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Specialist Homelessness Services NMDS 2012-13

Data Set Specification Attributes

Identifying and definitional attributes

Metadata item type:Help on this termData Set Specification
METEOR identifier:Help on this term508954
Registration status:Help on this term
  • Homelessness, Superseded 01/05/2013
  • Housing assistance, Superseded 01/05/2013
DSS type:Help on this termNational Minimum Data Set (NMDS)
Scope:Help on this term

The Specialist Homelessness Services National Minimum Data Set (SHS NMDS) aims to provide quality information about people who are either homeless or at risk of homelessness and who are seeking services from specialist homelessness agencies.

This collection is intended to obtain information about clients receiving ongoing or short term support as well as people who are seeking assistance but did not receive any services. Data collection includes basic socio-demographic information and the services required by and provided to each client. Details about accompanying children are also recorded. Additionally, information is obtained about the client circumstances before, during and after receiving support.

The base unit of this collection is a person who present to a Specialist Homelessness Services (SHS) agency requesting a service or services. A person becomes a client once they receive a service or services. The period of time a client receives assistance from a SHS agency is commonly referred to as a support period. It relates to the provision of assistance and/or supported accommodation. A support period is considered finished when the relationship between the client and the agency ends or the client has reached their maximum amount of support.

During a support period there are, in most cases, a series of service episodes or assistance, other than supported accommodation, provided to the client by the SHS agency. For the purposes of the Specialist Homelessness Services NMDS, assistance also includes contact with a client, or work on behalf of a client.

The SHS NMDS has three ‘views’ for collection purposes, they are: Unassisted person, Client and Specialist homelessness agency.

An ‘Unassisted person’ in the context of this collection is any person who seeks assistance from an agency and is not successful in obtaining that assistance. A ‘Client’ is a person who receives services either directly or indirectly from an agency. A 'Specialist homelessness agency' is an organisation which receives government funding to deliver a specialist homelessness service to a client. If clients present collectively information is collected for each client but the group is referred to as a 'Presenting unit'.

The 2011 SHS NMDS was developed to support the collection of data under the Intergovernmental Agreement on Federal Financial Relations for Homelessness. It replaced the Supported Accommodation Assistance Program (SAAP) collection from July 2011.

In 2008 the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) agreed to reform federal financial relations to improve the quality and effectiveness of government services. These reforms led to the establishment of the National Affordable Housing Agreement (NAHA) and the National Partnership Agreement on Homelessness (NPAH), which includes specific performance measures in relation to homelessness.

In conjunction with these reforms, the Australian Government initiated a comprehensive policy review, setting out a national approach to reducing homelessness in the White Paper: The Road Home, A National Approach to Reducing Homelessness.

The 2012-13 SHS NMDS continues to reflect the outcome based performance framework promoted by the COAG Reforms and White Paper. It supports the collection, analysis and reporting of client-based data. This allows for the production of statistical information about clients’ circumstances, the assistance they receive and the outcomes that are achieved for them. This information can be used to inform policy design, evaluation, service improvement and monitoring of specialist homelessness services in Australia.

 

Collection and usage attributes

Guide for use:Help on this term

For jurisdictions who have high volume central intake or localised entry point agencies (for example ACT and Victoria), data for unmet demand and unassisted requests for services are not directly comparable with other states and territories.

Implementation start date:Help on this term01/07/2012
Implementation end date:Help on this term30/06/2013

Source and reference attributes

Submitting organisation:Help on this termHousing and Homelessness Information Management Group.

Relational attributes

Related metadata references:Help on this term
Supersedes Specialist Homelessness Services NMDS 2011
  • Homelessness, Superseded 01/05/2013
  • Housing assistance, Superseded 01/05/2013
Has been superseded by Specialist Homelessness Services NMDS 2013-14
  • Homelessness, Superseded 26/08/2014
  • Housing assistance, Superseded 26/08/2014
See also SAAP Administrative National Minimum Data Set (NMDS)
  • Community Services (retired), Retired 01/07/2011

Metadata items in this Data Set Specification Help on this term

Show more detail
Seq No.Help on this termMetadata itemHelp on this termObligationHelp on this termMax occursHelp on this term
-Specialist Homelessness Services activity clusterMandatory1
-Statistical linkage key 581 cluster

DSS specific information:

For the purposes of the Specialist Homelessness Services NMDS the SLK of the Presenting Unit Head will be recorded on each their accompanying member’s client forms.

Mandatory99
-Child—care arrangements, care and protection order code N[N]

Conditional obligation:

In the Specialist Homelessness Services NMDS, this data element is collected four times, for the following points in time:

  • one week before the start of the support period (the Service episode—episode start date, DDMMYYYY);
  • at the date of presentation;
  • at the end of the reporting period (the Service event—last service provision date, DDMMYYYY); and
  • at the end of the support period (the Service episode—episode end date, DDMMYYYY).

Only one permissible value is selected in each case.

In the Specialist Homelessness Services NMDS this data element is collected for all clients aged 18 years and under.

Conditional1
-Client—amount of assistance, total hours and minutes NNNN

DSS specific information:

This data element provides a building block to enable Specialist Homelessness Agencies to report on the total amount of funded assistance received by clients during a reporting period.  It enables more detailed analysis of the quantity of outputs/services received by a client (output-based reporting), and provides more detailed data to support cost modelling and economic evaluations. This is particularly valuable in relation to exploring costs and benefits for early intervention versus crisis intervention. It also allows more detailed analysis of the intensity of service provision required for complex versus non-complex clients.

Information is recorded for this data item for each reporting period, ie each calendar month.

 

Mandatory1
-Client—case management goal status, code N

Conditional obligation:

Information is recorded for this data item for each reporting period, ie each calendar month.

Mandatory4
-Client—case management plan indicator, yes/no code NMandatory1
-Client—consent obtained indicator, yes/no code N

DSS specific information:

The data collected in the Specialist Homelessness Services (SHS) NMDS will be used for policy development and agency activity reporting in a non-identifiable form. This information will enable better placement of agency services and enhance service provision to clients of homelessness agencies.

Conditional1
-Client—reason case management plan does not exist, code N

Conditional obligation:

Response conditional on if a case management plan doesn't exist.
Conditional1
-Date—accuracy indicator, code AAAMandatory1
-Person (address)—Australian postcode, code (Postcode datafile) {NNNN}

DSS specific information:

In the Specialist Homelessness Services NMDS, this data element is reported twice, for:

  • where the person lived one week before the first service contact (the Service episode—episode start date, DDMMYYYY); and
  • where the person lived the last time they had a permanent place to live.
Mandatory2
-Person (address)—suburb/town/locality name, text A[A(49)]

DSS specific information:

In the Specialist Homelessness Services NMDS, this data element is reported twice, for:

  • where the person lived one week before the first service contact (the Service episode—episode start date, DDMMYYYY); and
  • where the person lived the last time they had a permanent place to live.
Mandatory2
-Person (employed)—full-time/part-time status, code N

DSS specific information:

In the Specialist Homelessness Services NMDS, this data element is collected four times, for the following points in time:

  • one week before the start of the support period (the Service episode—episode start date, DDMMYYYY);
  • at the date of presentation;
  • at the end of the reporting period (the Service event—last service provision date, DDMMYYYY); and
  • at the end of the support period (the Service episode—episode end date, DDMMYYYY).

Only one permissible value is selected in each case.

Mandatory4
-Person—Australian state/territory identifier, code N

DSS specific information:

In the Specialist Homelessness Services NMDS, this data element is reported twice, for:

  • where the person lived one week before the first service contact (the Service episode—episode start date, DDMMYYYY); and
  • where the person lived the last time they had a permanent place to live.
Mandatory2
-Person—conditions of occupancy, code N

DSS specific information:

Please note that codes 1 - Leased tenure - nominated on lease and Code 2 - Lease in place - not nominated on lease - are only selected if a lease is in place. Codes 3 to 6 only apply if the person's name is not on a lease.

Information specific to this data set:

In the Specialist Homelessness Services NMDS, this data element is collected for clients.

In the Specialist Homelessness Services NMDS, this data element is collected four times, for the following points in time:

  • one week before the start of the support period (the Service episode—episode start date, DDMMYYYY);
  • at the date of presentation;
  • at the end of the reporting period (the Service event—last service provision date, DDMMYYYY); and
  • at the end of the support period (the Service episode—episode end date, DDMMYYYY).

 

Only one permissible value is selected in each case.

 

 

 

Mandatory2
-Person—country of birth, code (SACC 2011) NNNNMandatory1
-Person—financial assistance amount, total Australian currency N[NNNN]

DSS specific information:

In the Specialist Homelessness Services NMDS, this data element is collected for clients in each reporting period.

Mandatory1
-Person—financial assistance type, homelessness code N

DSS specific information:

This data element relates specifically to assistance provided by the specialist homelessness agency and not assistance provided by any other source.

In the Specialist Homelessness Services NMDS, this data element is collected for the current service episode only.

Mandatory1
-Person—first service request indicator, yes/no code N

DSS specific information:

In the Specialist Homelessness Services NMDS, this data element is collected only for persons who have not received any services requested or assessment, that is, it is collected only for persons known as 'turnaways'.

In the Specialist Homelessness Services NMDS, this data element is applied to an individual 24-hour reporting period.

Mandatory1
-Person—formally diagnosed mental health condition indicator, code N

DSS specific information:

Evidence suggests that the longer persons with mental health problems are supported by specialist homelessness services, the more likely they are to move into public, or community housing or rental housing rather than return to rough sleeping. Access to a range of longer-term supports and community-based services will increase the early intervention and recovery support options for people who are homeless with a mental illness and substance abuse disorders.
Mandatory1
-Person—government funding identifier, Centrelink customer reference number N(9)A

Conditional obligation:

Please note that in the SHS NMDS this item is dependent on the consent of the client.
Conditional1
-Person—housing tenure type, homelessness code N

DSS specific information:

In the Specialist Homelessness Services NMDS, this data element is collected four times, for the following points in time:

  • one week before the start of the support period (the Service episode—episode start date, DDMMYYYY);
  • at the date of presentation;
  • at the end of the reporting period (the Service event—last service provision date, DDMMYYYY); and
  • at the end of the support period (the Service episode—episode end date, DDMMYYYY).

Only one permissible value is selected in each case.

Mandatory4
-Person—Indigenous status, code NMandatory1
-Person—labour force status, code N

DSS specific information:

In the Specialist Homelessness Services NMDS, this data element is collected four times, for the following points in time:

  • one week before the start of the support period (the Service episode—episode start date, DDMMYYYY);
  • at the date of presentation;
  • at the end of the reporting period (the Service event—last service provision date, DDMMYYYY); and
  • at the end of the support period (the Service episode—episode end date, DDMMYYYY).

Only one permissible value is selected in each case.

Note that this data element is designed specifically to reference the ABS Labour force status standard variable. Consequently, the value domain definitions explicitly exclude anyone aged under 15; effectively this reflects the scope of ABS collections. If information on illegal workers aged under 15 is sought for the Specialist Homelessness Services NMDS, these persons may also be asked the labour force questions. However, they should be filtered using the Age data element from any returns intended to retain compatibility with ABS data.

Conditional1
-Person—living arrangement, homelessness code N

DSS specific information:

In the Specialist Homelessness Services NMDS, this data element is collected four times, for the following points in time:

  • one week before the start of the support period (the Service episode—episode start date, DDMMYYYY);
  • at the date of presentation;
  • at the end of the reporting period (the Service event—last service provision date, DDMMYYYY); and
  • at the end of the support period (the Service episode—episode end date, DDMMYYYY).

Only one permissible value is selected in each case.

Mandatory1
-Person—mental health services received timeframe, code N

DSS specific information:

In the Specialist Homelessness Services NMDS, this data element is captured from the perspective of the Agency worker. Therefore, it relates to the agency worker's knowledge of whether or when the client has received mental health services.
Mandatory1
-Person—new client indicator, code N

DSS specific information:

In the Specialist Homelessness Services NMDS, this data element is used to gain an idea of the 'trend of homelessness'. It does this by collecting data as to whether or not the presenting person has accessed a specialist homelessness agency before.
Mandatory1
-Person—number of people in the presenting unit, total N[N]Mandatory1
-Person—previously homeless status, code N

DSS specific information:

In the Specialist Homelessness Services NMDS, this data element is collected a minimum of twice (for the client):

  • within the previous month
  • within the previous year.

In the Specialist Homelessness Services NMDS, this data element may be used to capture multiple responses.

Mandatory1
-Person—reason for seeking assistance, homelessness code N[N]

DSS specific information:

In the Specialist Homelessness Services NMDS, this data element is collected twice (for the client):

  • for all the presenting reasons for seeking assistance; and subsequently
  • for the main presenting reason for seeking assistance

In both cases the reasons are those nominated by the client.

Mandatory1
-Person—reason services not provided, code N[N]

DSS specific information:

In the Specialist Homelessness Services NMDS, this data element is collected only for persons who have not received any services requested or assessment, that is, it is collected only for persons known as 'turnaways'.
Mandatory3
-Person—registered/awaiting government payment indicator, code N

DSS specific information:

In the Specialist Homelessness Services NMDS, this data element is collected only for those clients who have no income when that client has applied for a government benefit, pension or allowance, but is still awaiting their first payment before the support period starts.

In the Specialist Homelessness Services NMDS, this data element is collected four times, for the following points in time:

  • one week before the start of the support period (the Service episode—episode start date, DDMMYYYY);
  • at the date of presentation;
  • at the end of the reporting period (the Service event—last service provision date, DDMMYYYY); and
  • at the end of the support period (the Service episode—episode end date, DDMMYYYY).

Only one permissible value is selected in each case.

Conditional1
-Person—relationship to the presenting unit head, code N[N]

DSS specific information:

The presenting unit head is identified via the relationships within the presenting unit. If there is a child(ren) present (under 18 years old), the presenting unit head is the spokesperson which is:

  • The parent/guardian representing any child(ren) (under 18 years old), or
  • If there is no parent/guardian, present the most direct relationship representing any child(ren) (under 18 years old). If two siblings presented to an agency the presenting unit head would be the one that was regarded as the spokesperson for the two.

If there are no child(ren) present (under 18 years old), the presenting unit head is the spokesperson who is:

  • The spouse/partner of another person within the presenting unit, or
  • Is related in some way to another person within the presenting unit.
Mandatory1
-Person—residential type, homelessness code N[N]

DSS specific information:

In the Specialist Homelessness Services NMDS, this data element is collected four times, for the following points in time:

  • one week before the start of the support period (the Service episode—episode start date, DDMMYYYY);
  • at the date of presentation;
  • at the end of the reporting period (the Service event—last service provision date, DDMMYYYY); and
  • at the end of the support period (the Service episode—episode end date, DDMMYYYY).

Only one permissible value is selected in each case.

Conditional1
-Person—school enrolment and attendance status, code N

DSS specific information:

In the Specialist Homelessness Services NMDS this data element is collected for all clients aged 18 years and under.

Mandatory1
-Person—service requested, homelessness code N

DSS specific information:

In the Specialist Homelessness Services NMDS, this Data Element is collected only for persons who have not received the services requested, that is, it is collected only for persons known as 'turnaways'. 
Mandatory1
-Person—source of cash income (all), code NNNN

DSS specific information:

Note that this data element is designed specifically to reference the ABS Sources of income standard variable. Consequently, the value domain definitions explicitly exclude anyone aged under 15; effectively this reflects the scope of ABS collections. If information on children under 15 years old who present, is sought for the Specialist Homelessness Services NMDS, these persons may also be asked the sources of income questions. However, they should be filtered using the Age data element from any returns intended to retain compatibility with ABS data.

For the purposes of the SHS collection the following list is used which aggregates to the ABS Sources of Income Classification.

Government pensions and allowances

Newstart Allowance

Parenting Payment

Disability support pension (Centrelink)

Youth allowance

Age pension

Austudy/ABSTUDY

Disability Pension (DVA)

Service pension (DVA)

War Widow(er)'s Pension (Including income support supplement) (DVA)

Sickness allowance

Carer Allowance

Carer Payment

Other government pensions and allowances

Other sources of income

Employee income

Unincorporated business income

Other income nec

Nil income

Not stated/not known/inadequately described

In the Specialist Homelessness Services NMDS, this data element is collected four times, for the following points in time:

  • one week before the start of the support period (the Service episode—episode start date, DDMMYYYY);
  • at the date of presentation;
  • at the end of the reporting period (the Service event—last service provision date, DDMMYYYY); and
  • at the end of the support period (the Service episode—episode end date, DDMMYYYY).

Only one permissible value is selected in each case.

 

Mandatory1
-Person—source of information on a mental health condition, code N

DSS specific information:

In the Specialist Homelessness Services NMDS, this data element is collected for all clients.

Mandatory1
-Person—student type, code N

DSS specific information:

In the Specialist Homelessness Services NMDS, this data element is collected four times, for the following points in time:

  • one week before the start of the support period (the Service episode—episode start date, DDMMYYYY);
  • at the date of presentation;
  • at the end of the reporting period (the Service event—last service provision date, DDMMYYYY); and
  • at the end of the support period (the Service episode—episode end date, DDMMYYYY).

Only one permissible value is selected in each case.

Conditional1
-Person—student/employment training indicator, code N

DSS specific information:

In the Specialist Homelessness Services NMDS, this data element is collected four times, for the following points in time:

  • one week before the start of the support period (the Service episode—episode start date, DDMMYYYY);
  • at the date of presentation;
  • at the end of the reporting period (the Service event—last service provision date, DDMMYYYY); and
  • at the end of the support period (the Service episode—episode end date, DDMMYYYY).

Only one permissible value is selected in each case.

Conditional4
-Person—time elapsed since last permanent residence, code NMandatory1
-Person—type of institution recently left, homelessness code N[N]Conditional1
-Person—urgency of requested assistance, time period code N

DSS specific information:

In the Specialist Homelessness Services NMDS, this data element is collected only for persons who have not received the services requested, that is, it is collected only for persons known as 'turnaways'.
Conditional1
-Person—year of first arrival in Australia, date YYYY

DSS specific information:

In the Specialist Homelessness Services NMDS, this Data Element is ascertained for all persons who have indicated that their Country of Birth is not Australia.
Conditional1
-Referral—formal referral source, homelessness code N[N]Mandatory1
-Service episode—episode end date, DDMMYYYYConditional4
-Service episode—episode start date, DDMMYYYYMandatory4
-Service episode—service cessation reason, homelessness code N[N]

DSS specific information:

In the Specialist Homelessness Services NMDS, this data element may be used to capture multiple responses.
Mandatory1
-Service episode—service ongoing indicator, code NConditional1
-Service event—accommodation period end date, DDMMYYYYMandatory1
-Service event—accommodation period start date, DDMMYYYYMandatory1
-Service event—assistance request date, DDMMYYYY

DSS specific information:

In the Specialist Homelessness Services NMDS, this Data Element refers to 'turnaways' and clients, that is, it captures the date on which a person sought assistance from a Specialist Homelessness Agency but did not receive the assistance or service sought.
Mandatory1
-Service event—first service contact date, DDMMYYYY

DSS specific information:

This data element refers to a specific provision of a service (a service event) within the service episode.

In the Specialist Homelessness Services NMDS, this data element is collected for all clients.

In the Specialist Homelessness Services NMDS, the reporting period is defined as being a calendar month. Therefore any date of the calendar month may be reported for this Data Element.

This data element is collected for the first service contact date within the reporting period. If the first service contact was also the start of the service episode, as recorded by the data element Service episode—episode start date, DDMMYYYY, then the same date will be recorded for both data elements. If the service episode is ongoing but the service event is new, then the actual date of the new service event should be recorded.

This data element should ascertain the actual date of service, not the date when the data is recorded.

Mandatory1
-Service event—last service provision date, DDMMYYYY

DSS specific information:

This data element refers to a specific provision of a service (a service event) within the service episode.

In the Specialist Homelessness Services NMDS, this data element is collected for all clients.

In the Specialist Homelessness Services NMDS, the reporting period is defined as being a calendar month. Therefore any date of the calendar month may be reported for this Data Element.

This data element is collected for the last service provision date within the reporting period. If the last provision of a service was also the end of the service episode, as recorded by the data element Service episode—episode end date, DDMMYYYY, then the same date will be recorded for both data elements. If the last provision of a service is not the end of the service episode (i.e. where other services continue to be provided) the actual date of the end of the service event should be recorded. However if the service event within the service episode is ongoing to the next reporting period, ie ongoing to the following month, then the Service event—last service provision date, DDMMYYYY will be recorded as the last day of the current month.

This data element should ascertain the actual date of service, not the date when the data is recorded.

Mandatory1
-Service event—supported accommodation type, code NMandatory1
-Service provider organisation—organisation identifier, NNNNNAConditional1
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