Comment Received 2

Lillian.  Here is our response to this inquiry.  David has forwarded a reply to our Ft.Worth CPD field office.

 

From:Vos, David

Sent: Monday, July 09, 2007 5:14 PM

To: Frazier, Gayla D

Cc: Borchgrevink, Alison N; Rudy, William G

Subject: FW:TX question on HOPWA IDIS

 

If you agree with our answer could you forward this response to:

 

"Pham, Niki" <[email protected]>

 

Thanks

David Vos

Subject: RE: FR May 29 public comment- OMB # 2506-0133

 

 

Thank you for your feedback to HUD’s Office of HIV/AIDS Housing regarding the recently published Federal Register Notice for HOPWA’s revised reporting forms.  The Department appreciates your concerns in using consistent reporting formats for the APR/CAPER and in system edits to IDIS project reports.   

 

HUD is working to update IDIS in a similar manner.  Once these new edits to the APR/CAPER are approved  later this year (after considering any comments received, and further adjustments if needed), the changes would then be scheduled for IDIS updates and a future release in using that system.  Grantees will be provided guidance on implementing any changes in data elements and IDIS edits.  This will take some time, but ultimately IDIS and these other reporting formats will use similar data elements.  Hopefully you will find the change focus the data to be collected, and that the format change on STRMU is substantially to help clarify how the assessment of housing status is made—to show the result for these client outcomes. 

 

Here’s some additional background on the proposals

 

Two exceptions here will be reporting on outcomes for the STRMU program and for Transitional Housing Facilities.  As proposed in the revised APR/CAPER forms, the exit status indicators for STRMU households will be clarified, with the main revisions as follows:

Private housing will be broken down into households moving into Permanent Housing (Maintain private housing without subsidy), and Other Temporary Housing/Non-permanent housing arrangement.  Permanent Housing includes arrangements to last more than 90 days, and Other Temporary Housing/Non-permanent housing arrangements includes arrangements to last less than 90 days.

A new category has been added for households Likely to Maintain Current Housing Arrangements.

 

Grantees will also now be reporting on Access to Care for STRMU households in a separate box, as measured by one question—whether households receiving STRMU assistance “had a housing plan for maintaining or establishing stable on-going residency.” 

 

Regarding Transitional/Short-Term Supportive Facilities, this is a new element in the reporting form which allows grantees to report data on transitional facilities independently, rather than under Facility-based Housing Assistance, which consists of all facility types.  The exit housing statuses for Transitional/Short-Term Supportive Facilities will be similar to those previously used for reporting exiting STRMU households. 

 

Since these elements are new or have revised definitions, they will not be collected in IDIS, as of yet.  Other than the areas outlined though, as data is collected and reported for the revised APR/CAPER forms, it will be usable to complete IDIS reporting.  Again, once IDIS system enhancements are complete, indicators should be consistent between IDIS, the APR and the CAPER. 

 

Please let me know of any follow up questions or further concerns—again, your attention and feedback is most appreciated.

 

 

  [IMAGE]           

 

 

 

Subject:FR May 29 public comment- OMB # 2506-0133

 

06/29/2007 11:40 AM -----

[IMAGE]

[IMAGE] "Pham, Niki" <[email protected]> 06/29/200711:15 AM

[IMAGE] To: <[email protected]> cc: Subject: FR May 29 public comment- OMB # 2506-0133

Dear Ms. Dietzer:

 

I’m writing to submit one of our comments:  How will the proposed APR and CAPER affect the data elements formula grantees need to collect for IDIS?  Is HUD planning to coordinate changes to IDIS to reflect the changes in the APR and CAPER?  As a formula grantee, we have had challenges in trying to compile the necessary data elements for the CAPER as well as for IDIS (since the CAPER and IDIS elements are not in concurrence).  We had been advised to use the APR as a guide to collect data elements that are needed in IDIS and with the proposed changes to the APR and CAPER, we are concerned about the disconnects between the APR, CAPER, and IDIS and how we will manage this.

 

Best regards,

 

 

Niki Pham, MSc

Development Specialist

HIV/STD Comprehensive Services Branch

TexasDepartment of State Health Services

1100 W. 49th St., AustinTX78756

Phone: (512) 533-3128

FAX: (512) 371-4672

[email protected]