Here is a link to view the full Individual Vulnerability Index: https://hmis.allchicago.org/hc/en-us/articles/115003606723-Individual-Vulnerability-Index-VI-

This is a link to a survey on possible test questions to measure need: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScmK1v0EN0KXgC2KFoqzCt-ghEpUiqlXCIjWiAqUEfNqMslEQ/viewform

In the Black and Brown communities, fostering is often informal though the impact is often the same. Any thoughts on how this will be lost/captured?

Great point Stacey. I agree with you. Wording would need to be considered in order to get the full picture

https://abfe.issuelab.org/resources/3897/3897.pdf

Perhaps: Were you raised by relatives that were not your biological mother and or father?

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5644395/

From the Family VI Index, how about "As a child, did you spend time living in foster care or in another setting without my primary caregiver or parent?"

@Emily - I like that!

I have added a couple of links from The Issue Lab (Nan Roman's piece) and NIH on the relationship between foster care and homelessness.

Foster care is often not only an indicator of a likeliness to become homeless, but, a normalization of instability, likelihood of underlying issues and other factors that are indicators for a high value for supportive services in ultimately achieving stability.

@ Stacey: Yes, and the likelihood to become chronically homeless

The question actually opens a door that shows some sort of crisis if that person was not raised by their actually parents.

@Otha, exactly!

Thank you Stacey

Perhaps consider using the phrasing "separated from parents." Foster care is a foreign concept to individuals who speak a language other than English.

The research primarily focuses more on those who were in institutional care than those who were raised by other family members

Absolutely Otha!

At first read is came across as a "value" issue. I agree the Foster Care term is a turn off. Lastly, this in depth info would typically come via case management interaction.

@ Melanie: How the question is asked is another important part of this

Childhood Instability Question: Did you ever experience family instability as a child or youth? This includes a parent being abruptly removed from the home, being placed in the care of someone other than your parents or primary care giver, having to move from household to household, or anything like that?

Random samples of homeless there is almost 100% yes answered to this question

How is it helping to screen people or priorize

These are also very good questions. In today's world these questions would be good questions to ask.

The first question could be reworded to - Have you ever experienced or witnessed community violence? You may need to define what you mean by community violence.

I wonder if we were to specify by stating "gun violence"

Maybe something that gets are the current level of threat that they are facing, such as Are you now or have you recently had to flee an area of Chicago due to a personal threat of violence?

Perhaps asking about chronicity for this question.

Blacks and Brown experience more violence

As this is a test, and we have identified violence a prevalent cause of trauma that impacts housing, I would recommend keeping some version of the questions an allowing the test to determine that the saturation level is such that it is not useful in prioritization.

Lack of stability

Employment instead of "few days" I might say "short time"

How would the last question factor into deciding who gets selected for housing first?

I think that childhood instability, independent of your household of origin, question should go here.

I agree, asking about housing instability rather than homelessness would be more accurate.

I think this is a good question

I like this question to determine VI.

Generally, Length of Time homeless is encapsulated in the current episode, regardless of length, or the last 3 - 5 years.

It would probably help to understand the intended scoring for this assessment

Ask, "Have you lived outside or in a place without water or heat?" "Homeless" is an ambiguous and stigmatizing term to the general public.

This was great. Thank you for your work.

Thanks!