Overview:
On Wednesday April 29, 2020, LAHSA released a guide for completing a “Tier 1 Eligibility Assessment” (hereafter, Assessment) for use in determining COVID-19 vulnerability overall, and if relevant, making a referral to Project Roomkey’s (PRK) Tier 1 hotel/motels if the participant is eligible and interested. This expanded the Assessment’s original function, which initially was to screen only for PRK eligibility in order to generate a referral list for motel placement. Adding to the Assessment’s functionality allows for the creation of a more comprehensive list of those vulnerable to COVID-19 complications in our community in order to best respond to the crisis. Accordingly, the Assessment has been renamed to “COVID-19 Vulnerability Assessment and Tier 1 Referral.”
Resource Summary:
As practices shift to reflect the current needs, we know things are moving fast and it can be difficult to keep up with the change.
We have compiled key guidance here for your convenience.
The HMIS changes will be fully live on May 14.
Read on for a summary of tools developed to support providers through this revised Assessment process.
Guidance:
How to Review Caseload for COVID-19 Vulnerability and/or PRK Eligibility.
In order to ensure that we are providing resources according to need, all clients’ files should be reviewed. This guidance walks caseworkers through the necessary steps to comprehensively review their caseload, with tips on how to leverage available assessment data to determine who should be prioritized for an Assessment.
- Updates to HMIS: New “Review” Flag Added. To assist providers in tracking their comprehensive caseload review (see above), this new flag feature in HMIS indicates the status of whether the case has been reviewed for COVID-19 Vulnerability and/or PRK Eligibility. Providers must manually change the flag status.
Guidance:
How to Complete a “COVID-19 Vulnerability Assessment & Tier 1 Referral” in HMIS.
Released previously (4/29/20), this
how-to guide
describes the process for documenting COVID-19 vulnerability and, if relevant, making a referral into Project Roomkey.
- Revisions to Assessment: Eligible Health Conditions. The list of medical conditions that make a client eligible for PRK have been updated and clarified along CDC guidelines. HMIS also includes additional “tool tips” with example conditions and suggested language for use when screening clients.
- Revisions to Assessment: Health & Safety Considerations for PRK Referrals. The Assessment has been updated to assist caseworkers in determining whether a placement in PRK would be an appropriate fit for the person based on their health status and needs. The Assessment now includes expanded questions on ADL, ADA needs, as well as general health questions.
Guidance:
Ensuring Equitable Access.
In recognition of COVID-19’s disproportionate impact on communities of color, the
COVID-19 Racial Equity Resource Guide
has been developed to underscore the importance of providers’ efforts to counter structural inequities and remove implicit bias as they work to provide equitable access to vital resources in this crisis. Several of the key practices highlighted here align with the guidance summarized above (see “How to Review Caseload,” and “Revisions to Assessment”).
Revisions to PSH Matching
:
As you may have seen, effective 4/29/20, LAHSA has updated its matching procedure for eighty percent (80%) of its PSH inventory to temporarily prioritize people from the “match ready” community queue (those who score 12+ on the CES Survey) who have an HMIS-documented COVID-19 vulnerability. These individuals will then be prioritized for housing based on the standard CES prioritization and matching policies. The remaining 20% of available PSH resources will be reserved for standard matching to allow for highly vulnerable people who are not COVID-19 High Risk to continue to be matched. This interim procedure will be monitored on an ongoing basis and revised as needed.
