BLUE RIDGE COMMUNITY ASSISTANCE NETWORK
The Council of Community Services, in partnership with the City of Roanoke, the Roanoke Regional Task Force on Homelessness, and the homeless shelter and service providers, has developed the Blue Ridge Community Assistance Network (BR-CAN). This is more commonly referred to as the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS). The BR-CAN (HMIS) is the local information sharing technology system used to collect local data of clients, housing, and services.
The Blue Ridge CAN has been developed to better serve homeless individuals and families as well as to provide opportunities for the homeless service providers to coordinate services and share information that can help them help people and families who are homeless or at-risk of homelessness.
HMIS Overview
What’s in HMIS?
Client Intake:
- Demographics
- Basic assessment of needs
- Bed utilization
Service Tracking:
- Services delivered by provider
- Services received by clients
- Gaps in the homeless services in a community
With HMIS, we can answer these questions for our local communities:
- How many people are homeless on the streets and in the service system?
- How many are chronically or episodically homeless?
- What are the characteristics and service needs of those served?
- Which programs are most effective at reducing and ending homelessness?
HMIS Benefits Everyone!
- Individuals experiencing homelessness & families
- Service providers
- Continuum of Care, Policy Makers, and Government
