In Virginia Beach, local government, nonprofit service providers, and the faith community have partnered to create a streamlined, standardized, coordinated, and integrated system for delivering homeless services.
Streamlined
- The Regional Housing Crisis Hotline is the main starting point for accessing the Virginia Beach homeless service system and community resources for people experiencing homelessness or a housing crisis.
- The Housing Resource Center and engagement by the Homeless Outreach Team are additional ways that people can access the service system.
Standardized
- A standard set of questions are asked when households access services to assess their needs and to determine vulnerability and prioritization.
- Standardization also provides a common set of performance measures to define success.
Coordinated
- We have a large coalition of providers -- city, nonprofits, and faith organizations -- that can provide multiple services to meet needs consistent with their missions.
- Shelter and housing providers in our system report vacancies daily so referrals can be made to the next most vulnerable household on the prioritization list as soon as space becomes available.
Integrated
- All service providers in our system participate in this streamlined and coordinated process to connect the most vulnerable households to the appropriate resources that address their needs in a more effective and efficient way.
- Providers also utilize the same database to track which services a client has received to prevent the duplication of services.
Housing First Philosophy
Our service system practices a housing first approach, which says that having a stable place to live is the critical platform from which people can take all the additional steps they need to take in their lives. But, without housing, those steps become far more difficult. Housing First is based on evidence gained from studies and promoted and required by our key federal and state funders.
“This approach is guided by the belief that people need basic necessities, like food and a place to live, before attending to anything less critical. Housing First does not require people experiencing homelessness to address all of their problems or to graduate through a series of services programs before they can access housing.”
How People Connect to Our Service System and Get Help
- Engagement: The first step in exiting homelessness is engaging with the service system. The main entry point is by calling the Regional Housing Crisis Hotline at (757) 227-5932. Individuals who are literally homeless (on the street) can also access services at the Housing Resource Center or be engaged by Homeless Outreach to connect to the service system.
- Diversion: HCAST specialists attempt to help people seeking shelter to find alternative housing options, such as staying with friends or family members. By diverting households away from the system, shelter beds and housing units can remain available for those who are more vulnerable.
- Assessment: If diversion is unsuccessful, Housing Crisis and Stabilization Team (HCAST) specialists with Virginia Beach Housing & Neighborhood Preservation utilize a standard assessment tool to determine an individual's score based on their vulnerability. This assessment helps develop a comprehensive picture of the severity of a client's needs and aids in matching them to the appropriate support.
- Prioritization: If shelter and housing is unavailable, the client is placed on the prioritization list for housing and resources and connected to a member of the Homeless Outreach Team. Individuals are listed by name and ranked based on their assessment scores, frequent use of emergency services, disabilities, and length of homelessness. The most vulnerable clients will be ranked the highest and are connected to available shelter and housing first. Case managers and service providers coordinate and communicate regularly regarding each client on the waiting list.
- Referral: Clients are pulled from the prioritization list in order of their ranking and are referred to a shelter bed or housing vacancy as space becomes available.
- Engagement: The first step in exiting homelessness is engaging with the service system. Individuals who are literally homeless (on the street) can also access services at the Housing Resource Center or be engaged by Homeless Outreach to connect to the service system.
- Assessment and Referral: Specialists with the Housing Crisis and Stabilization Team (HCAST) at Virginia Beach Housing & Neighborhood Preservation or with the Regional Housing Crisis Hotline will conduct an assessment to determine the household’s needs and make the appropriate referral to agencies that provide prevention assistance for further assessment.
- Prevention Assistance: Based on this further assessment, eligibility requirements, and the availability of funds, the household may be provided financial assistance, case management services, and/or assistance in locating housing.