Homelessness Indicators 003-06010090

Contact with a customer advising a change in circumstances may prompt an enquiry as to a customer's situation and lead to a disclosure of homelessness or risk of becoming homeless.

Note: the intention of the Homelessness Indicator is to record when a customer is homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. Do not code the indicator if the customer is neither homeless or at risk of becoming homeless, that is they have safe, secure, stable accommodation.

Has the customer indicated they have or may have inadequate access to safe, secure and stable housing or have the customer's circumstances changed, for example, they currently have an Indicator for 'at risk of homelessness' but have now become homeless?

• Yes, see Step 1 in Table 2
• No, go to Step 2

Change of circumstance that may impact the homelessness status include where the customer has:

• passed away
• not received an Income Support Payment (ISP) for 3 months or more, or
• found secure accommodation

Does the customer's homelessness status need to be ended following another circumstance change?

• Yes, go to Step 3
• No, procedure ends here

Is there currently a Homelessness Indicator on the customer's record?

• Yes, to remove the Homelessness Indicator, see Step 8 in Table 2
• No, procedure ends here

See Frequently Asked Questions on the Resources page for more information.

• Yes, go to Step 2
• No, procedure ends here

• Key HID in the Super Key, then Enter
• the Homelessness Details (HID) screen will display
• Select the Add + icon to add a new line to Homelessness History table and complete the following fields:
• Date of event - go to Step 3
• Homelessness Status - go to Step 4
• Intervention Status - go to Step 5
• Intervention Referral Type - go to Step 6
• Other Referral Details - go to Step 6
• Comments - go to Step 7

The start date is the date that the change of circumstances occurred.

Note: this date cannot be in the future and can only be backdated up to 28 days.

This field identifies if the customer is currently homeless or at risk of becoming homeless and whether this appears to be a long or short-term situation. The options are:

• RIS - At Risk of becoming Homeless
• ONG - Homeless - Ongoing (greater than 6 months expected duration)
• TEM - Homeless - Temporary (up to 6 months expected duration)
• NOT - No longer homeless or at risk of becoming homeless

There is a range of flexible servicing options for the customer. This could include:

• assessing a temporary exemption from mutual obligation requirements
• checking the customer is on the correct payment
• updating contact information
• referring to housing services, or
• a referral to a Services Australia specialist

Check that customers are provided with additional support and information to:

• lodge a claim for an income support payment, if they are not on a payment, or
• apply for a formal review of a decision, if they disagree with it

Even if the customer declines assistance, the information must be recorded.

There are five Intervention Types that define the customer's current homelessness circumstances. They are:

• CIP - Current Intervention in Progress
• Use when customer is already being assisted by external agencies or internal specialist (such as a Community Engagement Officer (CEO) or social worker if there are complex circumstances)
• RFI - Refer for Intervention
• Use when customer is referred to specialist within Services Australia or to an external agency
• ICN - Intervention Complete - no further action
• Use when customer issue is dealt with on the spot and no follow up is required - possible but this option is unlikely to be a common situation
• ICR - Intervention Complete - revisit if required
• Use when customer issue is dealt with on the spot, but follow up may be required, or where a referral option is not available. For example, there is no homeless service, or if there was a service available in the local area, a referral would not be possible
• NAR - No Action Required
• Only use if customer refuses assistance or referrals offered at the time

When the codes CIP or RFI are selected in the Intervention Status field, a drop down list will appear asking for further information on the services the customer has been referred to.

There are 10 possible referral categories and more than one selection can be made. They are:

• SWK - Social Worker
• HSV - Health Service
• CCE - Centrelink Community Engagement Officer
• ICS - Service Officer in Face to Face Incarcerated Customer Servicing team
• OCO - Other Community Organisation
• NGO - Other Accommodation Service
• PRS - Prison Release Support Programme
• OTH - Other Centrelink Specialist
• If Other is selected in the Customer Referred to field, a free text box appears to provide further information regarding the customer's referral circumstances and is to be recorded with a brief note. This is a mandatory field
• MHS - Mental Health Service
• HOU - State Department of Housing

Free text is used to provide any further explanation regarding the customer's circumstances and is to be recorded with a brief note.

Completion of this field is compulsory.

Go to Step 9

If the customer:

• has passed away,
• has not received an Income Support Payment (ISP) for three months or more, or
• identifies that they have been able to secure safe, stable accommodation, and
• is no longer homeless or at risk of becoming homeless,

the Homelessness Indicator can be removed from the customer's record by the following process:

• Code HID in the Super Key, then Enter
• The Homelessness Details (HID) screen will display
• Select the Add + icon to add a new line to Homelessness History table and complete the following fields:
• Date of Event: date customer became no longer homeless
• Homeless Status: no longer homeless and not at risk of becoming homeless
• Intervention Status: choose appropriate option for situation
• Comments: document why Indicator has been removed

• Update the details and select Save
• Enter Receipt date and Channel
• Select Save

The Homelessness Indicator is now saved to the activity screen. It must then be finalised to display on the customer's record.

• The Service Reason may not default to the correct reason. Make sure it is correct before finalising the transaction. Select the Service Reason field and select the relevant Service Reason from the drop-down options
• Select Assess
• Check the payment outcome on Entitlements (ELD) screen
• Finalise the activity by selecting Assess again, then select Finish
• Record details of the update
• Select Finalise

Note: updates to the Homelessness Details (HID) screen for job seekers are sent to the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations to assist in updating their Housing Instability Indicator.

Contact with a customer advising a change in circumstances may prompt an enquiry as to a customer's situation and lead to a disclosure of homelessness or risk of becoming homeless.

Note: the intention of the Homelessness Indicator is to record when a customer is homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. Do not code the indicator if the customer is neither homeless or at risk of becoming homeless, that is they have safe, secure, stable accommodation.

Has the customer indicated they have or may have inadequate access to safe, secure and stable housing or have the customer's circumstances changed, for example, they currently have an Indicator for 'at risk of homelessness' but have now become homeless?

• Yes, see Step 1 in Table 2
• No, go to Step 2

Does the customer's homelessness status need to be ended following another circumstance change?

• that is, the customer has:
• passed away
• not received an Income Support Payment (ISP) for 3 months or more, or
• found secure accommodation
• Yes, go to Step 3
• No, procedure ends here

Is there currently a Homelessness Indicator on the customer's record?

• Yes, to remove the Homelessness Indicator, see Step 8 in Table 2
• No, procedure ends here

See Frequently Asked Questions on the Resources page for more information.

• Yes, go to Step 2
• No, procedure ends here

Navigation to the Homelessness Indicator process is completed by the following method:

• Customer First > Workspace > Personal
• Select Homeless Indicator Details
• Select the Add New Homeless details button from the Homelessness Indicator Summary screen. Complete the following fields:
• Date of event - go to Step 3
• Homelessness Status - go to Step 4
• Intervention Status - go to Step 5
• Intervention Referral Type - go to Step 6
• Other Referral Details - go to Step 6
• Comments - go to Step 7
• When all fields are completed, go to Step 10

The start date is the date that the change of circumstances occurred.

Note: this date cannot be in the future and can only be backdated up to 28 days.

This field identifies if the customer is currently homeless or at risk of becoming homeless and whether this appears to be a long or short term situation. The options are:

• NOT - No longer homeless or at risk of becoming homeless
• TEM - Homeless - Temporary (up to 6 months expected duration
• RIS - At Risk of becoming Homeless
• ONG - Homeless - Ongoing (greater than 6 months expected duration)

As a result of the information gathered, the Service Officer will look at a range of flexible servicing options for the customer. This could include assessing a temporary exemption from mutual obligation requirements, checking the customer is on the correct payment, updating contact information, referring to housing services or a referral to a Services Australia specialist.

The Service Officer should also ensure that customers are provided with additional support and information to:

• lodge a claim for an income support payment, if they are not on a payment, or
• appeal a decision, if they disagree with it

Even if the customer declines assistance the Service Officer must record the information.

There are five Intervention Types that define the customer's current homelessness circumstances. They are:

• CIP - Current Intervention in Progress
• Use when customer is already being assisted by external agencies or internal specialist (such as a Community Engagement Officer (CEO) or social worker if there are complex circumstances)
• ICR - Intervention Complete - revisit if required
• Use when customer's enquiry is actioned at the time, but follow up may be required, or where a referral option is not available, for example, there is no homeless service, or if there was a service available in the local area, a referral would not be possible
• ICN - Intervention Complete - no further action
• Use when customer issue is dealt with on the spot and no follow up is required - possible but this option is unlikely to be a common situation
• NAR - No Action Required
• Only used if customer refuses assistance or referrals offered at the time
• RFI - Refer for Intervention
• Use when customer is referred to specialist within Services Australia or to an external agency

When the codes CIP or RFI are selected in the Intervention Status field, a drop down list will appear asking for further information on the services the customer has been referred to.

There are 10 possible referral categories that can be used and more than one selection can be made. They are:

• State Dept of Housing
• Other accommodation service
• Prison Release Support Programme
• Health Service
• Mental Health Service
• Other Community Organisation (with a mandatory field of 26 characters)
• Services Australia Community Engagement Officer
• Prison Liaison Officer for Service Officer in Face to Face Incarcerated Customer Servicing team
• Social worker
• Other (with a mandatory field of 26 characters)
• If Other is selected in the Customer Referred to field, a free text box appears to provide further information regarding the customer's referral circumstances and is to be recorded with a brief note. This is a mandatory field

Free text is used to provide any further explanation regarding the customer's circumstances and is to be recorded with a brief note.

Completion of this field is compulsory.

Go to Step 9

Remove the Homelessness Indicator if the customer:

• has passed away
• has not received an Income Support Payment (ISP) for 3 months or more
• identifies that they have been able to secure safe, stable accommodation and are no longer homeless or at risk of becoming homeless

To remove the Homelessness Indicator:

• Go to Workspace and enter 'homeless' in the Search field
• Select Homeless Indicator Details
• Select the Add New Homeless details button from the Homelessness Indicator Summary screen. Complete the following fields:
• Date of Event: date customer became no longer homeless
• Homeless Status: No longer homeless and not at risk of becoming homeless
• Intervention Status: Choose appropriate option for situation
• Comments: Outline why Indicator has been removed

Enter information in the Source, Receipt Date and Action fields.

The Homelessness Indicator is now saved to the activity screen. It must be finalised to display on the customer's record.

Finalise on the Assessment Results (AR) screen.

The Homelessness Indicator will display on the Summary screen in General Information Events.

Note: updates to the Homelessness Details (HID) screen for job seekers are sent to the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations to assist in updating their Housing Instability Indicator.