HMIS Newsletter: April 2026

Table of Contents

• Announcements
• Federal Reporting Updates
• Help Desk Reminders
  
• Upcoming Events 
• Bitfocus is Hiring

2026 Annual Privacy & Security Training

Starting May 1st, all HMIS users are required to complete the Napa HMIS Data and Privacy Security Training 2026 to keep their HMIS access. Visit this link to view the recording and complete the training: https://training.bitfocus.com/napa-hmis-data-and-privacy-security-training. New users must also complete this training prior to gaining access to the HMIS. Additionally, this training will also be required on an annual basis for all HMIS users every July, starting in 2027.

Deadlines

• Training Window: May 1 – May 31, 2026
• Deadline: May 31st at 5:00 PM PT
• Incomplete: Accounts not finished by the deadline will be deactivated on June 1st.

How to Get Started

The training takes approximately 55 minutes. To save your progress, please finish each lesson before closing your browser. If you exit mid-lesson, you will have to restart that specific lesson from the beginning.

• Access: Complete the video and quiz for the the Napa HMIS Data and Privacy Security Training
• Training: Follow the prompts to work through all required courses and quizzes.
• Confirmation: Once you have completed the training and passed all quizzes, you will receive a confirmation email for your records.
• Lost Access: If your account is deactivated on June 1st, you must complete the course and then contact Napa@bitfocus.com for manual reactivation.

Please keep an eye out for your email as communications will be coming from your HMIS Lead Karina Gallegos-Ruiz. If you have any questions on the training requirements, please reach out to Karina at karina.gallegos-ruiz@countyofnapa.org.

Federal Reporting Updates

Point-in-Time Count & Housing Inventory Count

We’re thrilled to share that the Point-in-Time Counts (PIT) and Housing Inventory Count (HIC) has been finalized and submitted to HUD! A huge thank you to everyone in the CoC for helping us ensure that our HUD reporting accurately reflects the scale and impact of our collective work to end homelessness.

2026 HIC/PIT Recap

On January 27, 2026, our community conducted the 2026 Point-in-Time (PIT) Count, providing a vital snapshot of both sheltered and unsheltered individuals.

The Inventory: Alongside the PIT, we completed the Housing Inventory Count (HIC) for HMIS participating and non-participating programs. The HIC is a snapshot of our housing programs; available beds in your housing program, utilization of those beds, and client demographics for those served on the night of the HIC/PIT.

Whether you submitted a Non-Participating Program form or prioritized HMIS data cleanup, your help in this process ensures our community’s data is accurate and complete. Thank you for your commitment to making every person count!

Interested in more detailed information about HUD’s requirements for HIC and PIT? Learn more by exploring the HUDExchange site here.  

Reminders from Our Help Desk Team

Pro-Tip: Want a speedier resolution when you email Help Desk? Including all the details in the first email help us move faster! By knowing the "what, where, and when" from the start, we can route your request to the perfect team member and jump into troubleshooting immediately!

Please include, as applicable:

• Steps to replicate the issue (Step 1, Step 2, Step 3, etc.)
• Impacted client records or reports (for example, specific client record Unique IDs or the Report Name)
• Screenshots and/or screen recordings of the issue (avoiding any client Personally Identifiable Information)
• What happened Vs. What you expected to happen
• How this prevents you from getting your work done

Need Help with a Client Records?
When you need assistance with client records, please include:

• Details for the issue/request
• Client Unique IDs and/or Record URLs
• Do not include Client PII in the email body or in attachments
  

User Accounts (Clarity or Looker)
When you need assistance with a user account, please include:

• User’s full name
• User’s email address
• Access role (if known)
• Agency name
• Link/URL to the Clarity instance the user needs access to for example: napa.clarityhs.com/login
• Any other details that may help us process your request

Reporting / Federal Reporting / Looks / Dashboards
When you need help with reports or dashboards, please include:

• Name and/or number of the canned report, link to the Look, or Dashboard
• Reporting parameters (date ranges, filters, etc.)
• Agency/Program name
• Details of the issue (what is wrong or not working as expected)
• Client Unique IDs involved (if applicable)
• User(s) experiencing the issue

Upcoming Events

Napa CoC General Meeting | May 7th, 2026 at 2:30p-4pm | Open the Microsoft Meeting here

Monthly CoC meeting run by Napa County on the first Thursday of every month. The CoC meeting is now hosted on Microsoft Teams instead of Zoom. Join us at the link above.

Bitfocus is Hiring

Join our Team!

• Visit bitfocus.com | Jobs | Learn about Bitfocus on our website

• Work with us at Bitfocus! Join a team committed to innovation, collaboration, and real-world impact in human services.  

Questions?

Your HMIS Administrators are happy to help.

Phone: 888-505-1832

Email: napa@bitfocus.com