MOREHELPFUL FEATURESFORYOU

TORONTOSHELTER MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEM (TorontoSMIS)

isanewcomputer systemforuseinall emergencysheltersin Toronto.HostelServices requiresthatallclient informationbeentered intothissystem.(Atthis time,Out-of-the-Cold programsarenotpartof TorontoSMIS.)
Ifyouneedareferraltoanother shelterorprogramthatwillbetter suityourneeds,thenewsystem canquicklyfindanavailablebed, programand/orserviceforyou andhelpyougetintoit. Yoursheltercannowscanyour identificationpapersandkeepa copyinyourfile.Ifyoueverlose yourimportantpapers,youcanget acopyfromtheshelterwherethey arestored. Ifyouhaveacomplaint,staffwill entertheinformationinthesystem. Thatway,complaintscanbe trackedandresolvedmore effectively. Formoreinformation,speakto shelterstaff,call416.397.4398, emailsmis@toronto.ca,orvisit www.toronto.ca/housing

What Clients Need to Know

R FASTE HOR S

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BETTER

Instead of signing a paper form, you will be asked to sign on an electronic signature pad every time you are admitted to a shelter. It is for our files only and cannot be used for any other purpose.

NOPAPER=MORETIME FORYOU
Sheltersarechangingtoa computerizedsystemtoserveclients inafasterandbetterway. Withnomorepaperformstofillout, staffwillhavemoretimetoworkwith youtohelpyoumakeplansforyour future,includingpermanenthousing.

PNAELIGIBILITYCHECK
Everyday,thesystemcheckstoseeif youareentitledtothePersonalNeeds Allowane(PNA). TorontoSMISwillknowifyouqualifyfor PNAorifyouarealreadycollecting OntarioWorks(OW)orOntarioDisability SupportProgram(ODSP). Asisthecasenow,ifyouaregetting OWorODSP ,youdonotqualifyforPNA.

SHORTERWAITTIMES
Withthissystem,staffcanquicklyfind availablebedsinanyshelterprogramin thecity. WithTorontoSMIS,youcanonlybookone bedatatimeinthesheltersystem,so thiswillfreeupmorebedsforother people--maybeevenyou. And,ifyouchangeshelters,youwillbe givenanewbedandyouroldbedwill beavailableforsomeoneelse.

ADMISSIONISFASTER ANDEASIER
Althoughthenewsystemlinksall shelters,onlyyourbasicinformation willbesharedacrosstheentiresystem. Sowhenyoucometoashelter,staff canonlyseeyourname,anyaliasyou haveused,yourdateofbirth,your gender,andwhetherornotyouare currentlystayinginashelter(butnot thesheltername). Staffcanalsoseeifyouhaveany healthandsafetynotesorflags.These areaddedonlyifyouareadangerto yourselforothers.Theyhaveanexpiry dateandcanberemoved.

CLIENTINFORMATION REMAINSSECURE
Yourpersonalinformationissecureand privateandisonlyusedbyshelterstaffto providetheservicesyouneed. Protectingyourpersonalinformationisa keypartofTorontoSMIS.Sheltersmust followstrictfederalandprovincialrules aboutprivacy.Shelterclientsarealso protectedbytheTorontoShelter Standards.
As before, law enforcement and certain other officials may be legally able to see your information, which would be released in compliance with privacy legislation.