HMIS Newsletter: December 2025

Table of Contents

• Happy Holidays from Bitfocus!  
• Announcement: Customer Portal 
• Published: 2026 Data Standards Manual
• Federal Reporting is Underway! 
• Data Quality Dashboard 
• Upcoming Events 
• Bitfocus is hiring 

As 2025 draws to a close, we would like to extend a sincere thank you for your incredible work, collaboration, and dedication throughout the past year. Your efforts are deeply appreciated, and we are excited about our shared future in 2026. 
 

Wishing you and yours peace, love, joy this holiday season, and a New Year filled with happiness. 

Bitfocus Holiday Closure Notice 

Please note our office will be closed for the Holiday Week: 

• Closure Dates: Thursday, December 25, 2025, through Thursday, January 1, 2026. 
• Full Staff & Support Resume: Friday, January 2, 2026. 
• Help Desk Availability: Our Help Desk will remain operational but on a limited capacity during the closure week, except for the Federal Holidays (12/25/25 and 1/1/26). 
• Need Assistance? If any urgent questions or issues arise during this time, please email the Help Desk at support@bitfocus.com. They will respond as quickly as possible. 

Announcements

Sneak Peek - Customer Portal

A New Way to Connect
Introducing the Clarity Human Services Customer Portal. We are thrilled to demo the New Customer Portal, a secure, WCAG-compliant space designed to streamline the way clients and care teams work together. The Customer Portal puts the power in the client's hands, by moving messaging, document uploads, and assessments directly to the client’s own device. To explore these features in detail, view our Help Desk Article.

Join us for the premiere demo- Don't miss the first look at the Customer Portal during the Housing for Health HMIS Office Hours on January 26th, 2026. Register Here 

Published: 2026 Data Standards Manual

HUD has officially released the manual for Fiscal Year 2026 HMIS Data Standards. While Clarity HMIS is already compliant with the current Administration’s Executive Orders and these new data standards, this shared documentation details the specific changes, mapping guidance, and configuration requirements. 2026 HMIS Data Standards went into effect on October 1, 2025.  
 
What This Means for Clarity HMIS Users: Because Clarity HMIS is currently up-to-date and is already compliant, no immediate action is required by end-users to maintain compliance. You can continue with your normal data entry processes. We do, however, encourage all lead CoC and agency staff to review this documentation to understand the changes and collection requirements. 

The following HUD resources have been updated: 

• HUD’s HMIS Data Standards Landing Page  

• FY 2026 HMIS Data Standards Manual  

• FY 2026 Interactive HMIS Data Standards Tool 

• FY 2026 HMIS Mapping Instructions  

• Data Collection Requirements for Transition to FY 2026 Data Standards 

• FY 2026 Zip Code to Geography Crosswalk 

Federal Reporting is Underway!

Federal Reporting – LSA Updates 

The final submission for the LSA is due on Thursday, January 16th, 2026. Thanks to everyone who has contributed to the data quality improvements during the cleanup process. Your efforts and partnership are greatly appreciated as we approach the finish line! If you have any questions or need assistance during the clean-up process, please do not hesitate to reach out!  

PIT Reminder  

As you know, we’re also preparing for the Point-in-Time (PIT) Count of people experiencing homelessness. This critical count serves as the primary source of nationwide data on homelessness, informing funding and strategic planning for years to come. 

The PIT Count comprises two essential components: an unsheltered count (individuals sleeping on the streets or in places not meant for human habitation) conducted by volunteers and outreach teams, and a sheltered count (individuals staying in housing programs setup in HMIS). 

For the sheltered count, data accuracy within the HMIS is important. It is critical that all housing projects ensure accurate enrollments, exits, and housing services are logged for the designated night of the count. 

How You Can Ensure Data Integrity: As we approach the official count night, we urge all project staff to review and update their HMIS data immediately. Please ensure the following data points are accurate for all clients served by your projects on the count date: 

• Demographics: Complete and up-to-date client profile data.  

• Enrollment and Exit Dates: Accurate program enrollment and exit records. 

• Move-In Dates: Recorded household move-in dates for permanent housing projects. 

• Service Logs: Precise housing bed night services, especially for night-by-night shelters. 

Tip: We highly recommend utilizing the [GNRL-220] Program Details Report. This report is an invaluable tool for reviewing a spreadsheet containing all relevant profile, enrollment, exit, and housing service data in one place. 

Thank you for your diligence and commitment to data quality, which ensures the success and accuracy of our annual PIT Count. 

Data Quality Dashboard

Please see below for the agency-level data quality dashboard and report content updates. This is updated monthly- check it out here.

Upcoming Events

Housing for Health - HMIS Office Hours | January 26, 2026 at 1-2:30PM Register here

Housing for Health and Bitfocus host office hours every fourth Monday of each month (in lieu of HMIS Workgroup meetings). Drop-in for as long or as short as you’d like to ask any and all questions related to the HMIS. All users are welcome. Please join us within the first 15 minutes or we will assume nobody will be joining us for Office Hours

Want more details?

Check out our full events calendar.

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: 831-713-2288

Email: santacruz@bitfocus.com