ETHOS and MPHASIS based data collection system in CMSA
CMSA uses an electronic database to collect information on persons using any forms of support offered by our organisation, such as a stay in St. Lazarus Social Boarding House, monitoring and support for the independent former inhabitants, stay in a training flat and street work. Records include the basic demographic data, and core variables on homelessness (according to MPHASIS) and on housing situation (according to ETHOS 2008) both when a person reports for help and when the provision of assistance is finished. Included is also information about forms of aid provided during the stay, and about refusals (e.g. a refusal to admit someone to the Boarding House due to the lack of free beds or other reasons).
The database is still at the stage of implementation, and the social workers gradually adapt the information collection procedures they used for many years to the new requirements. The database is also adjusted to finally being the basic tool documenting and supporting social work in the facility and allowing to measure its effectiveness.
Database has been created and tested by the Fundation for Social Innovation and Research Shipyard in 2010-11. It is based on the data collection standard biwm where "biwm" stands for homelessness and housing exclusion in PL. Few other service providers in Mazovia region use it.