• Self Sufficiency
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Self Sufficiency Planning & Management

“The end-goal is the same for all families- the ability to lead healthy and sustainable lifestyles- but the individual paths are different.”

Every family is unique. At Rainbow Village we work with each family to understand their past, key areas of needs, and individual goals. Through 20 years of experience and extensive ongoing research in the area of family homelessness and poverty, our program is a well-developed and proven combination of community, education, and individual support.
On entry into the Rainbow Village program, each family is evaluated in the areas of:

  • Financial Status
  • Available Resources
  • Career Development
  • Education
  • Life Skills
  • Established Support Systems
  • Child & Adult Mental Health

In addition to our assessment of these key indicators, our case managers analyze and integrate other family information including credit reports, criminal backgrounds, children’s report cards, and a family history questionnaire. By utilizing these various information and assessment tools Rainbow Village is able to craft individualized plans and goals. This process makes long-term self-sufficiency within reach, even for families close to losing hope.

The Arizona Self Sufficiency Matrix

Rainbow Village Case Managers and support staff meet regularly with heads of each household to discuss their progress, address any program compliance issues, and help each family to identify barriers and opportunities they may be faced with. The staff uses an adapted version of the Arizona Self-Sufficiency Matrix (ASSM) to each family’s progress on the 20 self-sufficiency domains:

  • Income
  • Community Involvement
  • Health Care
  • Housing
  • Parenting Skills
  • Mental Health
  • Childcare
  • Children’s Education
  • Adult Education
  • Program Participation
  • Legal
  • Employment
  • Safety
  • Life Skills
  • Food
  • Home & Grounds Care
  • Substance Abuse
  • Parenting Skills
  • Mobility
  • General Progress

Rainbow Village utilizes the ASSM method of measuring each domain shown above by a 5-point scale where a score of 1 indicates a “crisis level” surrounding that area and a score of 5 indicates that the family is “empowered” in that area of their lives.

The domains we most heavily focus on are:

  • Income
  • Employment
  • Life Skills
  • Family Relations/Parenting Skills

To learn more about the Arizona Self-Sufficiency Matrix click here.