Quick Links For
Vulnerability Index:
Journey Home CT
Journey home on Facebook
2011 Vulnerability Index Update
100k Homes Campaign
100k homes on Facebook
Common Ground
See the 2011 Vulernability Index Update here.
About the Vulerability Index
Chronic homelessness has proven to be nearly as lethal as some forms of cancer in the United States. Approximately 110,000 people are classified as chronically homeless, living on the street or in a shelter for more than a year. The launch of the 100,000 Homes Campaign by Common Ground has since given communities across the country innovative new methods and tools to house our homeless neighbors. One such tool is the Vulnerability Index. (100khomes.org)
The Vulnerability Index is a method designed to identify individuals that are homeless and at immediate risk of major health problems and/or premature death should they remain in a state of homelessness and focus on getting them directly into housing.
In partnership with Journey Home, the non-profit corporation guiding the capital region’s Ten Year Plan to End Homeless, Hands on Hartford is helping to conduct the Vulnerability Index in our community. Hartford is one of 81 communities taking part in the campaign to house 100,000 of our homeless neighbors across the country by July 2013.
All the active communities follow the same model in their approach to solving this problem. The model is:
- Step 1: Build a local team – A dedicated group of people ready to bring about positive, sustainable change.
- Step 2: Clarify the demand – Volunteers help to build a registry of everyone experiencing homelessness through interviews and surveys.
- Step 3: Line up supply of housing and services – Work collaboratively with the community to find housing for those that need it.
- Step 4: Move people into housing – Match up individuals with the housing and services that best meet their needs.
- Step 5: Help people stay housed – Ensuring that individuals have the skills and support they need to maintain housing.
As a result of this model 7,819 people have been housed across the country. Hartford was actually the first campaign community to reach its goal after helping 44 people into housing! Read more... This success whas large in part due to the support of dedicated volunteers.
This year's Vulnerability Index was also a huge success. During the week of May 9 – May 13 over 50 volunteers came out to canvas homeless shelters and outdoor areas and helped administer the Vulnerability Index surveys. Read the 2011 Vulernability Index update here for the results of the 2011 survey.
Resources:
Download the Vulnerability Index Flyer with information for this year’s Index here (pdf).
100k Homes article about success of Hartford’s Vulnerability Index:
http://100khomes.org/blog/hartford-becomes-first-campaign-community-to-meet-housing-goal
Useful Links:
www.journeyhomect.org
www.100khomes.org
www.commonground.org
