The Focus

September 15th, 2025
 

Announcements:
 
 
 

FOCUS OF THE MONTH

Mental Health Care Navigation

Mental health (MH) can shift throughout a person’s life in response to stress, trauma, relationships, and available supports. ICMS plays a vital role in assessing MH functioning and connecting participants to care, including programs like HSSP.


Interventions that support mental health care include psychotherapy, medication, peer support, emotional support animals, caregiving, short-term hospitalization, care navigation, and care team collaboration.


To support this work, we’ve created a new Mental Health Care Navigation Tip Sheet to help guide ICMS in assessment, referral, and safe response.


What's Inside the new tip sheet?

  • Mental Health Continuum Model
  • Key Interventions and Supports
  • Crisis Response Guidance
  • Roadmap to HSSP and Other MH Services


We hope this tip sheet helps you to continue making a positive impact in participants' lives! Thank you for the outstanding work you do every day!
 

View the new tip sheet >

Let us know what you think! >
 
 

Training Resources:

Access HFH Trainings for ICMS
 

New FY 25-26 Program Guide for ICMS

The newest annual release is now available!
 
 
 

on your ICMS graduations in August!

 
  • A Community of Friends
  • Coalition for Responsible Community Development
  • Good Shepherd Center
  • Housing Works
  • LA Family Housing
  • Mental Health America, Antelope Valley
  • New Directions
  • PATH
  • Penny Lane
  • SHARE!
  • SRO Housing
  • Step Up on Second
  • The Good Seed
  • The People Concern
  • Upward Bound House
  • Venice Community Housing
  • Watts Labor Community Action Committee
  • Wellnest Emotional Health and Wellness
 

Upcoming Office Hours
 
 

**please note, some dates may be subject to change due to holidays**

Bring all your CHAMP questions to one of our upcoming sessions. We welcome repeat visitors!

Tues @ 9:30AM & 1PM: Sept. 16th, 23rd, & 30th

Intended as a safe space for all service providers to access guidance on solving problems and navigating cases.

Wed @ 11AM: Sept. 17th, & 24th

Hosted by Brilliant Corners Fridays at 10am. Covers how to access move-in and general assistance funds.

Fri @ 10AM: Sept. 19th & 26th

Available every other Wednesday from 10am - 11am. Provides overview of eligibility and referral process.

Every other Wed @ 10AM: Sept 3rd, 17th

Available every 2nd Wednesday of the month. Provides support in submitting completed referrals.

Second Wed @ 11AM: Sept 10th

Available for ICMS agencies working with Foster Youth to Independence (FYI) & Family Unification Program (FUP) housing resources.


LACDA/HACLA FYI/FUP Programs:

Second Wed @ 11AM: Sept 10th


Small PHAs: Inglewood, Culver City, Pasadena:

Fourth Wed @ 11AM: Sept. 24th
 

ICMS Snapshot Updates
 

Three new indicators were added to the "Identity and Location Information" category in the Participant Level Summary tab. The three additional indicators added include:

  • Household Size - The current number of unique household members listed in the Household Composition section of an ICMS participant's CHAMP profile.
  • Dependents - The current number of unique household members listed in the Household Composition section of an ICMS participant's CHAMP profile who have a "Dependent" relationship to the head of the household. Dependent household members may or may not be minors (under age 18).
  • Minors - The current number of unique household members listed in the Household Composition section of an ICMS participant's CHAMP profile who have a birth date less than 18 years ago. Minors in the household may or may not be dependents of the head of the household.

Five new indicators were added to the "Current Resources & Statuses" category in the Participant Level Summary tab. The five additional indicators added include:

  • Geographic Preference(s) for Housing - This indicator lists the most recent update of the geographic preference(s) selected in the Housing Preferences section of an ICMS participant's CHAMP profile. This information is used to help inform housing matches and housing navigation support efforts for participant's who are not yet permanently housed. If the most recent update to the list of geographic preference(s) was more than one year ago, it is considered expired and will display as blank in the ICMS Snapshot.
  • Mobility/Accessibility Needs - This indicator lists the most recent update of the accessibility/mobility needs selected in the Medical Profile section of an ICMS participant's CHAMP profile. This information is used to help inform housing match eligibility and housing navigation support efforts for participants who are not yet permanently housed, or to support those seeking reasonable accommodation. If the most recent update of a participant's mobility/accessibility needs in their CHAMP profile was more than one year ago, it is considered expired and will display as blank in the ICMS Snapshot. If universal information sharing consent is missing (including expired), declined, or revoked, this data point will display as "Consent Needed."
  • Disabilities - This indicator lists the most recent update of the disabilities selected in the Physical Health Information subcomponent of the Medical Profile section of an ICMS participant's CHAMP profile. This information is used to help inform housing match eligibility and housing navigation support efforts for participants who are not yet permanently housed, or to support those seeking reasonable accommodation. If the most recent update of a participant's disabilities in their CHAMP profile was more than one year ago, it is considered expired and will display as blank in the ICMS Snapshot. If universal information sharing consent is missing (including expired), declined, or revoked, this data point will display as "Consent Needed."
  • Living with HIV/AIDS? - This indicator displays a "Yes" if HIV/AIDS is listed as a health condition in the Health Conditions section of an ICMS participant's CHAMP profile. This information is used to help inform housing match eligibility and housing navigation support efforts for participants who are not yet permanently housed. If universal information sharing consent is missing (including expired), declined, or revoked, this data point will display as "Consent Needed."
  • Prior Criminal Justice System Involvement? - This indicator displays whether ("Yes" or "No") history of a "legal issue" has been listed in the Legal Profile section of an ICMS participant's CHAMP profile. This information is used to help inform housing match eligibility and housing navigation support efforts for participants who are not yet permanently housed. If a participant's Legal Profile section of their CHAMP profile was never updated since profile creation, it will display as blank in the ICMS Snapshot. If universal information sharing consent is missing (including expired), declined, or revoked, this data point will display as "Consent Needed." 

Previous Updates >
 
 
 

AFFIRMATION OF THE MONTH

#MentalHealthAwareness
 

I choose progress over perfection and celebrate small steps forward.
 

Plug in to Our Performance Improvement Ecosystem

 
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