Coordinated
Assessment:
Understanding
Assessment Tools
Kim Walker & Norm Suchar
November 2013
1
The Usual Reminders
The Usual Reminders
• This webinar will last one hour.
• All participants are muted.
• The webinar is being recorded and will be
posted in the Coordinated Assessment Toolkit.
• We’ll take audience questions at the end of
today’s session.
Agenda
Agenda
• Coordinated Assessment: A Very
Brief Review
• The Assessment Phase
• Choosing and Using Assessment
Tools
• Question and Answer
Description of Coordinated
Description of Coordinated Assessment
Assessment
“…is defined to mean a centralized or coordinated process
designed to coordinate program participant intake,
assessment, and provision of referrals. A centralized or
coordinated assessment system covers the geographic
area, is easily accessed by individuals and families seeking
housing or services, is well advertised, and includes a
comprehensive and standardized assessment tool.” (CoC
Interim Rule, Section 578.3)
Moving
From…
Moving Away
Away From…
• Having to call the same programs every
day for weeks or months
• Being sent from program to program
• Finding out about more helpful programs
too late
• Being asked the same questions over and
over again
Key
Key Elements
Elements
• Safe, accessible location(s)
• Standardized assessment
• Data collection and management
• Informed referrals
• System change
Assessment
Phase
Assessment Phase
Phase used to gather information
needed to determine the best
immediate next step for a person
experiencing homelessness (or at-risk)
that will get them back into permanent
housing
Managing
Expectations
Managing Expectations
• Won’t deliver perfect information
• Won’t change your system
• It’s not necessarily the most
important part of your process.
Assessment
Phase
Assessment Process
A good assessment phase:
• is tiered
• is consistent
• includes some element of consumer
choice
Tiered
Tiered
Prevention/Diversion
(Everyone)
Housing Barrier Assessment
(within the first two weeks)
PSH Prioritization Assessment
(people experiencing chronic homelessness)
Consistent
Consistent
Standardized tools (same questions
and scoring process)
Written procedures that lay out when
and how tools are administered and by
and to whom
Staff trained in administering the tools
and interpreting results
Consumer
Choice
Consumer Choice
Program Model
Wait Time to Get into Program
Average Length of Stay
What can you assess for?
•
Risk of Becoming Homeless
•
Service Needs
•
Risk of Remaining Homeless
•
Health Status
•
Housing options outside of
the homeless assistance
system
•
DV Risk
•
Income/Education
Vulnerability to
Homelessness
•
HMIS Data Elements
•
Program Eligibility
•
•
Self Sufficiency
What should you assess for in
coordinated assessment?
•
Risk of Becoming Homeless
•
Service Needs
•
Risk of Remaining Homeless
•
Health Status
•
Housing options outside of
the homeless assistance
system
•
DV Risk
•
Income/Education
Vulnerability to
Homelessness
•
HMIS Data Elements
•
Program Eligibility
•
•
Self Sufficiency
Things that we wish assessment tools
could assess, but so far cannot.
•
Who will and won't succeed in a program
•
How much you need of different interventions
What
thepurpose
purpose of
What
isisthe
ofassessment?
assessment?
•
Prevention priority
•
Homelessness diversion
•
•
•
•
Permanent supportive
housing priority
•
Housing plan
•
Service plan
•
Evaluate client progress
•
Evaluate program
performance
Shelter priority
Rapid re-housing priority
Transitional housing
priority
What
is the
coordinated
What
is thepurpose
purpose ofofcoordinated
assessment?
assessment?
•
Prevention priority
•
Homelessness diversion
•
•
•
•
Permanent supportive
housing priority
•
Housing plan
•
Service plan
•
Evaluate client progress
•
Evaluate program
performance
Shelter priority
Rapid re-housing priority
Transitional housing
priority
Tool rule 1
Tool rule 1!
An assessment tool should include a
question only if the answer to that
question is needed right then to
determine what kind of assistance a
person will receive.
Tool rule 2
Tool rule 2!
If an assessment tool results in so
many referrals to a program that it
causes long waiting lists, then the tool
should be modified.
Vulnerability
Index
Vulnerability Index
Good for...
•
Assessing
vulnerability
•
Prioritizing for
permanent
supportive housing
Not good for...
•
Assessing housing
options outside of
the homeless
assistance system
•
Prioritizing for
interventions other
than PSH
SPDAT
versions)
SPDAT(multiple
(multiple versions)
Good for...
•
Assessing vulnerability
•
Assessing service needs
•
Prioritizing for permanent
supportive housing
•
Evaluating client
progress
Not good for...
•
Assessing Housing
options outside of the
homeless assistance
system
•
Tool rule 1
Canton
tool
Cantondiversion
diversion tool
Good for...
•
Assessing housing
options outside of the
homeless assistance
system
•
Homelessness
diversion
Not good for...
•
Prioritizing for
interventions other
than homelessness
diversion
Hennepin housing barrier tool
(and offspring)
Good for...
•
Assessing risk of
continued
homelessness
Not good for...
•
Assessing
vulnerability
Arizona Self Sufficiency Matrix
Good for...
•
Assessing self
sufficiency
•
Assessing service
needs
•
Evaluating client
progress
Not good for...
•
Assessing housing
options outside of
the homeless
assistance system
•
Tool rule 1
Alliance/Prince George's County
assessment tool
Good for...
•
Assessing risk of
continued
homelessness
•
Prioritizing for rapid rehousing and transitional
housing
•
Tool rule 2
Not good for...
•
Assessing vulnerability
•
Prioritizing permanent
supportive housing