Homeless Data Tracking

About the Program

Category: Human Services (Best in Category)

Year: 2014

The Point-in-Time Count is a one-day, statistically reliable, unduplicated count of sheltered and unsheltered homeless individuals and families in a community. Historically, homeless Point-in-Time Counts are completed on paper, transferred onto a spreadsheet and analyzed. Data is then compiled for the required Federal and State reports. The entire process is time consuming and extremely labor intensive. A cross-department project team comprised of staff from Palm Beach County Human Services and Information Support Services was formed in the summer of 2012 to address the Count process. The result was the development of a web-based application and process re-design for conducting a homeless Point-in-Time Count. The outcome also provides a means to track and oversee volunteers and meeting attendance, as well as adapt to any survey instrument that requires staff participation to facilitate completion by the desired population. This team effort yielded a process that will allow the community to gather homeless count statistics much more efficiently and to release results much sooner in the process. This application streamlines data collection, improves the data quality, facilitates reporting and enhances overall staff productivity. Further, it has the potential to be replicated in other counties in Florida and other states.