Mental Health Information System (MHIS) Manual
Page Posted: 06/02/14
Page Reviewed and Updated: 3/8/2016
Link to PDF
5.1.3. Client Information
VARIABLE NAME: RESIDENTIAL STATUS
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DESCRIPTION: Specifies client’s residential status on the date of first service use (previous night), on the
date of last service or for continuing client status use (that night).
VALID ENTRIES:
o 01 HOMELESS – person has no fixed address; includes homeless, shelters
o 02 FOSTER HOME – defined as a home licensed by a county or state department to provide
foster care to adults
o 03 RESIDENTIAL CARE – individual resides in a residential care facility. This level of care may
include a group home, therapeutic group home, board and care, board and lodge, residential
treatment, or rehabilitation center, or agency- operated residential care facilities. – (Category
includes IRTS)
o 04 CRISIS RESIDENCE – a time-limited residential (24 hours/day) stabilization program that
delivers services for acute symptom reduction and restores clients to a pre-crisis level of
functioning
o 05 INSTITUTIONAL SETTING – individual resides in an institutional care facility with care provided
on a 24 hour, 7 days a week basis. This level of care may include skilled nursing/ intermediate
care facility, nursing homes, institute of mental disease (IMD), inpatient psychiatric hospital,
psychiatric health facility, veterans’ affairs hospital, or state hospital. – (Category includes CBHH,
Andrew Board & Care, and Anoka RTC)
o 06 JAIL/CORRECTIONAL FACILITY – individual reside in a jail and/or correctional facility with care
provided on a 24 hour, 7 days a week basis. This level of care may include a jail, correctional
facility, detention centers, and prison.
o 11 PRIVATE RESIDENCE – INDEPENDENT LIVING - this category describes clients living
independently in a private residence and capable of self-care. It includes clients who live
independently with case management support or with supported housing supports. This
category also includes clients who are largely independent and choose to live with others for
reasons not related to mental illness. They may live with friends, spouse, or other family
members. The reasons for shared housing could include personal choice related to culture
and/or financial considerations.
o 12 PRIVATE RESIDENCE – DEPENDENT LIVING – clients living in a house, apartment, or other
similar dwellings and are heavily dependent on others for assistance in living in this situation.
(This category includes clients receiving services such as CADI/Waiver/PCA in order to maintain
their residence or is under guardianship or conservatorship indicating that they are reliant on
someone else in order to maintain the housing.)
o 13 OTHER RESIDENTIAL STATUS
o 97 UNKNOWN (Crisis only)
GUIDELINES: New Client status report (previous night) all other client statuses [Intervention Episode,
Continuing, Complete, and Discontinuance] report (that night).
FIELD NUMBER: C21
FIELD LENGTH: 2
FIELD TYPE: Text
FORMAT: XX
VARIABLE NAME: EMPLOYMENT STATUS
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DESCRIPTION: Specifies the client’s employment status on the date of first service, on continuing client
status date or on the date of last service.
VALID ENTRIES:
o 01 EMPLOYED FULL TIME – equal to or more than 32 hours per week
o 02 PART TIME – less than 32 hours per week
o 03 LOOKING FOR WORK/UNEMPLOYED – defined as actively looking for work or laid off from job
(and awaiting to be recalled) in the past 30 days. Use the appropriate valid code for the specified
classification of a person who is “Not in the Labor Force,” defined as not employed or not looking
for work during the past 30 days. See guidelines for coding overlapping status.
o 14 HOMEMAKER
o 24 STUDENT
o 34 RETIRED
o 44 DISABLED (physical and mental health disability)
o 54 HOSPITAL PATIENT OR RESIDENT OF OTHER INSTITUTIONS (e.g., correctional facilities, nursing
homes, mental health care facilities, etc.)
o 64 OTHER REPORTED CLASSIFICATION (e.g. volunteers)
o 74 SHELTERED/NON-COMPETITIVE EMPLOYMENT
o 97 UNKNOWN (CRISIS & HWS)
GUIDELINES:
o Agencies definitions are expected to be consistent to the general concept used by the U.S.
Department of Labor, as follows:
 People with jobs are employed
 People who are jobless, looking for jobs, and available for work are unemployed
 People who are neither employed nor unemployed are not in the labor force
o Use code 64 (Other Reported Classification) for other classifications of Not in the Labor Force
that are collected by the agency but not provided as a category in the MHIS.
o When clients are engaged in two or more activities (have overlapping status) during the
reporting period, use Department of Labor’s system of priorities to determine the appropriate
employment status. The prioritization rule follows: labor force activities (such as working or
looking for work) take precedence over non-labor force activities (such as student and
homemaker); and working or having a job takes precedence over looking for work.
o Examples:
 James Kelly and Elyse Martin attend Community College. James works part-time after
school at the North Star Cafe and Elyse is seeking a part-time job at the same
establishment (also after school). James' job takes precedence over his non-labor force
activity of going to school, as does Elyse's search for work; therefore, James is counted
as part-time employed and Elyse is counted as unemployed.
 Last week, Mary Davis, who was working full-time for Stuart Comics, went to the Coastal
Video Shop on her lunch hour to be interviewed for a higher paying job. Mary's
interview constitutes looking for work, but her work takes priority, and she is counted as
full-time employed.
 John Walker has a full-time job at the Nuts and Bolts Company, but he didn't go to work
last week because of a strike at the plant. Last Thursday, he went to the Screw and
Washer Factory to see about a temporary job until the strike terminates. John was "with
a job but not at work" due to an industrial dispute, which takes priority over looking for
work; therefore, he is counted as full-time employed.
o Use code 01 or 02 if the client is “employed and a student” or “employed and retired.” Use code
03 if the client is a student and actively searching for work (includes sending out resumes, visiting
unemployment centers, interviewing, etc.)
o Use code 54 for clients in jail, prison, or receiving services from inpatient setting. Clients who
received services from community-based setting and were in an inpatient setting at the time of
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scheduled data update or in an inpatient setting throughout the reporting period should use
code 54. Employment status of clients in institutions under the justice system is not reportable.
To remain consistent with the US DOL, only employment status of persons who are noninstitutionalized should be reported.
Use code 97 (Unknown) sparingly. Make sure to search for the most recent available status before
assigning the code “Unknown”
FIELD NUMBER: C22
FIELD LENGTH: 2
FIELD TYPE: Text
FORMAT: XX
VARIABLE NAME: EDUCATION ENROLLMENT STATUS
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DESCRIPTION: Specifies the education enrollment status of adults on the date of first service, on continuing
client status date or on the date of last service.
VALID ENTRIES:
o 1 ENROLLED – Client has attended school at any time in the past three months
o 2 NOT ENROLLED – Client has not attended school at any time in the past three months
o 9 UNKNOWN – (CRISIS & HWS)
GUIDELINES:
o At any time in the past three months’ means at least one day of school attendance in the past three
months, counting from the day the information is collected.
o “Education” includes: high school, General Equivalency Degree or GED, home- schooling, online
education, alternative school, vocational school (including business, technical, secretarial, trade),
college / professional degree or correspondence courses which are not for recreation.
o Use code 9 (Unknown) sparingly. Make sure to search for the most recent available status before
assigning the code “Unknown”
FIELD NUMBER: C23
FIELD LENGTH: 1
FIELD TYPE: Text
FORMAT: X
VARIABLE NAME: HIGHEST EDUCATION LEVEL COMPLETED
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DESCRIPTION: Specifies the highest education attainment completed = for all adult clients, whether currently
in school or not.
VALID ENTRIES:
o 01 GRADE 1
o 02 GRADE 2
o 03 GRADE 3
o 04 GRADE 4
o 05 GRADE 5
o 06 GRADE 6
o 07 GRADE 7
o 08 GRADE 8
o 09 GRADE 9
o 10 GRADE 10
o 11 GRADE 11
o 12 GRADE 12
o 16 VOCATIONAL SCHOOL (see guidelines for definition)
o 17 COLLEGE UNDERGRADUATE FRESHMAN (1st Year)
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o 18 COLLEGE UNDERGRADUATE SOPHOMORE (2nd Year)
o 19 COLLEGE UNDERGRADUATE JUNIOR (3rd Year)
o 20 COLLEGE UNDERGRADUATE SENIOR (4th Year)
o 21 GRADUATE OR PROFESSIONAL SCHOOL (e.g., Master’s, Doctoral, Medical or Law School)
o 97 Unknown (CRISIS & HWS)
GUIDELINES:
o “Education” includes: high school, General Equivalency Degree or GED, home- schooling, online
education, alternative school, vocational school (including business, technical, secretarial, trade),
college/ professional degree or correspondence courses which are not for recreation.
o Include the most recent education level the adult has completed, not the education level in which
he/she is participating or intends to participate.
o Foreign clients who did not attend USA school system, select grade that compares to USA grade age.
If they completed school in their country then Grade 12.
o Use code 97 (Unknown) if the Agency collects these data but for some reason a particular record
does not reflect an acceptable value.
FIELD NUMBER: C24
FIELD LENGTH: 2
FIELD TYPE: Text
FORMAT: XX
VARIABLE NAME: NUMBER OF ARRESTS IN PRIOR 30 DAYS
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DESCRIPTION: The number of arrests within the PRECEDING 30 days
VALID ENTRIES:
o 0-30 NUMBER OF ARRESTS (up to 30 arrests)
o 99 UNKNOWN
GUIDELINES:
o Use Code 00 for no reported arrests.
o Any formal arrest is to be counted regardless of whether incarceration or conviction resulted and
regardless of the status of the arrest proceedings at the time of discharge.
o This item is intended to capture the number of times the client was arrested for any cause during the
PRECEDING 30 days:
 For “New Client” – 30 days preceding the first day service
 For “Continuing Client” – 30 days preceding the anniversary date
 For “Completed Treatment Program” – 30 days preceding the last day of service
 Use Code 99 (Unknown) if the agency collects these data but for some reason a particular
record does not reflect an acceptable value.
FIELD NUMBER: C25
FIELD LENGTH: 2
FIELD TYPE: Numeric
FORMAT: XX
VARIABLE NAME: VETERAN / MILITARY STATUS
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DESCRIPTION: Identifies if the client is a Veteran or is in Active Duty status.
VALID ENTRIES:
o 1 NO
o 2 YES, NO COMBAT
o 3 YES, SERVED IN COMBAT ZONE
o 4 YES, COMBAT UNKNOWN
o 9 UNKNOWN
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GUIDELINES: Use Code 9 (Unknown) if the agency collects these data but for some reason a particular record
does not reflect an acceptable value.
FIELD NUMBER: C26
FIELD LENGTH: 1
FIELD TYPE: Text
FORMAT: X
VARIABLE NAME: IS VETERAN RECEIVING VA MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES
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DESCRIPTION: Identifies if the Veteran or Military client is receiving services from Veteran Affairs provider.
VALID ENTRIES:
o 1 YES
o 2 NO
o 9 UNKNOWN
GUIDELINES: Use Code 9 (Unknown) if the agency collects these data but for some reason a particular record
does not reflect an acceptable value.
FIELD NUMBER: C27
FIELD LENGTH: 1
FIELD TYPE: Text
FORMAT: X
VARIABLE NAME: CHILDREN UNDER 18 YEARS OF AGE
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DESCRIPTION: Identifies if the client has children under the age of 18.
VALID ENTRIES:
o 1 YES
o 2 NO
o 9 UNKNOWN
GUIDELINES:
o If the client is one of the primary caregivers for the child it does not matter if the child is biological,
adopted, step-child, custodial etc. If a grandparent is raising a grandchild, then she has primary
caregiving responsibility for that child and should be indicated in the MHIS system. If a friend and her
child are staying with a client, but the client does not have primary caregiving responsibility for the
child then you would not need to include that in the MHIS data.
o Use Code 9 (Unknown) if the agency collects these data but for some reason a particular record does
not reflect an acceptable value.
FIELD NUMBER: C28
FIELD LENGTH: 1
FIELD TYPE: Text
FORMAT: X
VARIABLE NAME: CHILDREN AGE RANGE
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DESCRIPTION: Identifies the age range(s) of the minor children.
VALID ENTRIES:
o 1 0-5
o 2 6-11
o 3 12-17
o 9 UNKNOWN
GUIDELINES:
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Multiple entries field; select all age range that the client reported at the beginning of program.
Use code 9 (Unknown) if the agency collects these data but for some reason a particular record does
not reflect an acceptable value.
Note that this category cannot be used if the client is indicating another age range.
FIELD NUMBER: C29
FIELD LENGTH: 3
FIELD TYPE: Text
FORMAT: XXX
VARIABLE NAME: CHILDREN RESIDE WITH THE CLIENT
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DESCRIPTION: Identifies how often any of the minor children reside with the client.
VALID ENTRIES:
o 1 FULL-TIME
o 2 PART-TIME
o 3 NOT AT ALL
o 9 UNKNOWN
GUIDELINES:
o Parents can define what full-time and part-time means to them, as this is self-reported. If the parents
ask for guidance; we would consider residence overnight for 5 or more nights per week on average as
Full-Time, and residence overnight for less than 5 nights per week on average as Part-Time.
o When clients have two or more valid values (have overlapping status) during the reporting period,
use the highest code value that applies.
o Use Code 9 (Unknown) if the agency collects these data but for some reason a particular record does
not reflect an acceptable value.
FIELD NUMBER: C30
FIELD LENGTH: 1
FIELD TYPE: Text
FORMAT: X
VARIABLE NAME: CHILDREN HAVE SPECIAL NEEDS
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DESCRIPTION: Identifies whether any of the minor children have special needs.
VALID ENTRIES:
o 1 YES
o 2 NO
o 9 UNKNOWN
GUIDELINES: One or more children have a diagnosed physical, developmental, behavioral or emotional
condition that requires health and/or related services.
FIELD NUMBER: C31
FIELD LENGTH: 1
FIELD TYPE: Text
FORMAT: X