The homeless citizens of Oklahoma City may have more efficient and helpful services in the near future, thanks to an ID card developed by the directory of the city’s Homeless Alliance. The ID card program, called the Homeless Management Information System, will store the demographic information of homeless people who commonly use city services.

The homeless who provide information to the database will be given a photo ID card in turn that will be presented when they check into a shelter or food kitchen. Database entries for card holders will be updated regularly. The Homeless Management Information System came to be after fears arose about an antibiotic-resistant strain of tuberculosis was spreading nationwide and in Oklahoma City. With an ID card program, Oklahoma’s homeless shelters, soup kitchens, clinics, and other homeless care providers can quickly check on a person’s history, monitor trends among the population, and help avoid preventable tragedies.