Coordinated Assessment: Understanding Assessment Tools

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.

Coordinated Assessment: A Very Brief Review The Assessment Phase Choosing and Using Assessment Tools Question and Answer Agenda Agenda

“…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) Description of Coordinated Assessment Description of Coordinated Assessment

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 Moving Away From… Moving Away From…

Safe, accessible location(s) Standardized assessment Data collection and management Informed referrals System change Key Elements Key Elements

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 • Risk of Remaining Homeless • Housing options outside of the homeless assistance system • Vulnerability to Homelessness • Self Sufficiency • Service Needs • Health Status • DV Risk • Income/Education • HMIS Data Elements • Program Eligibility

What should you assess for in coordinated assessment? • Risk of Becoming Homeless • Risk of Remaining Homeless • Housing options outside of the homeless assistance system • Vulnerability to Homelessness • Self Sufficiency • Service Needs • Health Status • DV Risk • Income/Education • HMIS Data Elements • Program Eligibility

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 is the purpose of assessment? What is the purpose of assessment? • Prevention priority • Homelessness diversion • Shelter priority • Rapid re-housing priority • Transitional housing priority • Permanent supportive housing priority • Housing plan • Service plan • Evaluate client progress • Evaluate program performance

What is the purpose of coordinated assessment? What is the purpose of coordinated assessment? • Permanent supportive housing priority • Housing plan • Service plan • Evaluate client progress • Evaluate program performance • Prevention priority • Homelessness diversion • 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 • Assessing vulnerability • Prioritizing for permanent supportive housing Good for... Not good for... • Assessing housing options outside of the homeless assistance system • Prioritizing for interventions other than PSH

SPDAT (multiple versions) SPDAT (multiple versions) • Assessing vulnerability • Assessing service needs • Prioritizing for permanent supportive housing • Evaluating client progress Good for... Not good for... • Assessing Housing options outside of the homeless assistance system • Tool rule 1

Canton diversion tool Canton diversion tool • Assessing housing options outside of the homeless assistance system • Homelessness diversion Good for... Not good for... • Prioritizing for interventions other than homelessness diversion

Hennepin housing barrier tool (and offspring) • Assessing risk of continued homelessness Good for... Not good for... • Assessing vulnerability

Arizona Self Sufficiency Matrix • Assessing self sufficiency • Assessing service needs • Evaluating client progress Good for... Not good for... • Assessing housing options outside of the homeless assistance system • Tool rule 1

Alliance/Prince George's County assessment tool • Assessing risk of continued homelessness • Prioritizing for rapid re-housing and transitional housing • Tool rule 2 Good for... Not good for... • Assessing vulnerability • Prioritizing permanent supportive housing

Coordinated Assessment: Understanding Assessment Tools