous consultations with the City of Ottawa, have put together the DSP currently in place. This will improve client service, case management, operational and system planning capabilities, and will address business level issues, such as duplication of services. Data is currently often duplicated because there are nine separate databases and errors in data collection are not captured in a timely manner because there is no access to real-time data. There is a limited ability of the City to conduct informed and timely planning given these data collection challenges. System planning will benefit from more accurate data by reducing the duplication of client records across databases, and a more comprehensive profile of clients accessing services. One centralized database will address these business issues. Duplication of work by staff is decreased Duplication of services is decreased Data quality is improved Data is more complete Data is reflected in real time The DSP tells: procedural reference monitors use of requested and released data privacy protection
1)Used a merged tool developed by HRSDC. 2) Hifis is no longer hosted on individual computers at each SP. Data is more secure. Redudant computers systems and databackup.
improve public understanding improve community planning media advocacy better continuum across services
HIFIS Data play a vital role in determinging the need for a playground at one of our family shelters
HIFIS Data play a vital role in determinging the need for a playground at one of our family shelters
![A Collaborative Approach to Integrating HIFIS Data ,[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object]](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7)