The Los Angeles Coordinated Entry System (CES) for Adults is transitioning to the Los Angeles Housing Assessment Tool (LA HAT), which will eventually fully replace the Vulnerability Index - Service Prioritization Decision Assistance Tool (VI-SPDAT or CES Survey for Adults).* The purpose of the LA HAT is to assess an unsheltered person’s vulnerability to possible adverse events while experiencing homelessness, and it is utilized for Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) considerations. The tool aims to promote improved housing-access outcomes for adults in CES by simplifying and clarifying assessment questions and improving predictions of vulnerability to adverse events.
Review the latest overview presentation here.
*Please note: The Family and Youth Systems continue to use the Vulnerability Index-Service Prioritization Decision Assistance Tool (VI-FSPDAT) and Next Step Tool (NST), respectively, and Time Limited Services programs for all populations continue to use the Housing Acuity Index (HAI) for permanent supportive housing consideration.
BACKGROUND
The Los Angeles Housing Assessment Tool (LA HAT) was developed by the CES Triage Tool Research and Refinement (CESTTRR) Project, at the prompting of the Ad Hoc Committee on Black People Experiencing Homelessness via their final report. The goal of CESTTRR and this new assessment tool is to promote more improved housing-access outcomes for adults in the Coordinated Entry System (CES) who are in similar situations. Details regarding the research and development of the new tool can be found in the CESTTRR Report.
The LA HAT FOR PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING (PSH) CONSIDERATION
In 2024, the CES Policy Council approved for the LA HAT to be used for Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) consideration, alongside the VI-SPDAT. In line with recommendations from CESTTRR, scores from the VI-SPDAT/CES Surveys for Adults continue to be valid for connection to PSH to reduce the impact of the system change on participants. Participants with existing VI-SPDATs do not need to be reassessed; however, they can be assessed with the LA HAT if requested by the participant or if the participant has experienced a significant life change that needs to be reflected in their CES Acuity Score. Please keep in mind that only the most recent score is considered for PSH opportunities. More information on the use of scores can be found in the CES Permanent Supportive Housing Prioritization and Matching Guidance. This guidance is being updated at each key milestone of the LA HAT Implementation.
Please note that effective April 22, 2026:
- The threshold score for PSH Consideration on the LA HAT is lowered to 12+ from 17 +
- The threshold score for PSH Consideration on the VI-SPDAT continues to be 8+
- For participants who have both VI-SPDAT and LA HAT scores recorded in HMIS or DV comparable databases, the most recent LA HAT score will be utilized for PSH consideration
- Participants who only have VI-SPDAT scores do not require reassessment with the LA HAT (unless they have had significant life changes that are not already reflected in their CES acuity scores)
LA HAT TRAINING
Staff working to provide housing focused case management to unsheltered adults in unsheltered, interim housing, and housing navigation type programs (as outlined in the CES Assessment Guidance) must complete training and fully transition to administering the LA HAT (instead of the VI-SPDAT) before June 30, 2026.
Staff who have not completed training, can enroll for virtual training sessions via the Centralized Training Academy (CTA).
Please note that effective April 22, 2026:
- Programs that have access to the LA HAT must discontinue new completions of the VI-SPDAT
- As of May 1, 2026, the VI-SPDAT was deactivated for programs with access to the LA HAT
- Moving forward, the VI-SPDAT will be deactivated for programs as their staff complete training and obtain access to the LA HAT.
And, effective June 30, 2026,
- The VI-SPDAT will no longer be available for completion in HMIS and DV comparable databases
- While new completions of the VI-SPDAT will not be allowed after June 30, 2026, VI-SPDAT scores from assessments completed before June 30, 2026 will continue to be valid for PSH consideration
- Further changes regarding VI-SPDAT score use for PSH consideration can be expected in the Fall of 2026
CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT
The intentional implementation of the LA HAT requires an adaptive approach rooted in community engagement, ongoing evaluation, and continuous improvement. Therefore, changes to the implementation of the LA HAT can be expected at key milestones and phases.
In the first phase of the LA HAT’s implementation, the LA HAT was adopted as an eligible CES Triage Tool for Adults alongside the VI-SPDAT. Between December 2025 and April 2026, CES Acuity Scores of 8+ on the VI-SPDAT and 17+ on the LA HAT served as eligible scores for PSH consideration. However, initial quantitative data and feedback from direct services providers reflected that these threshold scores yielded a disparate rate of eligible participants for PSH Consideration, with participants being more likely to obtain an eligible score when assessed with the VI-SPDAT than with the LA HAT. This trend perpetuated the racial bias of the VI-SPDAT in the System and slowed down the implementation of the LA HAT as direct services providers opted for administering the VI-SPDAT over the LA HAT. In response, the CES Policy Council approved the changes listed above to promote fair assessment outcomes for participants and improve implementation of the Los Angeles Housing Assessment Tool (LA HAT) for adults on April 22, 2026.
LAHSA and the CES Policy Council will continue to evaluate outcomes and consider community feedback at key milestones to guide broader implementation policies and procedures. The next expected system improvement related to the LA HAT will be in the Fall of 2026 when the CES Policy Council will consider the process and timeline by which the VI-SPDAT will no longer be valid for PSH consideration.
Stay tuned for these changes during CES Policy Council Meetings and share your feedback regarding your experience with the LA HAT via the CES Policy & Guidance Feedback Form
MATERIALS & RESOURCES
The Tool
Training Resources
Related CES Guidance
Implementation
Self-Help Materials
Need Support?
- For CTA and training inquiries, submit a Fresh Service Ticket to CTA Support
- For HMIS and tool access inquiries, submit a Fresh Service Ticket to HMIS Support
- To learn how to submit a ticket, review this job aid.
- For PSH application inquiries, email uha@lahsa.or.
- For Community Queue inequiries, join LAHSA’s Matching Team Office Hours
- For questions about implementation and recent changes, join LAHSA's CES Planning Team for any of the office hours listed below: