HMIS Annual Refresher Training

We are pleased to announce the release of this year's Annual Refresher Training for all active end users of the Colorado Homeless Management Information System (COHMIS). This training is designed to reinforce the foundational concepts of COHMIS and address areas where HMIS Leads have observed data quality challenges over the past year.

In preparation for Annual Refresher Training, users will not be able to register for HMIS training until after the Annual Refresher Training completion date (Thursday, October 31). This will ensure that there are enough licenses in TalentLMS for each active HMIS user to complete the Annual Refresher Training.

All active end users are required to complete this training by the end of October. Please set aside time to ensure you fulfill this requirement within the designated time frame.

Thank you for your continued dedication to serving our community and for your commitment to maintaining the integrity of our data systems. If you have any questions or need assistance, please submit a ticket to your HMIS Lead agency.

Important Dates

Last day to register new staff for HMIS training: Friday, September 20
Last day to complete HMIS training: Wednesday, September 25

*Progress will be paused for any users who do not complete the HMIS training by this date. Users will be able to resume HMIS training after Thursday, October 31.

Annual Refresher Training Release Date: Tuesday, October 1
Annual Refresher Training Completion Deadline: Thursday, October 31

*HMIS active status will be at risk if the Annual Refresher Training is not completed by the deadline.

FAQs

1. How do I enroll in the Annual Refresher Training course?

   • Active HMIS end users will automatically be enrolled in the Annual Refresher Training once the course becomes available.

2. Do I need to complete the AnnualRefresher Training course if I just completed the HMIS Training course?

   • Yes, all active HMIS end users will be required to complete the course regardless of when you completed the HMIS training course.

3. Will the Annual Refresher Training deadlines impact my Coordinated Entry course?

   • No, there will be no changes to any progress with the Coordinated Entry course.

If you have any additional questions or concerns, please email the Help Desk at hmishelp@mdhi.org.

Supportive Housing Training Series

MDHI is partnering with CSH to deliver a series of eight virtual training courses. Each training course will be followed by an applied learning session which will facilitate practical discussion and real-world applications. All sessions will start at 10 a.m. MST. The Training Sessions will be 90 minutes, and the Applied Learning Sessions will be 60 minutes. The training sessions are capped at 300 participants and the applied learning sessions are capped at 100 participants. MDHI will send out registration links via e-mail in the weeks leading up to the training. Please register early to ensure your spot!

Registration Links

Future training will be posted the month before they start.

• September 11 - Housing First Registration Link

• September 18 - Housing First Applied Learning Registration Link

• October 09 - Harm Reduction Scenario-Based Training Registration Link

• October 16 - Harm Reduction Applied Learning Registration Link

Gender & Sexuality Learning Series

SESSION 1

HUD’s Equal Access and Gender Identity Rule Training with Abby Miller. 

This session covers HUD’s Equal Access Rule, as described in the Equal Access to Housing in HUD Programs Regardless of Sexual Orientation or Gender Identity (Final Rule). It ensures that all individuals, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity, have equal access to HUD's programs, which include shelters, benefits, services, and accommodations, and prohibits discrimination against individuals within the LGBTQIA2S+ community. Agencies that receive CoC funding are encouraged to attend. Key topics include:

• Overview of CoC Policy and HUD's Equal Access Rules

• Legal frameworks prohibiting discrimination

• Effective strategies to create a safe, inclusive, and discrimination-free environment for all individuals interacting with CoC-funded programs.

Here is a link to Session 1. You will need the following passcode: +eBBcXV7.

SESSION 2

Gender & Sexuality Workshop with Syah B Consulting.

Engage in an in-depth exploration of gender and sexuality. Understand the distinction between biological sex, gender identity, gender expression, and sexual orientation. In reviewing these topics, we will encourage audience members to reflect upon their relationship to gender expectations and begin to expand their self-awareness. This self-awareness of our implicit biases will allow us to begin to explore basic empathy skills (that demonstrate allyship and support for expansive LGBTQ+ people), as well as give a better understanding of heterosexist and cissexist cultural norms that create unsustainable and hostile environments for LGBTQ+ people.

Here is a link to Session 2. You will need the following passcode: ^Qch7MDp.

SESSION 3

July 18 from 9-11 AM: Gender & Sexuality Workshop with Syah B Consulting.

Key topics of the two-part workshop include: 

• Understanding the distinction between biological sex, gender identity, gender expression, and sexual orientation.  

• Encouraging audience members to reflect upon their relationship to gender expectations and begin to expand self-awareness. This self-awareness of implicit biases will allow us to begin to explore basic empathy skills (that demonstrate allyship and support for expansive LGBTQ+ people) 

• Increasing understanding to heterosexist and cissexist cultural norms that create unsustainable and hostile environments for LGBTQ+ people 

Here is a link to Session 3. You will need the following passcode: B#EU#8e9.

Register: COHMIS Training

HMIS Built-In Reports Training

Wednesday Jul 24, 2024 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM MST

Join us for an insightful training session open to all HMIS users with standard access. In this session, you will discover your reporting capabilities in HMIS. From clientele demographic insights to program outcome metrics, you'll explore available reports for a deeper understanding of your clientele, programs, and services.

Who can register: Any staff with regular HMIS access.

RegistrationLink: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0pce2oqjIoHd3gH7FB9Bje_qm8_pjEajhx

HMIS Data Analysis Tool Training

Tuesday Jul 30, 2024 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM MST

Designed specifically for DPALS or staff with Data Analysis access, this training is an opportunity to learn more about the capabilities of the HMIS Data Analysis Tool. By joining this session, you'll gain the expertise to delve into exploring and explaining your data with this tool. We will cover creating custom data reports as well as data visualization capabilities.

Who can register: DPALS or Staff with Data Analysis access.

Registration Link:
https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYkdeGprz4jE9aIvvwtWYIpsrlnDpb7uLYe

CO Statewide Coordinated Entry Training

This training contains high level information about Colorado’s Continuum’s of Care (CoC's), the statewide implementation of the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS), Coordinated Entry across CoC’s, and the Built for Zero initiative.

Equal Access Training

MDHI hosted an Equal Access Rule Training in accordance with HUD’s Gender Identity Rule. The Equal Access Rule (EAR) ensures that all individuals - regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity - have equal access to HUD's programs. This includes shelters, benefits, services and accommodations. As such, it prohibits certain forms of discrimination against persons identifying within the LGBTQIA2S+ umbrella.

The training session offers a deeper dive into the following:

• CoC Policy and HUD's Equal Access Rules

• Laws prohibiting discrimination

• Strategies to provide all individuals who interact with CoC-funded programs a safe, healthy, inclusive, affirming, and discrimination-free environment

Every agency that receives CoC funding should engage with these materials.

• Watch the EAR Training

• EAR Training Slides

• Sample Anti-Discrimination Policy

Self-Paced HMIS Training for End Users Now Available

We’ve spent the last few months building a self-paced training tailored to meet the needs of our end users while maintaining our high standards for data collection and privacy. Quality, real-time data is a key component of our region’s strategy to end homelessness, and that data lives in HMIS. We hope this new process will make HMIS more accessible to agencies across the region so that we can make more data-driven decisions, together.  

About the Training

The new HMIS training is self-paced rather than instructor-led. This allows us to increase the number of end users we train AND provides the end user with the flexibility to complete the training on their own terms. The content is spread over a minimum of 3 days to promote retention. End users do not have to complete the training on consecutive days and can take more than three days overall. 

There are graded content reviews, interactive activities, and a final practical exam. All exams are graded as Pass/Fail. Users who pass all content reviews and the final practical exam receive an HMIS license for one year. End Users must take refresher training in the fall of each year to keep their license active.  

Signing Up for Training 

The new training will be rolled out in a phased approach beginning October 1, 2022. All staff will not have access immediately.  

• If you were previously enrolled, we will be evaluating your situation on an individual basis. Communications will be sent to each agency’s DPAL detailing the next steps for staff members. 

• If you were not previously enrolled, the DPAL (Data Partner Agency Liaison) at your agency is responsible for signing you up. A DPAL is the HMIS Team's contact at each agency. 

Office Hours 

Office Hours will replace the instructor-led portion of the training. This is a space to answer questions about training content. Check the calendar in the LMS (Learning Management Software) for updated meeting information.   

Refresher Training 

Every end user with an HMIS license is required to complete annual refresher training in the fall. The purpose of this training is to review changes to the mandatory HUD data reporting requirements.  

End users who do not complete annual refresher training will be deactivated. These users must complete refresher training to re-activate their license, or else they must repeat the training course. 

Note: We had to pause refresher training in 2022 so we could launch the new self-paced HMIS training. Refresher training for 2022 will take place in October. Our HMIS Team will reach out to your agency’s DPAL directly to get everyone scheduled. We thank you for your patience.

Partnering with HMIS

New to COHMIS or interested in using COHMIS at your organization? Learn more with our COHMIS New Agency Welcome Packet.

Human Trafficking Training 9/23

Join the Laboratory to Combat Human Trafficking in collaboration with the Metro Denver Homeless Initiative for an important training on how human trafficking is impacting Colorado communities. Housing insecurity and homelessness are both root causes of sex and labor trafficking and are used as a form of coercion in trafficking experiences. This training will dive deeper into this intersection and how to recognize trafficking experiences, plug into resources for survivors, or report a trafficking situation.

Coordinating Committee and the Community Design Team (CDT) are merging this month for a special training presented by the Laboratory to Combat Human Trafficking. More information about the training is included below. Here is the login information for our meeting on Friday, 9/23/2022 at 9:00am. 

Please use the highlighted link below to add the meeting to your calendar.  

Monthly: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/tZckcOqtpzMuHtEJL8U_zucWQ59zyA6r3anH/ics?icsToken=98tyKuGrpzwpH92dtB2CRpwqHY_Cb-_xmFxbgrd4tjO9Nh9JdwDBB7cbKKteRsqD

Join Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/96675916451?pwd=SDNJVWtTYUQybWNxVkV3cTdoaWVhUT09

Meeting ID: 966 7591 6451
Passcode: 274772
One tap mobile
+13462487799,,96675916451#,,,,,,0#,,274772# US (Houston)
+16699006833,,96675916451#,,,,,,0#,,274772# US (San Jose)

Dial by your location
        +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)
        +1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)
        +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)
        +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
        +1 929 205 6099 US (New York)
        +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington D.C)
Meeting ID: 966 7591 6451
Passcode: 274772
Find your local number: https://zoom.us/u/aeIxbTuc2M