The Michigan Coalition to End Domestic and Sexual Violence (MCEDSV) provides leadership regarding the state’s efforts to end gender-based violence. This work serves survivors of domestic and sexual violence as well as human trafficking. In 2021, Victim Service Providers (VSPs) learned that an HMIS-comparable database used throughout Michigan was no longer in compliance with HUD requirements. This threatened vital funding used by VSPs to provide housing services to survivors. During this time, many VSPs throughout the country worked on an agency level to negotiate comparable database contracts to ensure compliance with HUD. MCEDSV, with funding support from the Michigan State Housing Development Authority, worked to develop a statewide HMIS-comparable database solution in collaboration with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Victim Services, and Michigan Coalition Against Homelessness.

This partnership is the first of its kind both statewide and nationally. Expected to launch in fall of 2022, this solution will have the capacity to capture data of those with lived experience to support confidential reporting for domestic violence service providers statewide. The database will ensure that VSPs are able to collect and report information required for federal funding while also enhancing the quality of data used to improve services for survivors and advocate for resources based on demonstrated need. It is critical that states actively work to break down silos between housing service providers and VSPs and this work will ultimately support this need.

This presentation will discuss the work MCEDSV has done for the past year to foster a systems-level partnership to support survivors experiencing homelessness. Participants will leave with a gained understanding of challenges and successes experienced throughout various phases of this project including:

• building partnerships with various state agencies

• gathering feedback and creating buy-in

• development of an effective request for proposal (RFP)

• utilization of an advisory team composed representatives from VSPs throughout the state

• review and selection of a database vendor

• build out and launch of the database

• sustainability and replicability