Via Vida

Essay by EssaySwap ContributorUniversity, Master's February 2008

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Via Vida Program Procedures PRE-ENTRY_________________________________________________ Candidates for the program will be referred/recruited from a wide spectrum of homeless service resources throughout the county, including County ADMHS, Emergency Shelters, Recovery Programs, Law Enforcement Agencies, Veteran Groups and Social Service Agencies. Walk-in/ self-referred individuals will be considered.

A Via Vida caseworker will be available to educate community agency personnel about the program and its mission/criteria in constituting an appropriate referral. Applications and program descriptions should be distributed to these various agencies. Outreach efforts will be initiated on a priority basis to ensure a full compliment of tenants within the program.

All members of the Program team should be actively involved in recruitment, although the primary leadership for this element lies with the Via Vida caseworker.

PRE-SCREENING_____________________________________________ Applicants will be accepted and reviewed by the Via Vida caseworker. Contact will be made with the referring party and information will be collected from the references on the application.

To insure complete disclosure, the Release of Information form should be signed by the applicant. It is important that the VERIFICATION OF BENEFITS form be signed, but not filled in (this is filled in by 3rd party verifying applicant's income). Careful consideration should then be given to each application and then appropriate candidates identified. A brief telephone interview may be a part of this consideration process. This activity should be recorded on the APPLICATION STATUS ROSTER, which should be updated at least once a week, with a copy going to administration.

INTERVIEW_________________________________________________ An interview should be arranged for each appropriate applicant. Agencies submitting multiple referrals should prioritize their candidates. The Via Vida caseworker will be available for consultation in this process. Two members of the program team should be involved with interviewing each applicant. The applicant's caseworker may be in attendance.

Questioning during the interview should include responses to the SCREENING CRITERIA list, but not restricted to this list. If the candidate seems worthy of further consideration, the application should be forwarded to the CHC office for review of income qualifications.

EXIT______________________________________________________ Exit will consist of a transitional plan collaborated by the multi-disciplinary team, which the primary caseworker (not the Via Vida caseworker) can utilize. The primary caseworker is responsible for the exit plan. Exit will be approached as a positive transitional step.

The Via Vida caseworker will provide honest, genuine support in letting go and strengthening client resolve to set goals that enrich and challenge.

An exit celebration can utilize the cohesive strength of the program conducive to a positive atmosphere. This celebration provides a time to reflect and provide household support for new challenges. We are challenged to be part of this reflective, inner-direction journey and valuing the costly and rewarding process that it is.