homelessness prevention screening using the screener implications of the threshold score

Homelessness Prevention Screening

Using the Screener

Implications of the Threshold Score

Purpose of the “Screener”

• Target limited Prevention dollars to households who are most likely to become homeless

• Utilize criteria that research has found are associated with increased risk of homelessness

• Allow Grantees to determine how high they want to set their threshold

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Application of the Screener: Applicant #1

Donna Smith

Female Veteran, Honorable Discharge. 40% of AMI.

Her job hours were cut by 50% recently, she was unable to pay her rent and lost her apartment two months ago. Since then she has been sleeping on her brother’s couch. Her brother’s landlord has told him Ms. Smith cannot remain in the apartment much longer; she should start looking for other housing. She wants SSVF assistance to move into an efficiency that has opened up in her brother’s building.

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Eligibility Condition I. Veteran Status

Eligible? X YES ___NO

VA Eligibility Requirements:

X Served in the active military, naval, air service, National Guard, or Merchant Marine

X Other than dishonorable discharge

Eligibility Condition 2. Very Low Income Status


VA Eligibility Requirement:

X Gross annual household income less than 50% Area Median Income for household size (grantee may set lower income threshold)

Household size (all adults/children): 1

50% of Area Median Income for Household Size: $ 20,000

Total Annual Gross Income from All Sources: $16,000 (40%)

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Eligibility Condition 3. Imminently At-Risk of Literal Homelessness


VA Eligibility Requirements:

X Imminent loss of current primary nighttime residence (housing an individual or family owns, rents, or lives in with or without paying rent; housing shared with others; and rooms in hotels or motels paid for by the individual or family); AND

X No other residence; AND

X No resources or support networks, e.g., family, friends, faith-based or other social networks, immediately available to prevent them from becoming literally homeless; AND

X At least one of the following:

Has moved because of economic reasons two or more times during the 60 days immediately preceding the application for homelessness prevention assistance;

X Is living in the home of another because of economic hardship; Has been notified in writing that their right to occupy their current housing or living situation

will be terminated within 21 days after the date of application for assistance; Lives in a hotel or motel and the cost of the hotel or motel stay is not paid by charitable

organizations or by Federal, State, or local government programs for low-income individuals;

Is exiting a publicly funded institution, or system of care (such as a health-care facility, a mental health facility, or correctional institution) without a stable housing plan; OR

Otherwise lives in housing that has characteristics associated with instability and an increased risk of homelessness, as identified in the SSVF grantee’s VA approved Grantee Screening Criteria and Targeting Threshold Plan. VA approved housing situation(s):

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Targeting Criteria

Circle all that apply Targeting Criteria

3 Has moved because of economic factors two or more times in the past 60 days

3 Living in a hotel or motel not paid for by charitable organizations or by Federal, State, or local government programs

3 Living with friends or family, on a temporary basis3 Being discharged from an institution and reintegrating into the community without a stable housing plan

3 History of homelessness as an adult, prior to any homeless episode occurring in the past 60 days

3 Households annual gross income is less than 30% of local Area Median Income for household size

3 Housing loss within 14 days

3 At least one dependent child under age 6

2 At least one dependent child age 6 – 17

2 Veteran returning from Iraq or Afghanistan

2 Applied for shelter or spent at least one night during the prior 60 days literally homeless (shelter, place not meant for human habitation, transitional housing for homeless persons)

2Sudden and significant loss of income, including employment and/or cash benefits


1 Rental and/or utility arrears

5 Total Points (sum of VA targeting criteria circled points above)

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Norris Brown

Qualified Veteran, 20% AMI.

He has been living in a motel, paying the full cost, for the past three months. Before that, he was jailed, briefly, for his involvement in a bar fight. Mr. Brown has enough money to pay for three more weeks at the hotel; he is requesting assistance to relocate to an SRO or efficiency.

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Targeting Criteria



3Living in a hotel or motel not paid for by charitable organizations or by Federal, State, or local government programs

3 Living with friends or family, on a temporary basis

3 Being discharged from an institution and reintegrating into the community without a stable housing plan


3Households annual gross income is less than 30% of local Area Median Income for household size


3 At least one dependent child under age 6

2 At least one dependent child age 6 – 17

2 Veteran returning from Iraq or Afghanistan

2 Applied for shelter or spent at least one night during the prior 60 days literally homeless (shelter, place not meant for human habitation, transitional housing for homeless persons)

2 Sudden and significant loss of income, including employment and/or cash benefits

2 Housing loss within 21 days1 Rental and/or utility arrears

8Total Points (sum of VA targeting criteria circled points above) 8


George and Tamara Davis and Anita (3 years old).George is a qualified Veteran. Household income: 45% AMI

The Davis family’s apartment has been condemned due to water damage. They have only 3 days to move out. They spent all their savings to move from another state after George returned from Iraq and are now requesting assistance to find new housing. They also have utility arrears that would have to be paid before they could obtain utilities in another housing unit. They have no family or friends in the state and out-of-state family members are unable to quickly come up with the funds to help the family secure housing.

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Targeting Criteria



3 Living in a hotel or motel not paid for by charitable organizations or by Federal, State, or local government programs

3 Living with friends or family, on a temporary basis

3 Being discharged from an institution and reintegrating into the community without a stable housing plan


3 Households annual gross income is less than 30% of local Area Median Income for household size


3 At least one dependent child under age 62 At least one dependent child age 6 – 17

2 Veteran returning from Iraq or Afghanistan2 Applied for shelter or spent at least one night during the prior 60 days literally homeless (shelter, place not meant for human habitation, transitional housing for homeless persons)

2 Sudden and significant loss of income, including employment and/or cash benefits


1 Rental and/or utility arrears

9Total Points (sum of VA targeting criteria circled points above) 10

How the Threshold Works (cont.)

Threshold: 5 Threshold: 10 Threshold: 9

Donna Smith (5 points)

YES NO NO

Norris Brown (8 points)

YES NO NO

Davis Family (9 points)

YES NO YES

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How your SSVF contract proposal affects the screening process….

Other Program Eligibility Conditions[target population described in your proposal to VA]

Eligible? ___ YES ___NO___ Not Applicable

Additional Grantee Eligibility Requirements (must be VA approved):

PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS’ INCOME MUST BE LESS THAN 30% AMI

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If you have proposed a special population, you have another, automatic eligibility factor

Before you start “scoring” an applicant, s/he must pass Stage One (Eligibility) of the screening process… which includes your program population.

How would the program’s <30% AMI requirement impact the three applicant households? Would they be eligible to be scored with Targeting points?

Donna Smith

40% AMI

Norris Brown

20% AMI

Davis Family

45% AMI

Screened out in Stage 1

Eligible in Stage 1

Screened out in Stage 1

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If you have three applicants for every opening in your program, how will you set your threshold?

If you had set your threshold at 9 points, you would have successfully screened in one of the three households: the Davis family has 9 points.

If your program requires applicants to have incomes <30% AMI, only one of your applicants would pass eligibility and be scored: Norris Brown’s income is 20% AMI. But his score is only 8.

X If your program requires <30% AMI *AND* sets a

threshold of 9 points, no one would be eligible for the

opening. 14

Now What?

• If you have been providing SSVF Prevention assistance for the past year, review the number and profiles of the households who applied and were eligible under your program’s requirements. What % did you have funds to assist? How might they have scored? Where would you set your threshold to screen out a majority of the applicants you had to turn away?

• If you are a new SSVF grantee, look at any data sources that might help you estimate the potential volume of applications. If your program will assist a special population, such as <30% AMI, or female Veterans only, etc., you should probably set a lower threshold, as those requirements act as an additional layer of screening.

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Next Steps

• If you have contract proposal eligibility criteria, you’ll want to add these to your proposed Screening form.

• Select the threshold you will propose to VA• Complete the Grantee Screening Criteria and

Targeting Threshold Plan form and submit to your RC by November 30th

• Receive approval from RC• Begin using the Screener for Prevention

applicants16

Next Steps (cont.)

• You’ll be transmitting the Grantee Screening Criteria and Targeting Threshold Plan to your RC via email or USPS…so…

• Please include in your transmittal letter/email:

--Brief rationale about how you selected your threshold score AND

--Description of how you will track the impact of that score on your SSVF program’s screening, intake and/or caseload

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THANKS FOR PARTICIPATING IN THIS WEBINAR!

The PowerPoint will be posted on VA’s SSVF Website:

www.va.gov/homeless/ssvf.asp

Next month’s national call:

December 13, 2012

2:00pm – 4:00pm

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homelessness prevention screening using the screener implications of the threshold score

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