One individual that we worked with this quarter experienced chronic challenges associated with untreated health concerns and has experienced chronic homelessness as a result for over 20 years.  They have cycled in and out of temporary housing across multiple communities and have repeatedly been evicted and further deepened their isolation and mistrust of formal supports.  They are currently supported by the Island Crisis Care Society (ICCS) Outreach team and have been accessing services locally for many years.  Although they frequently access services in other districts, the Shower Program at a local community organization has been very valuable to them.  A significant barrier to their access to supportive housing has been their inability to complete a Vulnerability Assessment Test (VAT).  This has primarily stemmed from their long-standing health condition and a deep-rooted mistrust of service providers.  Despite these challenges, ICCS Outreach was able to establish a strong and trusting relationship with this person over the course of several weeks.

With the collaborative support of the Oceanside Island Health team, who provided daily reminders, a VAT appointment was successfully scheduled.  The individual attended the appointment but was unable to complete the assessment due to experiencing a serious health episode that left them unable to sign the consent form.  ICCS Outreach responded with compassion and professionalism, using trauma-informed techniques to de-escalate the situation, and reassured our client that we were here to support them.  They agreed to reconnect later in the day to complete the process.  Unfortunately, they were unable to return as planned, which led to an extended collaboration with Island Health.  When a health team member engaged with our client later that day, the client provided ICCS Outreach's contact information.  After connecting with the team, we coordinated together to provide supports for the client’s immediate needs.  Ultimately, they felt safe enough to provide consent and the VAT was successfully submitted.  By taking preliminary steps to engage, establish rapport and trust, we were able to assess this person’s needs and barriers, complete their VAT, provide support during that appointment, and collaborate with other community organizations to ensure that we maintained communication, collaborative planning, and ongoing connection to Island Health services.  By taking this wrap around approach, our lesson learned included being aware of the importance of patience, presence, flexibility, and collaboration while supporting individuals with complex health needs.