In 2018, Choice Research Associates began encouraging community-based service providers to adapt the Self-Sufficiency Matrix to assess client outcomes. Since that time, we’ve trained a variety of clients on the tool including organizations participating in OVSJG DCRC and Supportive Housing/Housing First programs, PREPARE, St. Ambrose Housing Aid Center 180 Homeshare Program, and the University of Maryland Medical Capital Region Health Hospital-Based Violence Intervention Program (CAP-VIP).

The SSM captures 19 domains (e.g., housing, employment, food, income, health insurance, family/social relations, etc.) and scores each on a scale between one and five, with lower scores indicating crisis or vulnerability on that issue; and higher scores indicating the client was “building capacity” or “empowered”. CBOs were instructed to obtain SSMs for all new and existing clients beginning in FY18, at intake to the program, and then every 90 days until the client completed the program. (See here for more information about the SSM).