Westchester County CoC Reveals a New Homeless Prioritization Tool

This month Westchester County’s CoC revealed the Comprehensive Homelessness Assessment Tool (CHAT). This proprietary tool will replace the Homeless Assessment Tool (HAT) to collect ONLY what CoC stakeholders have found to be the most relevant and helpful information from clients when identifying housing opportunities for them through Westchester’s Coordinated Entry system and CoC housing inventory. The CHAT score, along with the length of time a person has been homeless will determine an individual or family’s place on the Coordinated Entry Housing Prioritization List.

Important Dates

  • šOctober 1, 2019 – The CHAT is available to all HMIS users.

  • šOctober 1-31, 2019 – All current CE enrollees and new clients must have a CHAT done with them

  • šNovember 1, 2019 - All clients who are in CE but do not yet have an active housing referral will need a CHAT to be referred to housing

š**All clients with current housing referrals can proceed without a CHAT. A CHAT will be needed only if the existing housing referral is declined by the client or provider**

Allison McSpedon, Systems Manager for Westchester County’s Continuum of Care to End Homelessness presents on Westchester County’s new Comprehensive Homelessness Assessment Tool (CHAT).

Allison McSpedon, Systems Manager for Westchester County’s Continuum of Care to End Homelessness presents on Westchester County’s new Comprehensive Homelessness Assessment Tool (CHAT).