Welcome to the 2025 Q2 CAS Assessor Training Series—a comprehensive training program designed exclusively for new CAS Assessors.
Training sessions were held every Tuesday from May 6 to June 17, 2025. View the recordings below. Each session will enhance your social work skills and equip you with the competencies needed to help resolve homelessness.
Please note that HMIS certification is required to access the HMIS assessments covered in the training.
Q2 Training Topics:
Training 1: CAS 101 & Best Practices
May 6, 2025 (10:00–11:30 a.m.)
This 90-minute, 2-part introductory training on the Coordinated Access System (CAS), its purpose, guiding principles, and key resources will give you a clear understanding of CAS and its various roles in providing support.
Participants will learn the role of CAS Assessors, how to prioritize Extremely Vulnerable Households (EVH), and how to effectively use tools like 2-1-1 to connect clients with housing and support. This training will help you better understand assessments, agreements, and more.
Resources
Training 2: HMIS for CAS Assessors | Developing ISPs
May 13, 2025 (10:00–11:30 a.m.)
Join your SSF HMIS & CAS team to help you develop confidence in understanding the new CAS Agency and your responsibilities as an authorized CAS Assessor.
Expect to gain more confidence in completing the four major assessments required for CAS Agency operations. Learn how to effectively capture Coordinated Entry Events within CAS Agency Programs to support more effective client services.
In Part 2, with our CAS leadership, you will learn how to interpret CAS assessment results, create client-centered Individualized Service Plans (ISPs), and immediately resource clients who qualify as Extremely Vulnerable Households (EVH) using human-centered practices.
Resources
Training 3: Document Readiness & Post-Assessment Practices
May 20, 2025 (10:00–11:30 a.m.)
Join the SSF team to get an in-depth understanding of “Doc-readiness” requirements for CAS-participating housing programs. You will be equipped with skills to update client housing progress using case conferencing and referral tools. Attendees will explore the eligibility criteria, resources, and sub-population supports offered by various CAS programs.
Resources
Training 4: Introduction to Trauma-Informed Care | Vicarious Trauma
June 3, 2025 (10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.)
Part 1 will provide an introduction to Trauma Informed Care (TIC) practices and skills to implement in your daily work as a CAS Assessor. Participants will learn to understand the impact of trauma, recognize some of its signs, and apply TIC strategies to potentially create a supportive and empowering environment for clients. This training gives you the tools to foster empathy and enhance your ability to respond effectively to your clients.
In Part 2, we will cover how Vicarious Trauma fundamentally alters how individuals perceive the world and their place in it, often as a result of working within the Homeless Response System. Learn how to mitigate this trauma for yourself with an introduction to recognizing the symptoms of vicarious trauma and practical strategies for prevention and self-care.
Resources
Training 5: Introduction to Conversational Case Management
June 10, 2025 (10:00–11:00 a.m.)
This training equips case managers with essential conversational techniques to support clients effectively in achieving their housing goals. Participants will learn and apply conversational case management principles, motivational interviewing techniques, and housing problem-solving strategies to foster client engagement and rapid exits from homelessness.
Resources
Discover a comprehensive collection of tools and guidance designed to support CAS Assessors, including critical updates, best practices, job aids, and training resources to enhance your expertise and streamline your workflow.
HMIS Office Hours
Every Wednesday from 2 – 3 p.m.
Frontline Learning Collaborative
For updates and invites, sign up for our FLC email list. This offers provider collaboration and resource-sharing opportunities.
4th Thursdays from 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Rose Family Creative Empowerment
CAS Case Conferencing
We discuss and coordinate housing efforts and plans for those experiencing homelessness. This offers provider collaboration and resource-sharing opportunities.
Sign up via this form.
Email: CAS@sacstepsforward.org
Sacramento Steps Forward is a private, non-profit 501(c)(3) charity serving the Sacramento region. EIN# 27-4907397
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