This document provides guidance on conducting the fifth biennial statewide count of homeless people in South Carolina. It describes the sheltered and unsheltered count methodology, including using HMIS and paper forms to collect data. Volunteers are trained on interview techniques, ethical practices, and how to properly complete forms to gather information like demographic characteristics, length of homelessness, and locations stayed. The goal is to understand the scope of homelessness in SC and meet federal reporting requirements while respecting participants.

2. Fifth biennial SC statewide count of people
who are homeless
 Background planning
 SC Methods
 Sheltered Count
 Unsheltered Count
▪ Forms
▪ Survey Techniques
▪ Volunteer Training
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3.  Night of January 24th, 2013
 Continue interviews through the end of the month
 Definition
 Unduplicated one-night count of sheltered and unsheltered
adults, children and youth
 Subpopulation information
 Goals
 Meet HUD requirements for Continuum of Care (CoC)
submissions
 To understand the number and characteristics of people sleeping
in shelters, on the street, or in other places not meant for human
habitation
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4. PIT Methodology overview
 Sheltered count—rely on HMIS for shelters
and TH programs; use Form A for programs
not using HMIS
 Unsheltered—interview people who are
unsheltered on night of January 24th and/or up
to a week after
 All data entered into HMIS (locally) and once
compiled, send to ORS for unduplication and
analysis.
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5.  Mainstream service experience of people
who are homeless in SC
 Cost of some mainstream services used by
people who are homeless
 Rural extrapolation
 Annual counts
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6.  Persons in households with at least one adult and one child.
This category includes households with one adult and at
least one child under age 18.
 Persons in households without children. This category
includes single adults, adult couples with no children, and
groups of adults.
 Persons in households with only children. This category
includes persons under age 18, including children in one-
child households, adolescent parents and their children,
adolescent siblings, or other household configurations
composed only of children.
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7. Form B

8. How to count
 Interviews using Form B for everyone to be
counted
 Street/Service
 Urban/rural
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9. Count
 People who are at risk of homelessness
 People who are literally homeless, i.e. staying in a
place not meant for human habitation
 cars, parks, sidewalks, abandoned buildings, street, woods
cemeteries, structures lacking the ability to cook food,
drinking water, heat, restroom, etc. on night of January
24th.
Report
 Number of people identified as unsheltered on January 24th.
 One piece of paper for everyone to be counted.
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10.  REQUIRES collection of identifying
information on every individual counted
 Sheltered AND Unsheltered
 Observation count is allowed, try to get the
following in the least:
 Gender
 Race
 Adult or child
 Individual or part of a family
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11.  From people who are seeking services, identify
those for whom housing is unstable, precarious or a
problem.
 Screening Question: Have you had any difficulty with
housing in the past month?
 Complete Sections 1 and 2 for everyone
interviewed.
 Complete Section 3 for people who are homeless.
 Must have identifying information for
unduplication.
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12.  Household number: used to associate
members of a family/household with each
other. Each member receives same number.
 Use interviewers first and last initial, then
number chronologically for each unique
family/household
 Form number: Not needed
 Identify agency if there is one (e.g. soup
kitchen), date, county, interviewer and where
survey completed.
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13. Unsheltered Count
Form B
 Q1: Where did interviewee spend the night of
January 24th?
 Q2 : In which county did interviewee spend the
night?
 Q3-Q10: Identifying information for unduplication
and demographic information
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14. Unsheltered Count
Form B
 Q11 – Q12: Quantify time homeless and
chronic homeless question
 Q13: : Identify last permanent address, SC as
birth state and county
 Q14: Identify city, state and county (SC) of
birth
 Q15-Q17: Collect subpopulation data
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16.  Structured surveys
 Short answer or forced choice response
questions
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17.  Implied Consent Form
 People who are being interviewed deserve to
understand what they are being asked to share
and how the data will be used.
 The purpose of the survey/study is to better
understand the experience of homelessness
so that we can improve services and report to
funders to secure funding for homeless
services and housing.
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18. Before beginning any interview, share the
following information:
 All surveys are voluntary and eligible interviewees
may choose not to participate or to terminate
interview before completing survey. They may
also refuse to answer any individual questions.
 Participation, non participation nor any particular
responses to the survey will not have any impact
on services being received.
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19.  The data collected are CONFIDENTIAL.
 No individual identifying information will be
shared—only aggregated data will be reported.
 Interviewers must agree to keep information
confidential including agreeing not to disclose
information to anyone in the organization
(including case managers). Only exception to
disclosure is if person being interviewed presents
clear danger to themselves or others.
 Forms will be destroyed after data is aggregated
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20.  All of this information should be offered
before the interview starts.
 Verify that the individual is willing to
participate.
 After the interview is complete, sign the
implied consent form at the end of the survey.
 If thank you gifts are provided—do not
withhold from anyone who chooses not to
participate.
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21.  Be prepared
 Be familiar with all documents including definitions.
 Have pens, survey forms, clipboards, incentives if
applicable.
 Be professional
 Introduce self, identify affiliation, explain purpose of
the survey, share length of survey and time required
(3-5 minutes), explain confidentiality, ask if the
participant is willing to participate.
 Use a private space for the survey
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22.  Be clear
 Speak clearly and repeat questions as necessary.
 Ask the questions as written.
 Ask for clarification as needed.
 Be neutral
 Do not answer for the individual even if you know
him or her.
 Affirm but do not judge/react to answers
 “I see, yes, ok,” NOT “Wow! That’s terrible!” or “Are you
kidding?”
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23.  Be careful
 Do not skip questions unless instructed.
 Print clearly and legibly.
 Complete all sections.
 Turn over page!
 Review the form immediately after completing.
 Be courteous
 Thank the individual for completing the survey.
 Offer a thank you gift as appropriate.
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24.  Dress appropriately.
 Be attentive.
 Answer interviewee’s questions.
 Know who to call if interviewee needs
assistance.
 Know who to call if interviewee is
endangered or if you see someone who is not
safe.
 Be safe.
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25.  Groups of four
 One interviewer, one interviewee and two
observers.
 Complete form B
 Provide feedback to interviewer
 Tips?
 Questions?
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26.  Complete form B based on the following information
 Yolanda H. Peterson is a white non-Hispanic woman, born 7/17/1956
who has been sleeping on her sister’s couch for the last three days.
She doesn’t think she will be able to stay for more than a month. She
and her 12 year old son were evicted from her apartment in Columbia
three weeks ago at which time they were living on the streets. She and
her son went to stay with her sister on January 29 th .She has a history
of alcohol and substance abuse. She is doing better now, having been
clean for 9 months and is seeing a psychiatrist at a local clinic, where
she receives treatment for depression. She is not HIV positive and has
never served in the military. This is the first time she has been
homeless since 1970 when she left her husband because of domestic
abuse.
 What else would you need to ask?
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27.  Also need to find out
 In what county did she spend the
night of January 24th?
 Was she born in South Carolina – if so,
what county?
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28. Example 2
 Daniel B. Stevens is an Asian Hispanic/Latino man born
5/3/1980 who has been homeless for the past year or so, but
this is his first episode of homelessness. He had been sleeping
on friends’ couches for a few months but now has been living
on the streets for the past six months. He has no children or
spouse. He became homeless because he lost his job and then
couldn’t keep up his rent payments so began staying at
friends’ apartments. He began using drugs and alcohol a few
months ago which has led to him no longer being allowed to
stay with friends. His health has continued to deter ever since
living on the streets, but doesn’t stay at shelters because they
require sobriety. He served in the military 4 years ago.
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29. Example 2
Also need to find out
 Where was his last permanent
address? (zip code)
 Was he born in South Carolina?
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30. Form A

31. For sheltered count report on people in
following housing programs:
 People in emergency shelter and transitional
housing including:
 Domestic violence shelters
 Residential programs for runaway/homeless
youth
 Motels or apartment vouchers paid for by a public
or private agency because the individual or family
is homeless
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32. Form A
 Used to collect data on people who are sheltered from agencies
that do not participate in HMIS at all or sufficiently to secure
necessary data. Use this form if there are any questions about
quality of data in HMIS.
 Completed by
 Program staff
 Volunteer assisting program staff
 Completed from
 Agency records
 Interviews with residents
 Complete one form per individual homeless person.
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33.  All forms should be reviewed for legibility and
completeness.
 Ensure that members of the same household/family
have the same code
 Be sure to fill in “county” section.
 Keep forms confidential throughout process.
 Turn forms in promptly!
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34. What to Prepare/Bring
 Be familiar with the questions on the survey
 Pens/clipboards
 Cell phone
 Coordinators Contact/Emergency Contact
Information Sheet
 Thank you gifts
 Appropriate attire
 Everyone Counts Identification Badge
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35. THANK YOU!!
This project would not be possible without the
help of volunteers like YOU
Thank you for working to address
homelessness as a community!
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