The Tampa/Hillsborough County CoC participates in a Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) that is managed by the Homeless Coalition of Hillsborough County. The Homeless Coalition of Hillsborough County chose to name the HMIS project UNITY Information Network (UNITY). The name was given as a project identity that could be recognized even if Federal funding faded away from the HMIS project.

UNITY Information Network has been operating as the HMIS in Hillsborough County since the spring of 2005. The system used as the functioning data collection tool is ServicePoint, developed by Bowman Systems, Inc. of Shreveport, LA. HUD recognizes ServicePoint as an effective HMIS application.

What does ServicePoint do? ServicePoint is a web based application used to capture client specific and demographic information. Various needs can be met from the use of the ServicePoint application. On the Agency side; demographic information, needs met, services provided, and bed stay information is used to create reports to show the success of a program and/or the unmet needs identified in the community. On the Client side; the sharing of the client information between UNITY Partner Agencies allows the clients intake into the system to be accelerated, accelerated access to services, and follow-up including ongoing status of unmet needs.

Over 220 users locally have been trained in UNITY. The training consists of privacy training and hands on systems training. The users are trained to use the system for the following: capturing universal and program specific data elements for homeless individuals and families, capturing program entry and exit dates, releasing client information to be shared with other UNITY partner agencies, recording client needs, recording services provided, referring clients to UNITY partner agencies for unmet needs, maintaining current shelter stay bed lists, generating Annual Progress Report (APR), and generating various reports as needed.

The UNITY Information Network is constantly changing to better enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of the system. A Strategic Plan is being implemented to help map the future of the UNITY Information Network. Some of the modules that will be made available for use are: case management, SkanPoint module – allowing services to be recorded for high volumes of clients, Eligibility module – allows programs to enter their eligibility criteria to allow the system to determine client eligibility.