People who are homeless might have multiple issues needing attention, including physical and mental health problems, substance-abuse issues, domestic violence and other difficulties. Tracking all of this information creates unwieldy data-management challenges, but the organizations trying to help often lack the software infrastructure needed to handle the load. “The prioritization of direct services over systems development is a very real concern in all of the social service arenas,” said Ben de Haan, the executive director of Partners for Our Children, a University of Washington School of Social Work research and innovation center. “If you’ve got unlimited need and very finite resources, you are constantly making choices about squeezing out a little bit more for one more person.”