January 27, 2024 · Posted by Erika Shea

How Will Residents be Chosen for the Village?

The post links to a sample Vulnerability Assessment Tool or VAT. This VAT was created by the Canadian Observatory on Homelessness. A similar tool wil be used to assign Village units to those who are most in need (who are most vulnerable).

The VAT, as with other prioritization tools, was created out of necessity because of a scarcity of shelter, housing, appropriate supports and other resources.

The Vulnerability Assessment Tool (VAT) is a structured way of measuring a person’s vulnerability to continued instability. The VAT is designed for use with adults experiencing homelessness. Service providers use the VAT to identify individuals who would benefit most from high-impact interventions such as supportive housing or ongoing communitybased intensive case management services.

Vulnerability is assessed across 10 domains:

  • Survival Skills
  • Basic Needs
  • Indicated Mortality Risks
  • Medical Risks
  • Organization/Orientation
  • Mental Health
  • Substance Use
  • Communication
  • Social Behaviours
  • Homelessness

You can read more about the VAT and review a sample VAT here. All individuals interested in residing in the Pallet Village must complete a VAT. They will complete it with a trained staff person who will ask them each question in the VAT. It takes about two hours per individual to complete the VAT. Once they complete the VAT, they must also agree to be registered in the Homeless Individuals and Families Information System (HIFIS), a national tool used to identfy homeless individuals and families and connect them with services.

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