HMIS Diversion Assessment Guidance

Updated on May 27, 2021

Introduction

 

The Diversion Assessment that is part of the CAS Diversion and Intake Assessment in HMIS has been setup as a tool to guide your diversion conversation. Diversion should be a safe and collaborative discussion that aims to find solutions for clients’ housing crises.

You should ask more questions than what is included in this assessment in HMIS. Follow up questions should be used to better understand how the housing crisis can be resolved with limited assistance or mediation.

This document serves as a supplementary resource to help HMIS users understand the structure and content of the diversion assessment in HMIS. It does not replace diversion training. All case managers who need to have diversion conversations are strongly encouraged to complete diversion training.

 

Reminders about Diversion

 

  • The initial diversion conversation should take place without the client staying overnight at the shelter.
  • If an alternative placement is tentatively secured for the following day or after the client is determined to not be diverted, but rapidly exited. The client should be enrolled into any project enrollments for services until placement can be secured with the assistance of the enrolling agency for rapid resolution.
  • The assessment is not a literal script; it is a conversation to understand clients’ needs and inform the system of trends.
  • Before beginning, introduce yourself, your role, and the purpose of the conversation.

 

Current Living Situation

 

Current Living Situation is required as a part of the CAS Entry Assessment and is incorporated on the Diversion Assessment portion of the CAS Intake. See the cheat sheet on Current Living Situation for more guidance about completing these questions if needed.

 

Diversion Assessment Question Guidance

 

Questions were chosen for this assessment to get an overview of certain client experiences recorded in this system. This is not a script. If you need additional guidance on how to have a Diversion conversation with a client, we recommend that you request Diversion Training.

 

You can also click to download the job aid below to have some helpful reminders for Diversion. Please note that this job aid is intended to reinforce what has been learned in the Diversion Training. Review of this document does not replace any required training.

 

 

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HMIS Diversion Assessment Guidance

Updated on May 27, 2021