Letter Audit Report on the Development and Implementation of the Client Assistance Re-housing Enterprise System Administered by the New York City Department of Homeless Services
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The New York City Department of Homeless Services (DHS) is responsible for providing temporary emergency shelter and social services to eligible clients (single and family) who have no other housing options available in New York City. In 2009, DHS initiated multiple task orders under an existing Citywide contract with Accenture LLP to consolidate two legacy systems and enhance existing business functions into a new electronic case management system-DHS’ Client Assistance Re-housing Enterprise System (CARES).
CARES is an integrated case management system intended to give DHS and its providers the ability to serve and track clients from initial intake to shelter placement, and through their return to the community. An intake worker uses CARES as the single source of client data for processing shelter applications. Once a client arrives at an intake office, the client is interviewed by a caseworker who uses CARES to initiate the application process for temporary housing. Daily paper attendance records are maintained by shelter providers and later updated in CARES. Once a client is placed in permanent housing and exits the shelter, DHS staff will update the client information in CARES. The system also interfaces with key partner agencies such as the New York City Human Resources Administration and Administration for Children’s Services, and the New York State Division of Parole to assist DHS in making shelter eligibility decisions.
CARES is intended to integrate shelter processes into one system and consolidate the two existing legacy systems, while supporting the shelter information management process with various reporting options. CARES permits case workers to electronically enter information, to scan in necessary documents, and for supervisors and other authorized staff to generate standardized reports that extract information from CARES. DHS implemented CARES in December 2011. It is currently in the process of adding more reporting features to the system, which are expected online by July 2015.
Results
Our audit determined that CARES generally fulfilled its contracted purpose of consolidating two legacy computer systems and automating shelter processes; that it fulfilled its deliverables as stated in its functional system specifications; and that it has adequate functions to ensure the information process is reliable. Additionally, we reviewed and analyzed CARES’ disaster recovery documentation and found that DHS has a contingency plan in place in case of an emergency and back-up policies and procedures to protect its data in the event of a disaster.
DHS officials acknowledged the thoroughness of the auditors work on the audit and were satisfied with the report’s conclusions.