Welcome

What is the VI-SPDAT?

The VI-SPDAT is a pre-screening, or triage tool that is designed to be used by all providers within a community to quickly assess the health and social needs of homeless persons and match them with the most appropriate support and housing interventions that are available.

The ESG program assists households at risk of homelessness by providing the services necessary to help them quickly regain stable housing after experiencing a housing crisis. Continuum Care Network of NWI currently provides funding to assist households at imminent risk of becoming homeless to help stop an impending eviction and stabilize a household within their current unit or re-locate them to another unit where they are able to stabilize in order to prevent homelessness.  

Households must have income below 30% of the applicable Area Median Income (AMI) at time of intake; and

May not be eligible for other emergency assistance through other agencies. 

Must be currently housed and have received an Eviction Notice or Pay/Quit Notice.

Must lack resources and/or support networks, e.g., family, friends, faith-based or other social networks, necessary to prevent homelessness

Must provide sufficient documentation that they will be able to maintain rent and stabilize within their unit for at least 12 months after eviction prevention services are offered. CoC of NWI defines housing stability as having enough income every 30 day period to pay rent, pay any utilities not included in rent, afford transportation as needed, and buy food for the entire household

Our Rapid Re-housing services are an intervention designed to help individuals and families that don't need intensive and ongoing supports to quickly exit homelessness and return to permanent housing. Housing assistance is offered without preconditions — like employment, income, absence of criminal record, or sobriety — and the resources and services provided are tailored to the unique needs of the household.

Tenant-based rental assistance (TBRA) is a rental subsidy that

eligible households can receive to help afford housing costs

such as rent and security deposits. The TBRA program at this time can not assist participants

with utility deposits or utility payments. 

The Regional Planning Council host monthly meeting where number of agencies, advocates, and not for profits, including faith based organizations, that are organized for the purpose of addressing the needs of homeless and special needs populations. The driving premise for the meetings is to form a seamless delivery of services for the target populations and maximize the impact of resources.

The CoC of NWI point-in-time count is an unduplicated count on a single night of the people in a community who are experiencing homelessness that includes both sheltered and unsheltered populations. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) requires that communities receiving federal funds from the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Grants program conduct a count of all sheltered people in the last week of January annually.  The Continuum of Care Network of NWI has led this effort in Lake County since 2003.

The Coordinated entry process was instituted to help our community prioritize assistance for the homeless based on vulnerability and severity of service needs, to ensure that people who need assistance the most can receive it in a timely manner.  Coordinated entry changes our CoC from a project focused system to a person focused system. This process begins with a vulnerability assessment conducted at any of 7 participating agencies in Lake County, IN.