Welcome to the 2025 CAS Assessor Training Summer Series—a must-attend, comprehensive training program designed exclusively for new CAS Assessors.
Running every Tuesday from May 6 through June 17, 2025, each live 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.
Training Schedule:
Please register for all sessions below. Attendance is required for certification and to gain access to the CAS tools in HMIS. Existing CAS Assessors are not required to attend this training.
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.
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.
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.
Training 4: Implicit Bias
May 27, 2025 (1:30–2:30 p.m.)
This training empowers CAS Assessors to understand, identify, and address implicit biases in their professional roles. Participants will explore the impact of implicit bias, develop awareness of their own biases, and acquire practical strategies to foster equitable decision-making and inclusive practices within the homeless response system. By integrating this knowledge, assessors can enhance their ability to provide equitable and effective services to diverse communities.
Training 5: 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.
Training 6: 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.
Training 7: Grievances & Complaints
June 17, 2025 (10:00–11:00 a.m.)
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.
CAS Office Hours
Every Monday from 2:30 – 3:30 p.m.
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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