Understanding Client Enrollments

What Is an Enrollment?

An enrollment records a client’s participation in a specific program during a defined period of time.

When you create an enrollment, you’re documenting that a client is actively receiving services through a particular program. Each enrollment includes:

• Program — The program the client is enrolled in (for example: Home Visiting, Case Management, NFP)

• Start Date — When services began

• Case Manager — The staff member responsible for the client’s care

• Status — Whether the enrollment is currently active or has been exited

A single client can have multiple enrollments over time, depending on their service history.

Enrollment Statuses and What They Mean

Each enrollment has a status that reflects where the client is in their service journey.

Active

• The client is currently receiving services

• This status is used for ongoing, open enrollments

Exited

• The client has completed or left the program

• The enrollment is closed but remains available as a historical record

Ghost

• Activities entered outside of a valid enrollment are placed into a ghost enrollment

• This preserves data visibility without changing the start or end dates of valid enrollments

? Tip: Ghost enrollments help protect reporting accuracy by preventing activities from being incorrectly attached to an active enrollment.

For additional details, see Managing Ghost Enrollments.

Why Enrollments Matter

Enrollments are foundational to how Persimmony organizes data, controls access, and ensures accurate reporting. Understanding their role helps you work more effectively and understand why certain clients appear (or don't appear) in your views.

Programs Control Data Visibility

The most important thing to understand about enrollments is that programs are a primary factor determining who can see what data in Persimmony. When you enroll a client in a program, you're not just recording that they're receiving services, you're making that client visible to a subset of users.

This means:

• Users only see clients enrolled in programs they have permission to access

• Client searches and reports return results from authorized programs only

• A client enrolled in Program A will not appear for users who only have access to Program B

• When a client changes programs, their visibility updates to match the new enrollment

Service Tracking

All assessments, care plans, and activities are tied to a specific enrollment.

This allows you to:

• See exactly which services occurred during each program participation period

• Maintain separate service histories for clients with multiple enrollments

• Preserve historical accuracy when clients re-enroll or switch programs

Client List and Report Filtering

Because programs control visibility, enrollment data flows through the entire system.

This is why:

• Your Client List may differ from a colleague’s

• Report results vary based on program access

• Filters rely on enrollment dates and status to determine which records appear

Compliance and Reporting Accuracy

Many programs have strict requirements around:

• Enrollment dates

• Service frequency

• Documentation timelines

Accurate enrollment records ensure:

• Clean audit trails

• Correct reporting for specific time periods

• Reliable program compliance data

When you run reports, the system evaluates which enrollments were active during the selected date range.

Common Enrollment Scenarios

New Client

What to do:

• Create a new Client Profile

• Create an enrollment in the appropriate program

Existing Client

Situation:
A client already has a Client Profile and needs to be enrolled in a program.

What to do:

• Create a new enrollment

• Leave any previous enrollments in place as historical records

Client Switching Programs

Situation:
A client needs to move from one program to another.

What to do:

• Exit the current enrollment

• Create a new enrollment in the new program

Result:

• One exited enrollment

• One active enrollment

• Each enrollment retains its own activity history

Client Switching Case Managers

Situation:
The client remains in the same program but is assigned to a new case manager.

What to do:

• Update the Case Manager field on the existing enrollment - no need to create a new enrollment

Result:

• The enrollment remains active

• Program and dates stay the same

• Ownership is updated without creating a new enrollment

? Tip: For Nurse-Family Partnership workflows, see Re-Enrolling an Exited NFP Client for program-specific guidance.

Enrollment vs. Client Profile

Understanding the difference between a Client Profile and an Enrollment helps prevent data errors and duplicate records.

Client Profile

• Stores demographic information such as name, date of birth, address, and primary language

• Exists independently of programs

• One per person, regardless of how many programs they participate in

• Information follows the client across all enrollments

Enrollment

• Tied to a specific program and time period

• A client can have multiple enrollments

• Stores program-specific details such as case manager and referral source

• Links services and assessments to a defined service period

Key Takeaway

Think of the Client Profile as who the person is, and the Enrollment as how and when they receive services.
Keeping enrollments accurate ensures proper visibility, clean reporting, and reliable program compliance.