April 2022 Monthly Office Hours with Change Well Project and CDSS

Last week the Change Well Project was thrilled to host its first monthly Office Hours session! This interactive virtual gathering intentionally brought together leaders from diverse CDSS programs and California communities to identify shared challenges and opportunities—and provided an open space to ask burning questions about program design and implementation. Thanks to all who were able to join in—and in case you missed it, we wanted to share some highlights and resources from the conversation. Please join us for the next Office Hours on May 17: you can register here! If there is a question or topic you would like us to address, please let us know ahead of time by emailing us at info@changewellproject.com. Bringing an Equity Lens to Assessment and Prioritization Tools This month’s Office Hours included an in-depth conversation on the ways communities in California—and across the country—are reimagining their assessment and prioritization tools to ensure more equitable access to housing and homelessness services. Doug Tetrault from the Technical Assistance Collaborative emphasized the importance of state and county programs being at the table—as part of the broader Continuum of Care—to inform discussions on bringing a trauma-informed, equity lens to prioritizing the distribution of services and resources. The discussion touched on the following: Older assessment and prioritization tools have led to inequitable access to services for Black, Indigenous, and LGBTQ+ individuals and families, and these systems and tools have led to biases in favor of those able to advocate for themselves more effectively. Emerging strategies around assessment and prioritization tools (including this one from Massachusetts shared during the session) use a person- and family-centered approach that considers historical and cultural context (for example, the tool discussed adds points for populations that are or were disproportionately underserved in their community). Rather than “checking boxes on vulnerability,” these tools focus on empowering individuals seeking services—providing them with choice in terms of their next steps and helping them avoid prolonged homelessness. With a focus on prevention, new tools consider the differences for those who are already homeless versus those who are at risk of homelessness: a forthcoming HUD tool is being developed as a framework for how to identify and prioritize services for those who are more likely to experience long-term homelessness without intervention. As communities are thinking creatively about assessing and prioritizing the needs of community members experiencing homelessness, it is important to see individual programs as part of a larger, holistic system. Creating equity-focused assessment tools that anticipate the range of support an individual or family may need will help to streamline service delivery—and offer a human-centered approach that more effectively lifts people out of homelessness. New Resources and Support from the Change Well Project Please keep in mind that the Change Well Project is ready to support your work! In addition to the trainings listed on our website, we have some new resources coming soon, including: The CDSS Grantees Forum will provide virtual discussion boards for program managers and analysts, direct service providers, and program administrators to connect and share questions and resources with each other as they build and refine their programs. Look for a separate announcement soon detailing how to log-in and join the conversation! Upcoming trainings on building an effective landlord engagement program and an introduction to disability benefits programs. If you have not already, subscribe to our website here to registration information as soon as it is available. An online learning management program is currently in testing that will allow participants to take self-paced courses and trainings to build new skills and support their work—stay tuned for more! And as always, individualized technical assistance is available by connecting via our website: simply fill out this brief form and a member of our team will be in touch. Again, if there is a question or topic you would like us to address at the next Office Hours session on May 17, please email us at info@changewellproject.com. We look forward to seeing you there!