Coordinated Assessment
Homeless and Housing Coalition of Kentucky
April 17, 2013
Davey King, Kentucky Housing CorporationMary Frances Schafer, Coalition for the
Homeless
What is Coordinated Assessment?
•Provision of HUD homeless program regulations
•Evidence-Based Practice
•Best Practice
•System Change/Transformation
How HUD Describes Coordinated Assessment
CoC Interim Rule (578.3):
“…centralized or coordinated process designed to coordinate program participant intake, assessment, and provision of referrals.”
CoC Interim Rule (578.3):
“…system covers geographic area, is easily accessed by individuals and families seeking housing or services, is well advertised, and includes a comprehensive and standardized assessment tool.”
How HUD Describes Coordinated Assessment
Overall Goal
System in which all providers follow a consistent process and document efforts to
▫assess the needs of homeless persons and those at risk of homelessness,
▫identify the most appropriate housing program,
▫make referrals and
▫provide follow-up to evaluate and tweak system.
Why Coordinated Assessment?• Meet HUD requirements for Continuum of
Care and Emergency Solutions Grant projects
• Ease burden on consumer (eliminate need to call around)
• Streamline process for referrals
• Target resources more effectively
• Improve system performance
Essential Elements
•Leading entity and/or steering committee
•Understanding of HUD goals and requirements
•HMIS
•Agreement on policies and principles for the system on priorities and eligibility
Possible Models
•Centralized
•Decentralized
•Phone-based (e.g., 211)
•No Wrong Door
•Hybrid
System Needs• Common Assessment tool
• Standardized process for assessment
• Written standards (eligibility, prioritization, etc.)
• Trained staff
• HMIS
• Buy-In!
May Be a New Way of Thinking
On a case-by-case basis, ask whether or not your program offers the right housing/services.
Most appropriate response could be referral to another option that is a better fit:
▫Diversion▫Prevention▫Shelter Intake▫Rapid Re-Housing
Kentucky Balance of State
Still numerous questions around big challenge:
How should we implement a Coordinated Assessment system in a Continuum of Care that covers 118 counties?
What will it look like? Model options are limited.
How will it function?
Kentucky Balance of State
Continuum is organized around 6 regions.
Exploring the possibility of establishing referral systems within each region or other natural service boundaries.
Kentucky Balance of State
•Holding regional CoC meetings this spring
•Getting input from members across the state
•Committee of CoC members to develop recommendations
Kentucky Balance of State
Making changes to HMIS to support Coordinated Assessment
▫Plan to remove Release of Information security model in ServicePoint
▫Will set up visibility within system to facilitate client searches and reduce duplication
▫Will begin to use other tools within ServicePoint such as ResourcePoint to assist with referrals
