Module 2: Outreach & Community
Track encampment enumerations, view outreach activities on a map (not currently used in Thunder Bay), manage the Coordinated Access Unique Identifier List, and record incidents and conflicts.
The Outreach module allows users to view records created in the Goods and Services and Group Activities modules in either a standard list view or a map view (not currently used in Thunder Bay). Transactions appear on the map if the service location was captured when recording them.
How to View Outreach Records on the Map
- From the Front Desk menu, select Outreach.
- Click the Map View button. Goods and Services transactions and Group Activities with captured locations are displayed on the map (not currently used in Thunder Bay).
How to Manage Records from the Outreach Module
- From the Front Desk menu, select Outreach.
- Locate the transaction or activity you wish to review.
- Click Display, Edit, or Manage to take the desired action.
The Encampments module allows users to add and edit encampments and record clients found at those locations through enumerations (counts).
When creating a client profile during an encampment visit in Thunder Bay, the following steps are required by the LSPC HIFIS Support Team:
- Search the client's name before creating a profile. Select the All tab in the Client List to check for existing profiles.
- Obtain the appropriate active consent from the client before proceeding. In Thunder Bay, clients should have one active consent type at a time; for CHAT-referred clients this should be Coordinated Access Consent per local process. Upload the signed form to HIFIS.
- Enter all mandatory fields: First Name, Last Name, Date of Birth, Gender, Veteran Status, Citizenship/Immigration Status, Aboriginal/Indigenous Status, Geographic Region (last two weeks), at least one Contact method, at least one Language, Housing History (one year back), and at least two Contributing Factors.
- Verify the First Name, Last Name, and Date of Birth for accuracy.
- Complete the VI-SPDAT.
- Complete the CHAT Intake Survey (found under Client Management → Surveys).
How to Add an Encampment
- From the Front Desk menu, select Encampments.
- Click Add Encampment.
- Select the Encampment Location and enter the Encampment Name.
- Record the Start Date and, if applicable, the End Date and Geographic Region.
- Add a description if applicable.
- Capture the location using Get Current Location, Choose on Map, or Coordinates if your community uses mapping features (Thunder Bay does not currently use them).
- Click Save.
How to Add an Enumeration
- From the Encampments page, find the encampment and click Manage.
- Select the Enumeration tab and click Add Enumeration.
- Select the enumeration date and a caseworker.
- Click Save.
You must click Save at this step before you can add clients. You cannot add clients until Save is clicked. - In the Client Name(s) field, search for and add known clients. Click Add.
- Record Anonymous Clients in the Anonymous Clients field and click Save next to that field.
- HIFIS will display active Service Restrictions, Behavioural Risk Factors, and Watch Concerns for added clients.
A Coordinated Access System is a way of responding to homelessness with a community-wide, coordinated approach. In the District of Thunder Bay, the Coordinated Access System is called the Coordinated Housing Access Table (CHAT).
Please watch the video below for more information. Closed captioning is available.
For more information about the Thunder Bay Coordinated Housing Access Table, visit tbaychat.com.
In Thunder Bay, the Coordinated Housing Access Table uses a case conference format. CHAT meets weekly, and individuals are brought forward on a case-by-case basis so they can be connected to housing and case management services.
How to Refer Someone to CHAT
Employees from CHAT-participating service providers must follow the standard intake procedure in HIFIS before bringing someone forward at a CHAT meeting. Once the intake is complete, including Coordinated Access consent, the social navigator who completed the intake can present that person at the weekly CHAT meeting.
Self-Referrals and Non-CHAT Agencies
Individuals who want to self-refer, and agencies that are not part of CHAT, can still connect someone to the process through one of the six CHAT Entry Points. People can contact an Entry Point and ask to be referred to CHAT.
The six Entry Point agencies are: Alpha Court, Beendigen, CMHA, Elizabeth Fry Society, John Howard Society, and Ontario Native Women's Association. Contact information is available at tbaychat.com/entry-points.
What Goes Into a CHAT Intake
There are six main components to a CHAT intake, and all of them are completed through HIFIS:
- Coordinated Access HIFIS consent signed and uploaded into HIFIS, valid for two years
- HIFIS client profile, including contact information
- Housing history covering the last year
- Contributing factors related to the person's current housing situation
- CHAT Intake Survey
- VI-SPDAT
Thunder Bay CHAT Intake Process Map
This is the process map used in Thunder Bay to move someone from intake through coordinated access steps in HIFIS. In this map, the score being referenced is the client's VI-SPDAT score, which helps guide prioritization and next-step decisions within the local CHAT workflow.
This course will show you how to complete all of these pieces in HIFIS, along with other features that help maintain accurate client records and service documentation.
By working together instead of in silos, communities can serve clients more quickly and efficiently. This is achieved by:
- Dedicated resources to people experiencing homelessness
- Common assessment tools and intake practices
- Consistent and frequent training
- Creation and maintenance of a By-Name Priority List
- Priority-based matching to housing and support resources
There are different lists that can be generated in HIFIS to understand homelessness. The video below from OrgCode explains the differences between these lists.
HIFIS supports this work in Thunder Bay by using the By-Name Priority List (BNPL). The BNPL attempts to be a list of everyone experiencing homelessness in the District of Thunder Bay. It is available in the Reports section of HIFIS and is updated in real time. This helps us understand what is happening in homelessness every day and respond immediately to the changing needs of our community, while helping ensure everyone has equal access to available services and supports.
To keep the BNPL accurate, it is vital that data is entered properly in HIFIS. Later sections review the mandatory information required for the BNPL to work as intended.
How HIFIS Supports Coordinated Access
Service Provision
- Maintain real-time information about people experiencing homelessness and the resources they need to find and keep a home
- Avoid duplication of services
- Support coordination between service providers
Data
- Monitor existing trends
- Inform service priorities
- Support decision-making and policy-making for funding and service creation
- Support system changes and quality improvements
- Help tell the story of our community
The Incidents module records specific events involving clients, staff, or other people. Use Incidents for a specific one-time event. Use the Conflicts module (Module 5) for ongoing interpersonal issues.
How to Record an Incident
- From the Front Desk menu, select Incidents.
- Click Add Incident.
- In the Involved field, search for and add all clients and persons involved. Add additional people by typing the next name.
- If applicable, search for and add Witnesses.
- If applicable, select any emergency service responders who came to the scene. If Police is selected, additional fields appear. Indicate if charges were laid, and enter badge number and report number.
- Select the nature of the incident.
- Confirm the start date and time and enter the location.
- If applicable, select the Disposition (how the incident was resolved) and add any attachments.
- Add Comments and click Save.
A Point-in-Time (PiT) Count is a method to measure homelessness at a given time by counting and surveying people sleeping in shelters and on the streets.
PiT Counts provide community data on demographics of the homeless population (age, gender, veteran status, Indigenous identity). This data supports resource allocation and program development.
Key PiT Count Features
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Upload PiT Count Data | Securely upload community count data into HIFIS |
| Data Export | Export PiT Count data for further analysis |
| Volunteer Management | Create volunteer shifts and generate distribution lists |
| Survey Integration | Conduct surveys as part of the count to gather demographic data |