Question: Is your CoC using a GIS capable tool for homeless outreach and/or disaster response? We were recently introduced to Salus which is being used in LA for emergency response. I’m curious if ESRI or other platforms have similar capability?
November 6, 2019
By Tara Carruth
Oxnard, San Buenaventura/Ventura County CoC
Yes we are using it for working with our flood control and county fire with notifications in severity zones. Reach out to me mjones@sbcsd.org to discuss.
Thanks, Mike and Susan! Are you using the technology for any disaster response or planning efforts? As we are experiencing more fires in encampments there is some political will to increase outreach efforts to assist persons in encampments and attempt to prevent wildfires.
Thanks again for your input. Susan, we are with WellSky for HMIS and have our CES integrated and not yet to a point of undertaking the massive project of switching HMIS providers. Knowing that ESRI can communicate with Bit Focus Clarity HMIS is very intriguing though!
Yes San Bernardino County we use ESRI. ESRI is all customizable and usually something the county has an enterprise for. We couldn’t be happier with its compatibility for outreach. Like Susan mentioned they are working to make them compatible!
YES! Orange County is using the ESRI ArcGIS app we used for the 2019 Count. This phone app provides GIS mapping for all outreach contacts, you can make electronic referrals, and for those Continuums of Care that use Clarity HMIS, there is an opportunity to link the two systems. The Bit Focus Clarity HMIS has worked with ESRI to connect, OC hasn’t used this functionality but would be interested in working with other CoC to pilot something brilliant.