NH Governance

HMIS governance refers to the framework of policies, procedures, standards, and oversight that guide the management, operation, security, and use of the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS). Effective governance ensures that HMIS data is collected, maintained, shared, and reported consistently across participating agencies while protecting the privacy and confidentiality of individuals served. HMIS governance supports compliance with U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) requirements, federal and state regulations, Continuum of Care (CoC) policies, and local data management standards.

HMIS governance establishes clear roles and responsibilities for system administrators, participating agencies, end users, governing bodies, and other stakeholders. It provides direction on data quality expectations, user access and security, privacy protections, data sharing practices, reporting requirements, and system administration processes. Governance structures help ensure that HMIS remains a reliable and effective tool for coordinating services, measuring outcomes, and supporting community planning efforts.

Strong HMIS governance helps maintain data integrity, improve system effectiveness, enhance collaboration among service providers, and support informed decision-making. By establishing clear standards and accountability measures, HMIS governance enables communities to accurately assess needs, evaluate program performance, allocate resources effectively, and strengthen efforts to prevent and end homelessness.

NH Governance Documents

NH HMIS Policy and Procedure Manual

This document provides the policies, procedures, guidelines and standards that govern HMIS operations, as well as the responsibilities for agencies and end users.
This document is reviewed by the HMIS Advisory Committee annually. If there are any updates, the document is sent to the HUD CoC's for approval.
Here is the Baseline Privacy Policy pulled out of the P&P if you need to quickly use it.

NH HMIS Governance Charter

The purpose of this Governance Charter is to confirm agreements between the Continuum of Care, New Hampshire Bureau of Housing Supports, and the Institute for Community Alliances.
This document is updated when there is an updated HMIS Policy and Procedure Manual voted in.

NH HMIS Agency Partner Agreement

Lays out the roles and responsibilities of the agencies entering data in to the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS)
This document is signed by all agencies entering data into the HMIS annually.

NH HMIS User Agreement

Lays out the responsibilities of the HMIS User.
This document is signed by all users entering data into the HMIS annually. They are required to sign this when they first gain access to the live site and then each year after the pass the HMIS Security and Privacy training or when updates are made to the agreement.

NH HMIS Consumer Notice

Informs clients that the agency enters client data into the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS)
This notice must be placed in a visible area where clients will have the opportunity to view it.

NH HMIS Participating Agencies

List of all the agencies that enter data in to the NH HMIS

NH BoS CoC Policy and Procedures

The Policies and Procedures Manual is designed to provide guidance to the subrecipient agencies in administering the CoC programs so that all CoC programs can be in compliance with HUD and federal requirements. These Policies outline specific processes for administering the CoC projects.

This Guide only outlines the processes. All subrecipient agencies must ensure that these CoC-specific practices are incorporated into their broader financial management and internal controls. These Policies do not replace the need to understand the full breadth of the CoC Interim Rule federal financial management requirements and consider how they apply to individual agency and grant circumstances. These policies may be updated from time to time to reflect new HUD guidance or to ensure full compliance with HUD requirements.

BoS CoC Policy and Procedure Manual

NH HMIS Release of Information

Data sharing is the ability to transfer data from one agency to another electronically through HMIS. Data sharing is a comprehensive term used differently in each community where it is implemented. Data sharing is intended to meet identified needs – with principles for implementation locally defined and need-based. It can mean HMIS system visibility that is very focused and specific or very general and broad. The amount of information shared can also vary from provider-to-provider within one community depending on the needs of the agencies involved and the wishes of the clients they serve. Below are some of the aspects of data sharing:

Coordinate Client Care

Understand client needs
Link client to appropriate services
Document chronic homelessness
Reduce duplication of services
Ensure client protections

Increase Effectiveness of Referrals

Inform best-fit intervention
Link clients to mainstream benefits and services
Enable comprehensive system-level performance measurement

Implement Coordinated Entry

Share assessment results
Identify available beds
Manage waitlists
Determine prioritization
Inform assignment process
Track client progress

Improve Data Quality

Increase HMIS participation
Reduce duplicate client records
Reduce data entry burden

If data are shared with the goals below, it is anticipated that agencies will be able to see how the network of services are working and performing, where improvements are needed, and whether households are becoming stable. This information will help increase participation and collaboration among agencies, as well as a sense of ownership and trust in the efforts to reduce homelessness.

Coordination of Client Services: Data sharing can improve data quality, coordination of client care, and effectiveness of referrals, and present service providers a more complete picture of clients' history and needs
Coordinated Entry: As representative bodies for the HUD Continuum of Care (CoC) program in Chittenden and the Balance of State, coordinated entry is a requirement of the CoC programs and data sharing is essential to ensure competitiveness for the housing and homeless services dollars that are received annually.
Community Planning: HMIS information in aggregate form or data about the effectiveness of particular programs (e.g., Emergency Solutions Grant, RHY, HOPWA) can be utilized in local, state, and federal planning as well as education and advocacy efforts – based on the purpose and use limitations in the data sharing standards. The increased visibility of the HMIS system working as a whole also can help communities identify housing and homeless services gaps in a community’s efforts to reduce homelessness.

What are the privacy and confidentiality protections?

Increased visibility of HMIS information is designed to ensure a safe and confidential method for sharing data.

There is a clear purpose, as well as use limitations.
There are well-defined data collection procedures and limitations.
There are both openness and accountability - agencies consent by signing a release of information.
The client cannot be denied services based on refusal to share data.
The client is not guaranteed to receive assistance by consenting to share data.
The client always has the right to request corrections to HMIS record.
Client data is only entered once

Release of Information Form

NH HMIS and Coordinated Entry Release of Information - Printable

NH HMIS Partner Agencies

HMIS partner agencies are organizations that have entered into an HMIS participation agreement and are authorized to collect, enter, and manage client data within HMIS. By participating in HMIS, agencies contribute to a coordinated community response to homelessness, improve service coordination, reduce duplication of services, support accurate reporting, and help inform planning and funding decisions. Partner agencies are responsible for complying with all HMIS policies and procedures, including privacy, security, data quality, and user training requirements.

Current and past NH HMIS Partner Agencies