Welcome to the VI-SPDAT training page for the Balance of State CoC. On this page, you’ll find a series of training videos, paperwork, and other resources related to VI-SPDATs. Please ensure you are working within the Balance of State before accessing these materials.
VI-SPDAT Training Videos
The following training videos explain how and why we use the VI-SPDAT, as well as best practices for completing the assessment. Please watch the videos in the order they are listed, as each one builds on the content of the previous video.
Once you've finished watching the videos, please submit this short Google Form to confirm you've completed the training and provide any feedback for future versions.
1. VI-SPDAT Overview
View slides from the video here.
2. Single Adult VI-SPDAT
View slides from the video here.
3. Family VI-SPDAT
View slides from the video here.
4. Transition Aged Youth (TAY) VI-SPDAT
View slides from the video here.
5. Wrapping-Up
VI-SPDAT Paperwork
Here you'll find the printable versions of each of the VI-SPDATs we use in the Balance of State.
Single Adults
Used for households consisting of adults who are 25 years of age and older with no minor children present. Best practice is to assess each adult in the household individually.
Families
Used for multi-member households with a parent or guardian (any age) and at least one dependent minor child (under age 18). This includes parenting youth with minor children. Best practice is to assess the head of household.
Transition Aged Youth
Used for households consisting of unaccompanied youth age 24 or younger with no dependent children. If the head of household is a parenting youth, they should be assessed with the Family VI-SPDAT instead. Best practice is to assess each Transition Aged Youth in the household individually.
Coordinated Entry Office Hours
Starting October 8, 2025, our team will be hosting virtual Balance of State CoC Office Hours on the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of each month. This is an unstructured time for agency staff to connect with HMIS staff on topics related to Coordinated Entry (CE), including VI-SPDATs. Any staff supporting CE in the Balance of State CoC is welcome to attend.
Office Hours information:
2nd & 4th Wednesday of each month
12:00 - 1:00 pm MT
Link to join Google Meet video call: https://meet.google.com/aee-wrpk-pbf
Or dial: (US) +1 504-800-6930
PIN: 320 266 217#
More phone numbers: https://tel.meet/aee-wrpk-pbf?pin=3668677784676
Additional Helpful Resources
Here are additional resources to support you and your work with VI-SPDATs and Coordinated Entry in our CoC:
- Balance of State Coordinated Entry Page (includes Policies & Procedures and other resources)
- Balance of State VI-SPDAT Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
- COHMIS Client Release of Information Overview & Best Practices
- COHMIS Client Release of Information (English)
- COHMIS Client Release of Information (Spanish)
- COHMIS Client Forms
- Capturing Coordinated Entry Assessments within HMIS Enrollments (Video Tutorial)
- Capturing Coordinated Entry Assessments within HMIS Enrollments (COHMIS Guide)
- Creating a Custom/Minimal VI-SPDAT (COHMIS Guide)
- BoS CoC COHMIS Policy on Deidentified Client Records for Privacy & Care Coordination (includes process for VSP clients and clients who don't want to share their information but wish to participate in Coordinated Entry)