POINT-IN-TIME COUNT 2014Western Massachusetts Network to End Homelessness

What we will cover:

• Purpose of the Point-in-Time Count

• What data are we collecting?

• Forms for data collection

• Definitions

• Process for turning in data

• New this year! Youth Count/Youth Surveys

DATA COLLECTION AND THE POINT-IN-TIME COUNTBackground and Purpose

WHAT DATA ARE WE COLLECTING?

Population Data• 3 Household Types:

• Households with at Least One Adult and One Child• Households without Children• Households with Only Children (under age 18)

• 2 Sets of Data• All households• Veteran households

Population Data, continued• Number of Households• Number of People in Households

• Persons under age 18• Persons 18-24• Persons over age 24

• Gender: male, female, transgender• Ethnicity: Non-Hispanic/Non-Latino OR Hispanic/Latino• Race: White, Black/African American, Asian, American

Indian/Alaskan Native, Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander, Multiple Races

Subpopulation Data

• Chronically Homeless• Chronically Homeless Persons• Chronically Homeless Households

• Persons in Chronically Homeless Households

• Adults with a Serious Mental Illness

• Adults with a Substance Abuse Disorder

• Adults with HIV/AIDS

COLLECTION PROCESSGetting the data and providing it to the CoC

Categories of Data Providers

• Contributing ETO/ASIST HMIS Organizations

• Agencies with Comparable Data Collection Programs

• Agencies without Comparable Systems

• Street Count Teams

• Enter all HMIS data for people who stay the night of Jan. 29

• Hand-out shows data that must be in HMIS

• Data entry complete by 8 am on Fri., Jan. 31

HMIS Providers

Comparable Data Collection Systems

• Collect and tally point-in-time information from your system.

• We will send you the link to submit the data by filling out an online form.

• Please submit your survey data within 72 hours of the night of the count. 

Agencies without Comparable Systems

• Staff completes a brief anonymous questionnaire with each adult or head of household guest on the night of the count.

• Submit completed questionnaires' to CoC by Friday., Jan. 24, 2014

Street CountHomeless “Street” Interview Form - January 29, 2014

City/Town:________________________________________ Location: (site or nearest cross streets)_________________________

Interviewer: _______________________________________ Time:_________

1. Is this person : Awake Asleep 2. Hello, I am (Name) from (organization) I’d like to ask you a few questions about your housing situation. All of your answers are strictly confidential. Would you be willing to participate? yes no 3. As of today, do you have a place that you consider to be your home or the place you live? Yes (go to 4) Refused No (go to 5) Don’t know 4. Is that a room, apartment, house, shelter, or spot in some public place (park, bus station)? Room Shelter Apartment House Public Place Abandoned Building Camp Car/Truck Refused Don’t Know Other ___________________________ 5. Where do you usually sleep? shelter family/friends street, park, open place camp hotel/motel bus station, bus, bar, movies car/truck refused don’t know Other:__________________________________________ 6. After asking these question, do you believe that this person is homeless? yes (fill out next questions) no 6a. Were you asked these questions by someone else today? yes no 6b. What was the last zip code (city/town) you lived in before you became homeless? List: _________________________________ 7. How long have you been homeless this time? <30 days 30-90 days 3-6 months 6 mos. to 1 yr. 1-2 years 2 - 3 years > 3 years 5+ years 10+ years

8. How many times have you been homeless before this time? 0 1 2 3 4 or more If 4 or more, did these episodes occur in the last three years? yes no 9. Do you have any of the following disabilities (if yes, ask if in treatment)? mental health condition yes no in treatment

physical disability yes no in treatment substance abuse problems yes no in treatment Do you believe this person has a disability? yes no unknown If yes, list type: (MH, SA, D-D, physical)___________________________ 10. Gender: male female transgender unknown 11. Are you alone? yes no (If no, are you with a partner or family member?) List:_________________________________________________________ 12. Age: ____under 18, ___18-24, ____ 25-40, _____41-55, _____56-65 ____ >65 ____Unknown, List age, if possible:__________________ 13. What is your racial background? Asian Nat. Am./Alaskian Black/Af. Am. White Other or Multi-racial (list):_______________________________________ 14. Do you consider yourself to be Hispanic? yes no 15. Did you ever serve in active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces? yes no Were you activated as a member of the National Guard or as a Reservist? yes no 16. Identifiers: (if known or individual is willing to give it) First three letters of your last name: ___ ___ ___ First letter of your first name: ____ Your date of birth: (month/day/year) _ _____ THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP

DEFINITIONSWhat do the terms mean?

Veteran

An adult who has served on active duty in the Armed Forces of the United States. This does not include inactive military reserves or the National Guard unless the person was called up to active duty.

• Here’s what to ask:• Have you ever served active duty in the US Armed Forces?• Were you activated as a member of the National Guard or as a

Reservist?

Chronically Homeless Individual•An adult who meets all three of the following conditions:

1. Current homelessness In emergency shelter; In a Safe Havens program; or Staying in a place not meant for human habitation

2. Lengthy or repeat homelessness Homeless continuously for at least one year; OR At least 4 episodes of homelessness in the last three years

3. Disabling condition Can be diagnosed with one or more of the following:o substance use disorder, o serious mental illness, o developmental disability, o post-traumatic stress disorder,o cognitive impairments resulting from brain injury, oro chronic physical illness or disability; and

The disability is expected to be long-continuing or of indefinite duration; and The disability substantially limits the individual’s ability to live independently

Chronically Homeless Family• Head of household (adult or minor) meets the definition of

chronically homeless ;• Family does not have to have stayed together during

homelessness of head of household

Serious Mental Illness

An adult with a severe and persistent mental illness or emotional impairment that seriously limits the person's ability to live independently. The mental illness must be expected to be long-continuing or indefinite duration.

Substance Abuse Disorder

An adult with a substance abuse problem (alcohol abuse, drug abuse, or both) that substantially limits the person’s ability to live independently and is expected to be long-continuing or indefinite duration.

HIV/AIDS

An adult who has been diagnosed with AIDS and/or has tested positive for HIV.

YOUTH COUNT 2014A new initiative this year

MA Youth Count• Youth = 24 and younger

• 1st statewide youth count in nation

• Different/additional tool to capture information about this population

• Count PLUS Survey

• Survey completed by youth themselves • Staff can provide assistance if wanted by the youth

• Incentives for completing surveys

Youth Survey Tips

• One survey should be completed and returned for each youth staying in your facility.

• CoCs will confirm with you the number of youth HMIS reports in your program(s).

• Please submit youth forms by Friday, Jan. 31