The Shelter Management Information System (SMIS) now provides workers with tools to help service users access housing and identify supports they may be eligible for. These housing-focused changes are part of the Service Triage, Assessment and Referral Support (STARS) tool, which provides a standardized way to understand service users’ support needs and better connect people to available housing opportunities using Toronto’s Coordinated Access system.
This training is divided into 9 modules. The modules are mandatory for all SMIS users, unless indicated otherwise below.
Important Note
All staff are required to fill out and submit the following survey to confirm that the modules are complete.
Complete the survey
Modules
Introduction
Introduction (3 minutes)
Mandatory for: All SMIS users
- The Introduction provides an overview of the training modules and learning goals. It provides background information about why changes were made to SMIS and the work done to design the changes with input from frontline staff, service users and lived experience experts, sector leaders and user experience design experts.
Intake and Triage (Modules 1-5)
Module 1 – Personal Information, Living Situation & Contact Information (12 minutes)
Mandatory for: All SMIS users
- This training provides SMIS users with information about the new questions in the “Personal Information,” “Living Situation” and “Contact Information” sections of the intake.
Module 2 – Client Details (20 minutes)
Mandatory for: All SMIS users
- This training provides SMIS users with information on the new mandatory demographic questions and the purpose and value of collecting this information. Collecting demographic information can help identify the barriers faced by service users and improve service delivery.
Module 3 – Support Needs & Triage (20 minutes)
Mandatory for: All SMIS users
- This training provides SMIS users with information on the new section in the SMIS Intake called “Support Needs” and how to identify and document a client’s supports needs and support level.
Module 4 – Income & Identification (6 Minutes)
Mandatory for: All SMIS users
- This training provides SMIS users information on what has changed in the Income and Identification sections. This training also covers the importance of capturing a client’s income source and uploading and tagging each piece of identification.
Module 5 – Family Intake (12 Minutes)
Mandatory for: Family or co-ed shelters and outreach programs that serve families
- This training provides SMIS users with instructions for how to add family members to a Head of Household intake for families or couples, and how to properly record the level of support for an entire household.
Attachments
Module 6 – Attachments (20 Minutes)
Mandatory for: All SMIS users
- This training provides SMIS users with information on how to upload, view, and archive documents in the Intake and Triage, the Housing Checklist, and the Attachments Modules. The training identifies the importance of entering accurate document type information, and how identification and housing-related documents will be displayed in different modules in SMIS.
Housing Checklist
Module 7 – Housing Checklist (30 Minutes)
Mandatory for: Housing workers/counsellors/caseworkers, supervisors, and managers
- This training provides staff who provide housing-focused case management services information on the new “Housing Checklist” module. This module supports workers in ensuring clients have all documentation required to secure housing opportunities and to complete housing applications, as well as to connect clients with housing-related services and resources they may be eligible for.
Updating discharge information using the 14-Day Discharge Window
Module 8 – 14-Day Discharge Window (10 Minutes)
Mandatory for: All SMIS users
- This training reminds SMIS users that the discharge field (for bedded programs) and end of service field (for service programs) are editable for up 2 weeks after initial discharge. This is to ensure that staff are accurately capturing housing outcomes and other discharge and end of service dispositions.
Client-Level Report for Case Managers
Module 9 – Client-Level Report for Case Managers (20 Minutes)
Mandatory for: Housing workers/counsellors/caseworkers, supervisors, and managers
- This training supports supervisors and staff who conduct housing-focused case management to access and use SMIS data to support improved service navigation and housing outcomes for service users. The training focuses on how to access client level reports, how reports can help with case management, and how to safeguard client information.
