Case management services for people experiencing homelessness should be delivered in a professional manner, adhering to well-defined standards that are supported by evidence.  One established standard for case management is the staff-to-client ratio.

Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC), recognize two case management models for the delivery of Housing First: Assertive Community Treatment and Intensive Case Management.  Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) should generally have a staff-to-client ratio of 1 to 10, while Intensive Case Management (ICM) should generally have a staff-to-client ratio of 1 to 20.

This report examines the number of open cases to determine current caseload.  It is a tool for communities which are delivering case management services to people experiencing homelessness, to examine whether caseloads are balanced across case managers, and whether overall caseloads meet established standards.