Homelessness Prevention Network
(HPN)


The Homeless Prevention Network (HPN) comprises of several community service organizations providing shelter, food, counseling and support for victims in crisis situations. HPN expressed the need for a centralized database which would provide them with data about their clientele. The data would provide the name of the client, their recent address, number of dependents, number of times the individual has used HPN facilities, and so forth . This database is to be readily accessed by the various agencies at will.
This proposal suggests how a centralized database may be setup, and explores the means by which the several agencies can be networked together. It will also suggest the software that needs to be used. In addition, the proposal discusses methods of encryption that may be employed for data security, citing Pretty Good Privacy (PGP) in particular. Furthermore, each agency will have a certain level of access privileges to the database for information security.
After all the necessary research is conducted, a small scale prototype will be set up in the EPICS lab for initial tests. At the same time a team of student engineers will help set up an internal network within an agency, the Community and Family Resource Center (CFRC). A time period of eleven weeks is proposed for the realization of the two tasks, which should give sufficient headway for a succeeding group to continue with this project.

Additional information is available about various aspects of this project:
Project archive & museum
A collection of the goals and accomplishments of this project, presented using hypertext and/or images. This location will also be used as the primary site for distribution of any software, etc., developed by the group.
Project team
Information about the students and others who have served on this project, including how to contact the current team members.
Project internal information
Information for use within the project team. This includes internal report forms, reference materials, etc. Some of this information may be accessible only by members of the project team.

Descriptions of other Engineering Projects In Community Service projects can be found via the EPICS home page.

This page was last modified October 14, 1995. [an error occurred while processing this directive]