Home Visits: Why & How to Do Them

The home visit is the cornerstone of the Housing First program, and one of only two conditions participants must consent to in order to access housing. As simple as it may sound, conducting a thorough and effective home visit is actually a targeted and nuanced intervention that can provide immeasurable insight into our participants’ health and wellness. In this session, attendees will learn how to conduct a home visit that satisfies the needs of a high fidelity Housing First program. Presenters will cover the before, during, and after of each visit, and provide a checklist of topics to discuss or monitor for attendees’ future reference. Presenters will also review common issues identified during home visits, best practices for inter- and intradepartmental communication, and strategies for engaging participants who regularly decline or miss visits.

Schedule

11:45-12:00 PM    Virtual training room opens
12:00-12:10 PM    Welcome & introductions
12:10-12:30 PM    Purpose & philosophy of the home visit
12:30-1:10 PM      Before, during, & after
1:10-1:20 PM         Break
1:20-2:00 PM         Home visit dilemmas
2:00-2:15 PM         Case scenarios
2:15-2:30 PM         Review, Q&A

Learning objectives
When attendees return to the workplace, they will be able to:

• Define the purpose and goals of the home visit as a targeted intervention
• Name three tasks staff must complete to prepare for an effective home visit
• Identify key information to be included in home visit documentation

Target Audience: Social service providers and helping professionals conducting home visits, as well as others with direct client contact, and their supervisors.
Social Work Practice Level: This course is appropriate for beginner and intermediate BSW/ MSW learners.
Course Delivery Format: Live webinar
Interactivity: This course will utilize polling and group discussion prompts, and will offer 15 minutes of Q&A
Social Work Continuing Education Credit: 2.25
Fees: $20 general registration; additional $5 for registration with social work CE credit

Registration includes access to the live event and recording, PDF of slides, and relevant training tip sheets/resources.

Session Facilitators:

Andrew Spiers, LSW (he/him), is the Director of Training and Technical Assistance for Pathways to Housing PA’s Housing First University. Andrew joined Pathways in early 2018 and served as an Assistant Team Leader and Team Leader before launching Housing First University in October 2019. Andrew holds a Master of Social Service from Bryn Mawr College’s Graduate School of Social Work and Social Research, where he concentrated in Community Practice, Policy, & Advocacy. He has taught Human Services and Sociology courses as an adjunct professor at Harcum College and conducted trainings and workshops all over the country on Housing First, harm reduction, and affirming care for LGBTQ+ communities.

Caitlin Mobley, MSW, LCSW (she/her), joined Pathways to Housing PA as an Assistant Team Leader in 2019, transitioned to Team Leader in 2020, and in 2021 became the agency’s Outreach Manager. In this role, Caitlin coordinates with Philadelphia's Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual disAbility Services and various city agencies to connect individuals experiencing homelessness with Pathways to Housing PA. Prior to this, Caitlin worked in Permanent Supportive Housing and at a domestic violence shelter in New York City. Caitlin has witnessed the success of Housing First practice in action and is a firm believer that the model strongly contributes to the greater mission of ending homelessness. She received her Master of Social Work from Fordham University and is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in New York.

ACE approval statement: Housing First University: a program of Pathways to Housing PA, provider #1759, is approved as an ACE provider to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. ACE provider approval period: 01/12/2022 - 01/12/2025. Social workers completing this course receive 2.25 general continuing education credits.

*Housing First University, a program of Pathways to Housing PA, can provide continuing education credits to licensed social workers in 48 of the 50 U.S. states and 10 Canadian provinces. Due to current regulations, CE credits cannot be offered to social workers in the states of New Jersey or New York. If you are not a Licensed Social Worker, please check with your board of accreditation to ensure this training meets your licensing needs.

To request an accessibility accommodation, please email: training@pthpa.org

For questions or comments, please contact: 
Andrew Spiers, LSW 
Continuing Education Director 
Housing First University aspiers@pthpa.org 
(215) 390-1500, ext. 1708