In this issue:
FootholdConnect Events
Highlights from the Project Pipeline
What's New in AWARDS
Tip of the Month - Check All That Apply
Foothold News & Blog
FootholdConnect Events
For more information on upcoming FootholdConnect events, please go to FootholdConnect on the AWARDS Home screen's navigation bar, or visit the Upcoming Events page of the Foothold Technology web site.
And don't forget... If you've missed any recent FootholdConnect events, you can access the recordings for those in Online Help here!
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Highlights from the Project Pipeline
Home Screen: Menu Fly-outs
As previously communicated, the next update to the Home screen will be released later this year. This update will add menu fly-outs to the Charts modules, replacing the module menu pages. Each module within Charts, when clicked, will open a menu containing all features located within the module. Clicking on a feature will then take the user directly to the next screen in the workflow, be it an index, settings page, client selection page, etc.
Please note the following steps that should be taken to prepare:
- The Agency File Cabinet buttons that appear at the top of existing Menu pages will be removed and any files saved on those menu pages will be collectively stored in a central location, which will be the Administration > Agency File Cabinet module. Please rename or remove any files based on this move, as needed.
This does not affect the Client File Cabinet, which will continue to be a part of individual face sheets, or the Incidents File Cabinet that can be turned on within incident reports.
- As mentioned in the August FootNotes, the Vocational Rehabilitation Assessment form under Employment > Jobs, which is no longer supported, will be removed. If you have programs using this form, please complete preparations to transition to a FormBuilder form, and print any historic data for your records.
Please watch for more information on this project in future communications.
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What's New in AWARDS
As we have done in previous months, we are continuing to make available a new set of useful features and functions to users of AWARDS. As always, this round of upgrades is provided free of charge to all AWARDS users and is described below. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask your local Help Desk or your Foothold Client Services representative. We hope these enhancements improve the way you use AWARDS and provide services!
Deployment Date: 10/1/17
BillingBuilder - Claim Frequency Code / Bill Changes for Inpatient Programs
To better suit the billing needs of inpatient programs, AWARDS has developed the following functionality:
- Claim frequency reporting for codes 2 (Initial invoice), 3 (Interim invoices), and 4 (Discharge invoice) - This claim frequency code assignment is made possible by a new procedure option called Claim Frequency Code Type. To gain access to this new procedure option, please contact the Help Desk.
- Weekly invoices based on Housing > Nightly Absences data - Now, when the Billable Documentation Type is “Nightly Absences” and the Create Weekly Invoice option is selected within the procedure configuration screen, each billable bed night will generate one invoice unit on the weekly invoice.
- Patient Status 837 Code - When using the new Claim Frequency Code Type option, AWARDS will assign a patient status code of “01” (CL1-03) on all invoices that report a claim frequency type code of 4.
- Measurement Code 837 flexibility - In most cases, invoice units are reported as units (UN) within the 837 file > SV2 segment, but there are cases in which days (DA) need to be reported instead. A new radio button option labeled Measurement Code has been added to the procedure configuration screen to accommodate this requirement. The default setting for this field will be to report invoice units as units, and it can be toggled to report days as needed.
Demographics Fields Updates
As previously announced, the following updates to the Gender, Race, Ethnicity, and Primary Language fields have now been deployed:
HMIS projects have their own race, ethnicity, and gender fields with separate options. Most HMIS projects will not see these news options unless they have been specifically enabled using Configure Data Elements.
- Race - If not already configured as such in your database, this option has been modified to be a multi-select list, and to include a new "Declined to Specify" selection.
- Ethnicity - If not already configured as such in your database, this option has been modified to include a new "Declined to Specify" selection.
- Primary Language - If not already configured as such in your database, this option has been modified to include a new "Declined to Specify" selection.
- Gender - Has been relabeled as Gender Identity. Existing Gender data has been brought into this field. This option will replace the old Gender field in all AWARDS reports that pull in "Gender." This field will also be required. The field label and selection list are able to be modified in the related Optional Enhancements documents located in Online Help here. The default selection list for the Gender Identity field will be the same as the previous Gender field, with the addition of “Choose not to disclose.” The options are:
- Male
- Female
- Trans-Male
- Trans-Female
- Choose not to disclose
Additionally, the following new fields will be optional:
- Sexual Orientation - This field, if turned on will display the following default selection list, but this list can also be configured to fit agency needs:
- Lesbian/gay or homosexual
- Straight or heterosexual
- Bisexual
- Don't know
- Choose not to disclose
If turned on, this field will be added to any ReportBuilders that display gender fields.
- Sex at Birth - This field, if turned on, will have existing Gender data mapped to the appropriate selection options in this list. This list can also be configured, however the default selection list cannot be removed. The default selection list for this field will be:
- Male
- Female
- Unknown
The following summarizes the mapping of selections:
Prior Gender Value/Selection New Sex at Birth Value/Selection
Male Male
Female Female
Trans-Male Female
Trans-Female Male
Unknown (new option)
If turned on, these updates will also be made on ReportBuilders throughout AWARDS.
Diagnostic Tests - New Format
The Medical > Diagnostic Tests feature now has a new look as we continue to develop the new navigation and usability of AWARDS. Changes to the feature include:
- Program and Client drop-downs - New Program and Client drop-downs have been added to the index page, allowing users to make these selections right on the index. Once a client is selected, the index will refresh and display records for that individual. These drop-downs will be in read-only mode while data entry is occurring within a record (either editing or creating a new record). Users now have the ability to select Archives on the index page to display a list of discharged clients.
- Action icons moved - The Edit, View, Delete, and Add New icons have been moved to an action bar that appears above the index. Radio buttons appear next to each hospital episode record to allow users to select which record they would like to take action on. Clicking on an individual record from the index will also open the record in data entry/edit mode. E-Labs users will also find the View E-Labs Result button in the action bar as well.
- Refine Bar Added to Index - A new Refine bar has been added to the left side of the index page, which allows users to toggle between viewing all records, those records that are available for deletion, and E-Lab Results only.
- Search field added - A new Search field also appears on the action bar, which allows users to quickly search the contents of the index. A Filter By drop-down list compliments the Search field, allowing users to search the contents of "All Columns" (the default) or a specific column.
- Link to ReportBuilder added - A link to the Diagnostic Tests ReportBuilder has been added to the index, on the left-hand menu bar.
References to E-Labs functionality above are only applicable in those AWARDS databases in which the add-on electronic laboratory orders feature has been subscribed to. In those databases only users with the E-Labs permission turned on will see the E-Lab Results filter in the left-hand menu bar of the index page, or the "E-Lab Result" column in the records table.
Other updates to the design include improved navigation tools, such as clickable breadcrumbs at the top of the page, an action bar on data entry pages, and improved index pagination.
For more information on working with Diagnostic Tests, please click here.
HMIS Data Standards Changes
The 2017 Data Standards are bringing many changes to HMIS projects. The full list of changes can be found in the FootholdConnect section of the AWARDS Home screen. We also encourage you to attend one of the Data Standards webinars (listed in the FootholdConnect Events section above) or watch the recording of this webinar once it's released.
General HMIS Changes:
- There are several changes to Agency Program Information, including new fields and new Federal Funding Sources.
- Admission Date is now Project Start Date.
- Gender options have changed.
- Type of Residence and Destination have one new option for Rental Via Rapid Re-Housing.
- Income has a few label changes.
- Non-Cash Benefits has removed options for Section 8 and Temporary Rental Assistance. These values will continue to display in the HMIS ReportBuilder until a client’s form is updated; however, once a form is updated the removed values will be lost.
- The Special Needs questions (Physical Disability through Substance Abuse) now only contain a single follow-up question asking if the special need is a disabling condition for the client. If a database wishes to keep the old follow-up questions, please contact your Foothold Client Services Representative.
- Disabling Condition will now be changeable. AWARDS will still auto-calculate an initial value, but the user will now be able to override the calculated value.
- HUD has instituted a new rule that says an adult must be the Head of Household any time there is a family of adults and children. If you have a family with adults and children present and an adult is not the head of household AWARDS will prompt you to change this any time you visit the Household Composition page.
- The biggest change comes for Permanent Housing projects. Residential Move In Date has been renamed Housing Move In Date and is now present in all permanent housing projects. This section can be completed on the Intake/Admission form or on the HMIS Info section of the Face Sheet. In residential projects where this field is present, clients will not be assigned to a bed/apartment until the leading question, Has the client been placed into Permanent Housing, is set to "Yes." Once a client has been assigned a residence unit then this section will become read only and corrections can only be made using the Client History Report. This change allows Permanent Housing projects to admit clients as soon as they are accepted by a program, even if an apartment or unit is not yet available.
Outreach Changes:
- HMIS Location of Contact has changed to Staying on Streets, ES, or SH and is a Yes/No question.
- Configure Data Elements can now be used to hide or require any of the fields in the Outreach Encounters section.
PATH Changes:
- PATH programs no longer require the collection of Housing Status.
- The PATH-specific Special Needs follow-up questions are being removed. Print out any data that you may need before October 1st.
- In PATH Services projects contacts can now be recorded using the Supportive Services Checklist, as long as the new contact location field ("Staying on Streets, ES, or SH") has been turned on using Configure Data Elements.
Runaway and Homeless Youth (RHY) Changes:
- FYSB Youth has been renamed Youth Eligible for RHY Services. Follow-up questions are also renamed, and a new Runaway youth question is being added.
- RHY Referral Source list is changing. Several options are being removed or mapped to new options.
- Last Grade Completed, School Status, and Employment Status are now required at Discharge.
- "Young Person’s Critical Issues has been renamed to Family Critical Issues and the list of options has been reduced considerably. The follow-up question to Incarcerated Parent has been removed. Options that are being removed will no longer be available for reporting after October 1st.
- The Commercial Sexual Exploitation and Labor Exploitation sections have moved from Intake to Discharge. Any data already collected will show up when the client is discharged.
- A new Counseling section has been added to Discharge.
- A new Safe & Appropriate Exit section has been added to Discharge.
- Transitional, Exit-care or Aftercare Plans and Actions have been removed. If you have data you wish to save, please print it before October 1st.
- Service Referrals are no longer required to be collected in RHY projects. If you wish to continue collecting Service Referrals please speak to your Foothold Client Services Representative.
- The list of RHY Service Types is changing. A few options have been removed or renamed, and a few new options have been added.
- A new Aftercare Plans FormBuilder form has been added to the Discharge menu for RHY projects. This form is required to be completed within 180 days AFTER a client has been discharged by using the Roster Archives option. If you do not see it on the discharge menu it can be turned on using FormBuilder Configuration, or you may contact the AWARDS Help Desk for assistance.
VA Changes:
- Connection to SOAR will now be required in SSVF projects as well as PATH projects.
- VAMC Station Number is changing to a drop-down list. Previously entered values which do not match one of the new options will be lost, but can be seen on the HMIS ReportBuilder up until the client’s admission form is updated and a new value is saved.
- A new field called Case Management Exit Reason is required at discharge in HUD VASH projects.
- A new field called HUD-VASH Voucher Tracking is required at discharge in HUD VASH projects.
CSV Changes:
- The new CSV version 6.11 will go into effect on October 10th. CSV will remain in version 5.1 through October 9th to accommodate a need for SSVF projects to complete their September exports. Uploads and Imports will be disabled from October 1st through the 10th. After October 10th, all Imports, Uploads, and Exports will be conducted in version 6.11.
HMIS Report Changes:
- The CoC APR has been updated to work with the new Data Standards.
- A new version of the ESG CAPER report has been released. The new report is very similar to the CoC APR and contains the same Data Quality questions. The ESG CAPER report now has a Sage Export file attached for use in uploading data to the Sage Reporting Repository.
- Inline Details have been added to all client-level questions in the CoC APR and to many of the questions in the ESG CAPER report.
Users are encouraged to update the Intake/Admission form for any client who is active in an HMIS project on October 1st. This is especially important for RHY projects which have added many additional questions to the admission form. More details about the HMIS Data Standards changes can be found in FootholdConnect, and will be covered in greater details in the HMIS Data Standards webinars this Friday and next Tuesday (registration links are above). A recorded version of the webinar will be found in Online Help later next week.
Hospital Episodes - New Format
The Hospital > Episodes feature now has a new look as we continue to develop the new navigation and usability of AWARDS. Changes to the feature include:
- Program and Client drop-downs - New Program and Client drop-downs have been added to the index page, allowing users to make these selections right on the index. Once a client is selected, the index will refresh and display records for that individual. These drop-downs will be in read-only mode while data entry is occurring within a record (either editing or creating a new record). Users now have the ability to select Archives on the index page to display a list of discharged clients.
- Action icons moved - The Edit, View, Delete, and Add New icons have been moved to an action bar that appears above the index. Radio buttons appear next to each hospital episode record to allow users to select which record they would like to take action on. Clicking on an individual record from the index will also open the record in data entry/edit mode.
- Refine Bar Added to Index - A new Refine bar has been added to the left side of the index page, which allows users to toggle between viewing all records or only current records.
- Search field added - A new Search field also appears on the action bar, which allows users to quickly search the contents of the index. A Filter By drop-down list compliments the Search field, allowing users to search the contents of "All Columns" (the default) or a specific column.
- Link to ReportBuilder added - A link to the Hospital Episodes ReportBuilder has been added to the index, on the left-hand menu bar. We’ve also included a link to the existing built-in Hospitalization Report.
Other updates to the design include improved navigation tools, such as clickable breadcrumbs at the top of the page, an action bar on data entry pages, and improved index pagination.
For more information on working with Hospital Episodes, please click here.
Laboratory Orders - New Format
The Medical > Laboratory Orders feature now has a new look as we continue to develop the new navigation and usability of AWARDS. Changes to the feature include:
- Program and Client drop-downs - New Program and Client drop-downs have been added to the index page, allowing users to make these selections right on the index. Once a client is selected, the index will refresh and display records for that individual. These drop-downs will be in read-only mode while data entry is occurring within a record (either editing or creating a new record). Users now have the ability to select Archives on the index page to display a list of discharged clients.
- Action icons moved - The Edit, View, Delete, and Add New icons have been moved to an action bar that appears above the index. Radio buttons appear next to each laboratory order record to allow users to select which record they would like to take action on. Clicking on an individual record from the index will also open the record in data entry/edit mode. E-Labs users will also find the Add New E-Labs Order and View E-Lab Order buttons in the action bar as well.
- Refine Bar Added to Index - A new Refine bar has been added to the left side of the index page, which allows users to toggle between viewing all records, those records that are available for deletion, and records that are E-Lab Orders only.
- Search field added - A new Search field also appears on the action bar, which allows users to quickly search the contents of the index. A Filter By drop-down list compliments the Search field, allowing users to search the contents of "All Columns" (the default) or a specific column.
- Link to ReportBuilder added - A link to the Laboratory Orders ReportBuilder has been added to the index, on the left-hand menu bar.
References to E-Labs functionality above are only applicable in those AWARDS databases in which the add-on electronic laboratory orders feature has been subscribed to. In those databases only users with the E-Labs permission turned on will see the E-Lab Orders filter in the left-hand menu bar of the index page, or the "E-Lab Order" column in the records table.
Other updates to the design include improved navigation tools, such as clickable breadcrumbs at the top of the page, an action bar on data entry pages, and improved index pagination.
For more information on working with Laboratory Orders, please click here.
Medications - Estimated End Date
A new Estimated End Date check box can now be set to display on a Medications record, and appears to the right of the End Date field. This field can be turned on at the program type level, and has no effect on the logic of the end date entered and how it’s used within the related areas (such as the face sheet and the MAR/medication administration records). When set to display, an Estimated End Date option will also be available on the Medications ReportBuilder, as well as the MAR.
This field does not apply to medications that have been e-prescribed using Digital Rx, so it will only appear in read-only for those records.
If you wish to turn on this new Medications option, please contact the Help Desk with the program types for which it should be set to display.
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Tip of the Month - Check All That Apply
Did you know... that if you have a series of Yes/No questions you wish you could ask clients as part of the existing Intake/Admission or face sheet forms, AWARDS has an optional enhancement for that? Our Check All That Apply enhancement enables you to place a series of check boxes in these locations, with each program defining its own list of which Yes/No items they want to see. Once configured, staff will check off any applicable items for each client during the data entry process, and can then report out on that data using the Demographics ReportBuilder where each item will be available as its own data variable for inclusion in reports.
If you'd like to have the Check All That Apply enhancement turned on, work with your program team to define a list of check box items and to decide whether or not they should be displayed at Intake/Admission and/or on the face sheet. Once you've completed this prep work, have your AWARDS administrator or Local Help Desk team send a Help Desk message to Foothold with the request details, and we'll be happy to put them into place!
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Foothold News & Blog
Check out the latest in Foothold news and recent entries from the Foothold blog!
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https://demodb.footholdtechnology.com/help/?12144
