1. PIT Volunteer Training
2017 Point-in-Time Count of UNSHELTERED Persons Experiencing Homelessness
PIT Volunteer Training
by Diana T. Myers & Associates, Inc. (DMA)
on behalf of the PA Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED)
for Eastern PA Homeless Continuum of Care
and Western PA Homeless Continuum of Care
This training is to be provided by County to volunteers participating in the 2016 unsheltered point-in-time count.
PIT Volunteer Training,
2016 Unsheltered PIT Count

2. Overview of Point-in-Time Count
“Point-in-Time” (PIT) = a snapshot of homeless population on a given night
Required by HUD nationally during last 10 days of January
Includes sheltered homeless people
Staying in shelters or specific types of housing
Includes unsheltered homeless people
You will count unsheltered persons experiencing homelessness.
As a snapshot, the PIT count does not provide all possible information about homelessness, but when done consistently over the years (same time of year with reliable methodology and high data quality standards), it does provide important comparative information.
The PIT Count has 2 components:
The Sheltered Count, which data collection from individuals in shelter and other housing specifically for individuals or families experiencing homelessness
The Unsheltered Count
PIT Volunteer Training,
2016 Unsheltered PIT Count

3. The Unsheltered Count: Introduction
What does unsheltered mean?
An individual or family staying the night in a public or private place not designed for or ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings
What does count mean?
Obtaining basic demographic information on each person and household
Our “count” is more than enumerating people experiencing homelessness – we also collect data to answer questions of “who” is homeless and “where” are they located.
PIT Volunteer Training,
2016 Unsheltered PIT Count

4. The Unsheltered Count – Why?
For planning purposes
To obtain an accurate picture of homelessness in this community
To identify unmet needs
To obtain data required for funding applications
To increase community awareness of homelessness
To increase community and stakeholder involvement
As a tool for advocacy
The Regional Homeless Advisory Board (RHAB) and the Continuum of Care (CoC) are responsible for planning for shelter, housing, and services for individuals and families experiencing homelessness in this community. The RHAB and CoC are made up of nonprofit organizations along with local government agencies and other community groups concerned about homelessness, such as health care and school districts.
Once finalized, the PIT data is submitted to HUD and provided to the CoC, RHABs and individual counties to plan to meet the needs of homeless people and ultimately end homelessness.
PIT Volunteer Training,
2016 Unsheltered PIT Count

5. The Unsheltered Count – When?
HUD requires the PIT count date to be a single day during the last 10 days of January.
In our county, and throughout much of Pennsylvania, the count is conducted the last Wednesday night of January.
2017 PIT date = January 25, 2017
This means the overnight hours between Wednesday night (January 25) and Thursday morning (January 26)
PIT Volunteer Training,
2016 Unsheltered PIT Count

6. The Unsheltered Count – When?
“Street-based” count:
Conducted by seeking out people sleeping outside & unsheltered locations
Examples provided on next slide
May be conducted the night of Wednesday, January 25 and/or any time on Thursday, January 26
January 25: You will ask, “Where will you sleep tonight?
January 26: You will ask, “Where did you sleep last tonight?
Note to County Coordinator: This slide and slide 7 are specific to the “street-based” count. Slides 8 and 9 are cover the “service-based” count. Please only cover the slide/s applicable to the methodology being used in your county.
Please modify these slides based on the timing you are using in your county. If you are conducting a street-based count, you should be conducting your county on the Wednesday night, January 27 and/or anytime on January 28.
PIT Volunteer Training,
2016 Unsheltered PIT Count

7. The Unsheltered Count – Where?
Where will we find families and individuals who are homeless?
You will be assigned a particular area of the county where you will seek people staying in the following types of places:
Streets
Vehicles
Parks
Hunting cabins
Tents
Campgrounds
Barns
Truck Stops
Abandoned buildings
Transportation depots
Chicken coops
Railroad cars
Storage units
Lumberyards
Note to County Coordinators: Delete or skip this slide if you are not utilizing a street-based count.
In addition to the examples provided, you may want to highlight specific locations to be targeted in your county.
PIT Volunteer Training,
2016 Unsheltered PIT Count

8. The Unsheltered Count – When?
“Service-based” count:
Conducted at places providing services to persons experiencing homelessness
Must occur during the daytime of January 26, 2017
You will ask, “Where did you sleep last night?”
Note to County Coordinator: This slide and slide 9 are specific to the “service-based” count. Please only cover these slides if you are conducting this type of count.
If Service Based Count: On January 28, we will interview people at such service locations as soup kitchens, food pantries, health care clinics, multi-service agencies, or public libraries and ask them where they slept LAST night. Specific service assignments will be made shortly.
PIT Volunteer Training,
2016 Unsheltered PIT Count

9. The Unsheltered Count – Where?
Examples of “service-based” locations include:
soup kitchens
food pantries
health care clinics
service agencies
public libraries
other
Note to County Coordinators: Delete or skip this slide if you are not utilizing a service-based count.
In addition to the examples provided, you may want to discuss the service locations being utilized during your county’s service-based count.
PIT Volunteer Training,
2016 Unsheltered PIT Count

10. The Unsheltered Count – Who?
From whom will we collect information?
All household types:
Families with children
Couples, married and unmarried
Single individuals
Multi-generational
Youth
“Household” is a general term used throughout these slides. It refers to any type of household unit, such as families with children, married or unmarried couples, single individuals, and teenagers not accompanied by an adult. Any group of people who identify as a household should be counted as such, regardless of gender, race, marital status, etc. Each household is counted only once!
PIT Volunteer Training,
2016 Unsheltered PIT Count

11. The Unsheltered Count – Who?
Youth households may be:
Parent(s) aged 24 or younger with child(ren)
Single adults aged 18-24
Teenager under age 17 or child, or group of teenagers or children, who are not accompanied by an adult
Use the same interview form for youth households, adult households, and families
The Unsheltered Count – Who?

12. The Unsheltered Count – What?
What information are we collecting?
# persons in household
For each person in household:
Age ● Gender
Ethnicity ● Race
For each adult in household:
Veteran Status
length of time homeless
# of homeless episodes
Disability
Domestic Violence
All of this is clearly indicated on the forms you will use to record the information. We will be looking at each question on the form in just a few minutes.
PIT Volunteer Training,
2016 Unsheltered PIT Count

13. The Unsheltered Count – How?
How will we obtain the information?
Brief interviews – preferred
Complete one Interview Form for each household
Observation – if interview is not possible
Only used during street-based count
Complete one Observation Form for each household observed to be in an unsheltered location but not interviewed
It is preferred that everyone be interviewed if at all possible, as this provides the highest quality information and most complete information.
However, if an interview is not possible because the person is sleeping, or refuses to be interviewed, there is a concern about safety or safely accessing the specific location, then please fill out an Observation Form.
Note to Coordinator: There are three different types of interview forms, Street-based, Observation only, and Service-based. Please make sure to only provide volunteers with the type of interview forms based on the type of count being conducted.
PIT Volunteer Training,
2016 Unsheltered PIT Count

14. Interviews – Overview Brief interview
Collect information about each household and each person in household
Complete one Interview Form per household
Important: Turn in all Interview Forms to the person designated!
We do not ask for names, social security numbers, or any other means of identification that can be traced back to a specific individual or family. The reason for initials is to help screen out any duplicated interviews. This will be explained again in a few minutes when we look at the Interview Forms.
Notes to County Coordinator:
1) Explain how, when, where, and to whom Interview Forms should be submitted!
2) If you are going to offer shelter to the people counted, or have incentive/care packages to distribute, explain the procedures for doing so. You may want to insert a corresponding Power Point slide here.
** If a household identified during the unsheltered PIT count is provided with shelter or a hotel/motel voucher, please ensure that this is noted on that household’s Interview Form.
PIT Volunteer Training,
2016 Unsheltered PIT Count

15. Interviews Step-by-Step
Introduce yourself by your first name and politely ask for 5-10 minutes of time.
Inform individual, “We are conducting a count and simple survey of people who are homeless.”
“Your participation will help provide better programs and services for people who are homeless.”
“Your name will not be used.”
Note to County Coordinator:
This script is also on the Interview Forms. Hand out a blank Interview Form to your volunteers, so they can follow along the next several slides.
PIT Volunteer Training,
2016 Unsheltered PIT Count

16. The Interview Form – Detail
Write your county name at the top left.
In order prevent potentially double counting an individual or household, please ask if they have already completed this or similar interview form with anyone else during the PIT count.
It may be helpful to hold the form up for them to see
Note to county coordinator: Prior to making copies, please write your county name in the space provided at the top left.
PIT Volunteer Training,
2016 Unsheltered PIT Count

17. The Interview Form – Detail
In addition to checking off the appropriate unsheltered location, please also jot down any details about location
This information is used to ensure a household is not double counted.
Interview all persons even if they say they are sleeping in a home of a family member or friend, or a home that they own/rent.
This information will be collected, but not sent to HUD.
Note to county coordinator: If relevant in your county, please provide any additional information to volunteers if arrangements have been made regarding who will be completing the interview form with unsheltered individuals/household who are provided with hotel/motel vouchers or emergency shelter. This would include (for example) if it has already been decided that the shelter providers will interview any households brought to their location on Wednesday night.
PIT Volunteer Training,
2016 Unsheltered PIT Count

18. The Interview Form – Detail
Ask every question.
Initials only, no name
Age – Estimate if person does not reveal
Gender – ask if male, female, transgender, or does not identify as male or female
Ethnicity – Hispanic/Latino or non-Hispanic/Latino
Race – Read list out loud and check all that apply. This list is from HUD.
PIT Volunteer Training,
2016 Unsheltered PIT Count

19. The Interview Form – Detail
Questions related to the length of time homeless and number of homeless episodes: This may be difficult to recall. It is OK if you believe someone is estimating or not 100% certain about their responses.
When asking about the # of times homeless in the last three years, it may be helpful to indicate that this refers to the period of time since January 2014
PIT Volunteer Training,
2016 Unsheltered PIT Count

20. The Interview Form – Detail
Veterans
Ask all veterans the question on the interview form about a contact phone #. We recommend that you write the phone # down on a card such as 3x5 index card and give it to each veteran.

21. The Interview Form – Detail
Disability
Read the questions as they are written and check “yes” or “no” based on the information provided by the individual
Do not ask follow up questions regarding the nature or severity of the person’s disability
All disability-related questions should be asked of every person being interviewed
When asking disability-related questions, please do not ask any questions about the nature or severity of the person’s disability. Instead, check either “yes” or “no” based on the information the individual has provided. (When in doubt, make a note.)
Also, all disability-related questions should be asked of every person being interviewed. Please do not assume that someone does or does not have a disability based on your observation or assessment.
PIT Volunteer Training,
2016 Unsheltered PIT Count

22. The Interview Form – Detail
Do not ask about disability, veteran status, and domestic violence of children who are in a household with their parents.
If a child/teenager (under 18) is alone or only with other children, disability status should be asked.
Do not ask the question about domestic violence if there is the possibility that answering the question may jeopardize a person’s safety.
Note to county coordinator: If you are concerned about this creating confusion, it is ok if this information is collected but it will not be included in the data reported to HUD. We typically have very few unsheltered children/youth under age 18 unaccompanied without their parents, so the general rule of thumb will be that children do not need to be asked disability, veteran or domestic violence questions.
Prior to your PIT count, please contact DMA if you have a question about the information on this slide.
PIT Volunteer Training,
2016 Unsheltered PIT Count

23. Observations – Overview For Street Count ONLY
Estimate demographic information as best as possible.
Important: Turn in all Observation Forms to designated person!
Information you collect will be aggregated with other Unsheltered Count information for your county.
Note to County Coordinator:
It is important to respect the privacy of all individuals. Please use the Observation Point in Time Survey to obtain information about individuals who are asleep, hostile or do not agree to be interviewed.
Additionally, if an individual or household is in a location that you cannot safely access please use the observation form.
PIT Volunteer Training,
2016 Unsheltered PIT Count

24. Safety Considerations
Be courteous and considerate.
You are entering the space or “turf” of the person(s) sleeping there.
A large team of people is intimidating.
If in a group, only one person should ask the interview questions.
No confrontations or arguments with belligerent or frightened person.
Do not enter unsafe areas.
Note to County Coordinator:
Explain safety protocol and safeguards – for example, if police are aware of the count.
Volunteers should not attempt to access locations considered to be unsafe. This may include areas such as abandoned buildings, or an encampment or tent city unless it has been pre-determined to be safe.
We do not expect any problems or issues.
PIT Volunteer Training,
2016 Unsheltered PIT Count

25. THANK YOU FOR BEING PART OF THE 2017 UNSHELTERED HOMELESS COUNT!
FINALLY...
THANK YOU for
Giving your time
Caring
Helping
Showing up!
THANK YOU FOR BEING PART OF THE 2017 UNSHELTERED HOMELESS COUNT!
PIT Volunteer Training,
2016 Unsheltered PIT Count