coordinated assessment: understanding assessment tools
DESCRIPTION
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. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Coordinated Assessment:
Understanding Assessment Tools
1
Kim Walker & Norm SucharNovember 2013
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.
The Usual Reminders
Agenda
• Coordinated Assessment: A Very Brief Review
• The Assessment Phase
• Choosing and Using Assessment Tools
• Question and Answer
• Coordinated Assessment: A Very Brief Review
• The Assessment Phase
• Choosing and Using Assessment Tools
• Question and Answer
Agenda
Description of Coordinated 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)
Description of Coordinated Assessment
Moving 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
Moving Away From…
Key Elements
• Safe, accessible location(s)
• Standardized assessment
• Data collection and management
• Informed referrals
• System change
Key Elements
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
Assessment Phase
Managing Expectations
•Won’t deliver perfect information
•Won’t change your system
•It’s not necessarily the most important part of your process.
Managing Expectations
Assessment Process
A good assessment phase:
• is tiered
• is consistent
• includes some element of consumer choice
Assessment Phase
Tiered
Prevention/Diversion (Everyone)
Housing Barrier Assessment (within the first two weeks)
PSH Prioritization Assessment(people experiencing chronic
homelessness)
Tiered
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
Consistent
Consumer Choice
Program ModelProgram Model
Wait Time to Get into ProgramWait Time to Get into Program
Average Length of StayAverage Length of Stay
Consumer Choice
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
• Risk of Becoming Homeless
• Risk of Remaining Homeless
• Housing options outside of the homeless assistance system
• Vulnerability to Homelessness
• Self Sufficiency
What should you assess for in coordinated assessment?
• 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?
• 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 assessment?
What is the purpose of coordinated 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?
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 1
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.
Tool rule 2
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
Vulnerability Index
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
SPDAT (multiple versions)
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
Canton diversion tool
• Assessing risk of continued homelessness
Good for... Not good for...
• Assessing vulnerability
Hennepin housing barrier tool (and offspring)
• 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
Arizona Self Sufficiency Matrix
• 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
Alliance/Prince George's County assessment tool