On Wednesday, August 14, the CoC Board took a big step towards replacing the VI-SPDAT assessment. The VI-SPDAT, which stands for Vulnerability Index – Service Prioritization Decision Assistance Tool, has been in use locally since 2017. However, in 2021, the tool had been found to promote racial disparities and was ultimately discontinued by its creator OrgCode in late 2023.
Sacramento has been hard at work to identify a suitable replacement for the VI-SPDAT and now the CoC Board has approved its replacement, the Housing Conversation Tool (HCT). This new tool was developed locally and in partnership with people with lived expertise of homelessness. The new assessment is shorter, and claims to be more trauma-informed than its predecessor. In addition, this new assessment will create alignment between shelter and housing prioritization factors which should result in increased flow between shelter and housing programs.
The full timeline for the implementation of HCT is as follows:
September – HCT Training for CAS Assessors
October 1, 2024 – 90-day period to assess existing clients with the HCT
January 1, 2025 – The VI-SPDAT is officially phased out, and all new housing referrals will be generated from the HCT.
Starting in January, all new CAS Assessors will need to complete a retooled CAS Assessor onboarding which will delve into important concepts like implicit bias, vicarious trauma, and trauma-informed care which SSF believes is an important aspect in creating consistency and standardization across the nearly 350 active CAS Assessors operating in the Sacramento CoC.