Data Quality: Quarterly Use and Availability Submission Guide

Guide for Providers on Completing the Quarterly Use and Availability Submission

INTRODUCTION

The Quarterly Use And Availability process has been improved to simplify inventory review and updates for providers. This process allows utilization to be reviewed regularly, and it simplifies reporting for the Continuum of Care’s annual Longitudinal Systems Analysis. This process is multi-layered and accounts for different priorities between facility-based and voucher-based projects.

Facility-Based

The process streamlines quarterly review and allows updates as needed throughout the year. Utilization is part of this quarterly review. Having utilization reviewed quarterly allows for more timely correction of missing data or explanation of true changes while those changes in use are fresh in program manager’s knowledge.

Voucher-Based

This process attempts to facilitate regular review of voucher bed use which is used to calculate available inventory throughout the Federal Fiscal year in accordance with Federal Data standards part 2.07 Bed and Unity Inventory Information. Because of significant fluctuations throughout the year, voucher projects should be updated at multiple points throughout the year. The method being used is average nightly use in each period. Doing this review regularly allows for timely correction of missing data, which is a critical component of the average use calculations.

Reporting Periods

This reflects provider review quarters.

  • February 1 – April 30
  • May 1 – July 31
  • August 1 – October 31
  • Annual PIT/HIC submissions end of January

How to Complete the Submission of Quarterly Use and Availability For Organization

The Use and Availability file includes all housing and shelter projects for an organization, including all bed inventory types. The report has a separate inventory line for each type of household served by the project.

Open the attached Use and Availability file, review the details, and provide explanations as explained below. When complete, email to AKHMIS@icalliances.org.

Steps to Take When Reviewing the Use and Availability File

  1. Provider ID – Provider ID in Community Services.
  2. Project Name – Project name in Community Services.
  3. Quarter End Date – end date of the reporting period. No action required.
  4. Notes from ICA (to Provider)

This column includes any flags indicating a specific item to review and could include any additional questions from ICA. Please review and respond in the “Notes from provider” column at the end.

a.    Potential review flags

Flag Description Provider Action Needed
New Voucher Record - Please Review This household and bed type combination did not exist in the last quarter's submission for this voucher-based project Review for accuracy, fill in missing availability and inventory start date, explain addition.
New Facility Record - Please Review This household and bed type combination did not exist in last quarter’s submission for this facility-based project. Review for accuracy, fill in missing availability and inventory start date, explain addition.
No utilization in quarter and no prior quarter update Indicates a previously reported voucher inventory did not have any use in the quarter and that a recalculation of use in the prior quarter returned blank as well. Make note if this inventory ended explain change in use.
No utilization in quarter Indicates a previously reported facility-based inventory did not have any use in the quarter. Make note if this inventory ended explain change in use.
Voucher Prior Quarter New Use Indicates that when the prior quarter's average nightly beds were originally calculated there was no recorded use. When that same quarter was recalculated recently, there is use. Review for accuracy, explain delay in data entry.
Unclassified HH Indicates there was use in the period by household with members missing DoBs. DC report should be used to identify any missing birthdays.
Update information.

  • Provider action needed
    • Review and address any issue identified.
Inventory Start Date
  • Provider action needed
    • Add the date when a new inventory is being added to the inventory sheet and the inventory starts after the end of the prior quarter.
    • Existing inventory does not need to be updated.
Inventory End Date
  • Provider action needed
    • IF any inventory records are no longer available or have a known end date, please include. Ongoing inventory does not need to have an end date included.
Household Type
  • Options
    • Households without children – Only adults over 18.
    • Households with at least one adult and one child – adult(s) with child(ren) under 18.
    • Households with only children – Only unaccompanied youth under 18.
    • Unclassified – if anyone in the household is missing a birthdate, the system cannot classify the household. Data Completeness – 202Y Data Standards UDEs report can be used to identify missing DoBs that should be updated in Community Services.
  • Provider action needed
    • Household types are calculated based on the household members included in the enrollment. If you believe a household type to be incorrect, please make a note in the provider note column.
    • Correct for missing DoBs. Data Completeness – 202Y Data Standards UDEs report can be used to identify missing DoBs that should be updated in Community Services. If the DoB is unavailable, update the household type on the report.
Availability
  • Options
    • Year-round – available on a year-round basis and should not include Overflow or Seasonal beds.
    • Seasonal – beds are not available year-round but instead are available on a planned basis, with set start and end dates.
    • Overflow – available on a temporary bases during the year in response to demand that exceeds planned capacity.
  • Provider action needed
    • If the Availability information is blank, it means that a new record was created this quarter. Review the entire record for accuracy.
    • Update if information provided is not correct.
Bed Type
  • Options
    • Facility-based – Beds located in a residential homeless assistance facility dedicated for use by persons experiencing homelessness.
    • Voucher – Beds that are made available by homeless assistance projects through vouchers or other forms of payment.
    • Other – beds located in a church or other facility not dedicated for use by people who are homeless.
  • Provider action needed:
    • Update if information provided is not correct.
Utilization Rate (for facility-based beds only)
  • The rate is calculated by ICA based number of beds that are filled by a client within a given period of time as reported in HMIS.
  • Organizations are expected to have a 65-100% bed utilization rate for all lodging project types.
  • No action needed.
Utilization Flag
  • Provider action needed
    • If there is a note in this column, address the issue with an explanation in this cell.
Current Bed Inventory

For facility projects, these counts are pre-populated from prior submission. Voucher bed counts are populated based on the average daily use based on use recorded in HMIS.

  • Options
    • Facility-based beds – prepopulated with the inventory from the prior reporting period.
    • Voucher or Other beds –is based on average use in the prior quarter as calculated from the enrollments recorded in AKHMIS.
  • Provider action needed
    • Review for reasonableness. Add a note in the Notes from Provider cell if the information does not look correct.
    • Facility-based beds:

1.  If the information on the row is correct, type in your initials in the Reviewed and Confirmed (initial) field.

2.  If the bed inventory has increased or decreased during the reporting period.

a.  Add the end date to the current inventory and type in your initials in the Reviewed and Confirmed (initial) field.

b.  Add the information for the new inventory on a new row in the spreadsheet and type in your initials in the Reviewed and Confirmed (initial) field.

c.   A new row will need to be added for each new household type with a new bed inventory.

·   Voucher / Other beds:

1.  Do not change the inventory presented in the report.

2. If the inventory does not look accurate, add a note in the Notes from Provider field on that row to explain why the information presented is not correct (i.e., data entry is behind, household type is incorrect, etc.).

Current Unit Inventory

For facility projects, these counts are pre-populated from prior submission. Voucher unit counts are populated based on the average daily use based on use recorded in HMIS.

  • Options
    • Facility -based units – prepopulated with the inventory from the prior reporting period.
    • Voucher or Other units – calculation is done by ICA and is based on average use in the prior quarter.
  • Provider action needed
    • Facility-based units: This information should be updated on the new rows created in step 10.
    • Voucher/Other Add a note in the Notes from Provider cell if the information does not look correct. 
Notes from Provider
  • Provider action needed
    • Respond to any flags, notes, or provide any additional information.
Reviewed and Confirmed (Initial)
  • Provider action needed
    • Type in your initials in the Reviewed and Confirmed (initial) field to signify that you have reviewed the information and it is accurate.
Did this answer your question? Thanks for the feedback There was a problem submitting your feedback. Please try again later.

Related Articles