HMIS Newsletter: March 2026

Table of Contents

• 2026 HIC / PIT
• Announcements
• April Feature Release
• Our Community
  
• Upcoming Events 
• Bitfocus is Hiring

2026 Housing Inventory and Point-in-Time Count

Reporting for the 2026 Housing Inventory (HIC) and Point-in-Time (PIT) Count is now live! This means we’re actively working with agencies and staff to finalize client and housing program data in HMIS so that we can report to HUD by the upcoming deadline.

This annual effort provides a vital snapshot of both sheltered and unsheltered individuals experiencing homelessness in our community.

If you have a housing program, please review the client and program information for the night of the PIT: 01/21/2026

• Client Information: To ensure our community provides HUD with the highest quality data, please verify that all relevant client records—including profile demographics, enrollment/exit dates, move-in dates, and housing services—are complete and up-to-date for the PIT count date.
• Program Information: For all housing projects, please confirm that project start/end dates, available beds and units, and voucher counts are accurate.

Helpful Reports for Preparing for the HIC/PIT: 

• [GNRL-106] Program Roster: This report outlines program stays and relevant inventory information, based on dates you include when you run the report. The report will include a list of all clients who were enrolled, exited, or remained active during the reporting period.
• [GNRL-220] Program Details Report: This report is a detailed review of all relevant profile, enrollment, exit, and housing service data in one place.
• [HSNG-108] Housing Census: This report provides bed occupancy rates by date, with the ability to drill down and see a client list for those dates.
• [HSNG-200] Current Housing Availability: This report summarizes (by housing project type, then program name) the amount of available bed and unit inventory on the night before the report is run. This is most helpful for ensuring your program configurations are accurate.

Action Required: Data Quality Phase

We have officially moved into the Data Quality phase for the Housing Inventory Count (HIC) and Point-in-Time (PIT) report. Our focus now shifts to Utilization Rates—ensuring that the number of people served on the night of the PIT matches the capacity of our HMIS programs.

What this means for Agency Leads: If you manage Emergency Shelter, Transitional Housing, RRH, PSH, or OPH programs, please keep a close eye on your inbox. We are currently flagging programs with significantly HIGH or LOW utilization.

If you receive a flag, we need your help to resolve it by:

• Providing a detailed explanation for the utilization discrepancy.
• Updating Bed and Unit Inventory if your program capacity has changed.
• Cleaning up client data, specifically ensuring all missing exit dates and housing move-in dates are recorded.

Thank you again for your diligence and commitment to data quality, which ensures the success and accuracy of our annual PIT Count. If you have any questions, please let us know by emailing us at sccsupport@bitfocus.com.

Announcements

Upcoming SCC Annual Client Consent & MyConnectSV Training

1. Summary: Mandatory HMIS Client Consent Training

All Clarity HMIS users in Santa Clara County must complete the newly updated Client Consent Training. This is a non-negotiable requirement designed to align all agencies with state and federal privacy standards.

Key Requirements

No Exceptions: All users must take this version, even if they recently gained HMIS access or completed a previous consent training.

Annual Requirement: This training must be retaken and passed every year.

What the Training Covers

The curriculum is designed to ensure the protection of Personally Identifiable Information (PII) through:

Privacy Knowledge: Understanding legal considerations and best practices for HMIS.

Client Consent: Learning the specific requirements for obtaining and documenting permission.

Software Features: Utilizing specific tools within Clarity Human Services to safeguard data.

2. Summary: Mandatory MyConnectSV Training

All Clarity HMIS users in Santa Clara County must complete the MyConnectSV training if they haven't already done so.

MyConnectSV is a secure website where you can support service participants at every step of their housing journey. It’s meant to help forge a deeper connection between providers and participants and, through that connection, place more power in the hands of people experiencing homelessness.

Here are just a few of MyConnectSV’s most useful features:

• Document upload and signing, saving you and our unhoused neighbors valuable time and energy
• Secure location sharing, so you never have trouble finding participants for services
• Easy-to-use messaging, allowing you to connect with participants without using a personal phone
• And many more
  
  Check out this fact sheet for more info!

Bitfocus Feature Release Article

In April, we’re releasing several updates to help your community get the most out of Clarity. Here are some of the key changes you should know about:

• Portal Login: We’ve updated the language on the Sign-in and Account Creation to make the process more clear.
  

Read the details: Check out the April 2026 Features article and webinar, under News and Announcements, for a deep dive into changes.

Try it yourself: These updates will be available in your Training Site starting March 23, 2026 and available in your Live Site starting April 6, 2026. If you need help exploring them, reach out to your Bitfocus Administration team: sccsupport@bitfocus.com.

In Our Community

Importance of Email Address in HMIS

The email address associated with an end-user profile in Clarity HMIS is crucial for security, communication, and operational efficiency. It enables automated password resets, sends alerts for client-related activities, and allows for two-factor authentication (2FA) to protect sensitive data.

• Self-Service Password Resets: If a user forgets their password, they can use the "Forgot Password?" link on the login page to initiate an automated email process to reset it. This allows users to regain access without waiting for a system administrator to manually reset it.
• System Alerts and Notifications: Clarity uses the email address to send notifications regarding new messages in the system inbox. This includes important alerts about pending community queue updates or housing referrals, ensuring staff act quickly on client needs.
• Coordination of Care: When a user is tagged in a client note, program note, or referral, they receive a notification via email, enabling immediate collaboration with other team members.
  
• When receiving notifications, users should never discuss client names, dates of birth, or Social Security Numbers via unencrypted email, as this can violate privacy regulations.

It is generally recommended to use a work email address for HMIS accounts to ensure security and accessibility.

Clients with VI-SPDAT but no referral to the CHQ

Support Tip: New Ticket Per Issue

❗Please do not reply to or reopen old tickets. Each request MUST be submitted as a new ticket so it can be properly tracked and assigned.

We are continuing to see users replying to or reopening old tickets. To help us support you faster and more efficiently, please submit all new requests by sending a new email to sccsupport@bitfocus.com.

Upcoming Events

Technical Administrator (TA/Agency Lead Meeting) | April 2, 2026 2:00pm - 3:30 pm

These meetings discuss the Agency Administrator reports and data collection requirements in HMIS. Additionally, updates regarding changes and/or upcoming changes to HMIS are explored in an effort to ascertain impacts on programs and/or end users. Furthermore breakout sessions allow for exploration of the understanding of ongoing data updates, and/or challenges being experienced by end users.

SCC HMIS Looker - HMIS Report Spotlight Office Hours | April 13 & 27 2:00pm - 3:00pm | Register here

We know that lots of issues and questions can arise when using Clarity (HMIS) and Looker. Office Hours are a great opportunity to get your questions answered, see demos of anything you can't figure out or can't remember how to do, find out how to fix things that might have gotten messed up, and participate in discussions with other users around solutions to common challenges.

HMIS Clarity Office Hours | April 9 & 23 10:00am - 11:30am | Join here

We know that lots of issues and questions can arise when using Clarity (HMIS). Office Hours are a great opportunity to get your questions answered, see demos of anything you can't figure out or can't remember how to do, find out how to fix things that might have gotten messed up, and participate in discussions with other users around solutions to common challenges.

Bitfocus is Hiring

Join our Team!

• Visit bitfocus.com | Jobs | About Bitfocus

• Work with us at Bitfocus! Join a team committed to innovation, collaboration, and real-world impact in human services.  

Questions?

Your HMIS Administrators are happy to help.

Phone: 408.596.5866 Ext. 2

Email: sccsupport@bitfocus.com