HOPWA Setup Walk-through
[HMIS Setup] How-to series
Written by CO-ED Team
Updated at January 22nd, 2025
Table of Contents
Overview
This guide is designed to assist you with your HOPWA projects setup in ClientTrack. As an HMIS Administrator, you appreciate the importance of a solid foundation—one that not only supports precise reporting but also upholds compliance with service standards.
| Important Note: This document isn't a formal HOPWA guide. If you haven't yet reviewed the HOPWA Program HMIS Manual, we strongly recommend doing so first. This guide aims to bridge the gap between the manual's expectations and real-world implementation within ClientTrack. Use it as a supplementary resource to enhance your knowledge and expertise. |
HOPWA Setup Overlook
Project Setup
Project Descriptor Data Elements (PDDEs) are designed to identify the organization, specific project, and project details associated with an individual client record in an HMIS.
Re: 2.02 Project Information (from the 2024 HMIS Data Dictionary)
This walkthrough utilizes the ClientTrack 2024 HMIS Project Setup baseline form [FormID 5048] as a foundational reference.
HUD Project Descriptors
Re: 2.02 Project Information (from the 2024 HMIS Data Dictionary)
The chart below reproduces the HOPWA Manual's table detailing setup requirements for various project types, with blue headers for simple reference and purple columns that demonstrate how they integrate into ClientTrack (CT).
HOPWA Program Component |
HMIS Project Type |
CT HOWPA Type label |
# |
|---|---|---|---|
| TBRA (Tenant-Based Rental Assistance) | PH–Permanent Supportive Housing | Tenant-based Rental Assistance | 1 |
| P-FBH (Permanent Housing Facility-Based) | PH–Permanent Supportive Housing | Facility-based | 2 |
| STRMU (Short-Term Rent, Mortgage & Utilities Assistance) | Homelessness Prevention | Short-term Rent, Mortgage, and Utility Assistance | 3 |
| Supp Svcs (HOPWA Supportive Services) | Services Only | Supportive Services Only | 4 |
| ST-TFBH (Short-Term/Transitional Facility-Based Housing) | Transitional Housing | Transitional/Short-term Housing Facility | 5 |
| PHP (Permanent Housing Placement Assistance) | Services Only | Permanent Housing Placement Services | 6 |
| Housing Info (Housing Information Services) | Services Only | Housing Information | 7 |
| Short Term Housing (STH) | Emergency Shelter – Entry Exit | Transitional/Short-term Housing Facility | 5 |
| Hotel/Motel (H/M) | Emergency Shelter – Entry Exit | Transitional/Short-term Housing Facility | 5 |
Continuum of Care Information
Re: 2.03 Continuum of Care Information (from the 2024 HMIS Data Dictionary)
Select the CoC code based on the project's location. HOPWA projects may operate in single or multiple CoCs. If covering multiple CoCs, associate with all relevant CoC codes in HMIS.
For projects in multiple CoCs with separate HMIS participation, enter only the pertinent CoC code. Geocode, Project ZIP code, and Project Street Address should reflect the main lodging site or where most clients are housed.
Tenant-based or Victim Services Providers only need to complete geocode and ZIP code fields and can use mailing addresses for other address fields. If a project is linked to different CoCs, ensure geocodes align with the CoC in each record.
As you progress through this section of the setup form, refer to the image below for visual guidance.
Funding Sources
Re: 2.06 Funding Sources (from the 2024 HMIS Data Dictionary)
For accurate report outcomes, make sure participants are enrolled in projects aligned with the correct HOPWA grant and component. Review your funding sources to ensure proper alignment:
HOPWA component types |
CT HOWPA Grant Program Component label |
ID |
|---|---|---|
| HUD: HOPWA – Hotel/Motel Vouchers | Hotel/Motel Vouchers | HMV |
| HUD: HOPWA – Housing Information | Housing Information | HHI |
| HUD: HOPWA – Permanent Housing (facility based or TBRA) | Permanent Housing (facility based or TBRA) | PHT |
| HUD: HOPWA – Permanent Housing Placement | Permanent Housing Placement | HPP |
| HUD: HOPWA – Short-Term Rent, Mortgage, Utility Assistance | Short-Term Rent, Mortgage, Utility assistance | STR |
| HUD: HOPWA – Short-Term Supportive Facility | Short-Term Supportive Facility | STS |
| HUD: HOPWA – Transitional Housing (facility based) | Transitional Housing (facility/TBRA) | HTT |
After selecting HUD: HOPWA (Housing Opportunities for People with AIDS) as your Federal Grant Program, choose the appropriate component from the table when setting up your grant. Refer to the screenshot below for additional guidance:
Participation Status
Re: 2.08 HMIS Participation Status (from the 2024 HMIS Data Dictionary)
With your HOPWA program’s Project Type and Grant Program Component set, you can now address element 2.08: HMIS Participation Status.
Select the participation status for all HOPWA projects, ensuring dates align with Project Operating dates. If the Project Operating End date is blank, the Participation End date should be blank too.
Remember that participation date ranges must not overlap and should be mutually exclusive to ensure accurate data entry.
CE Participation Status
Re: 2.09 Coordinated Entry (CE) Participation (from the 2024 HMIS Data Dictionary)
In the final section of the 2024 HMIS Project Setup, Administrators should specify if the project is a Coordinated Entry (CE) access point or receives CE referrals. A "yes" for an access point requires conducting screenings, assessments, or related services. A "yes" for receiving referrals means filling vacancies through CE.
For more detailed instructions on this, check the Coordinated Entry Participation Status article.
Bed and Unit Inventory Information
Re: 2.07 Bed and Unit Inventory Information (from the 2024 HMIS Data Dictionary)
For lodging projects (Hotel/Motel, Transitional Housing, Permanent Housing), create a bed and unit inventory ensuring the bed count and HOPWA type match the HIC. For projects spanning multiple CoCs but entering data into one HMIS, each site must associate with a single CoC. Correct set-up is critical for accurate reporting in Longitudinal System Analysis (LSA) Report.
For detailed instructions, refer to 2024 HIC & PIT Overview, which includes the Anatomy of the Project Bed and Unit Inventory Form.
Compliance Crosswalks - HOPWA Destinations
Access Path: Global Administration > System Administration > Compliance Management > Compliance Crosswalks > HOPWA Destination
For the report to properly display values in the Housing Outcomes section, the HOPWA Destinations compliance crosswalks must be mapped for HMIS 2022 values, not HMIS 2024.
Supportive Services
Access Path: Global Administration > Setup Data Management > Service Codes
The HOPWA Program HMIS Manual and the HMIS Data Dictionary specify labels for W1 Services Provided and W2 Financial Assistance. In ClientTrack, HOPWA service codes are available, but Administrators can create their own service codes. Although service code names don’t need to match the HOPWA labels to function, all designated service codes must be mapped to a corresponding HOPWA Service Category to be counted.
For detailed instructions, refer to the Adding a New Service Code article, which includes a Report Mapping section.
See also…
Helpful Links
