Coordinated Entry

As outlined in the CoC Program Interim Rule, each Continuum of Care is responsible for establishing and operating a centralized or coordinated assessment system that will provide a comprehensive assessment of the needs of individuals and families for housing and services. This system is called Coordinated Entry (CE) in the TX BoS CoC.

CE is a powerful piece of a Housing Crisis Response System that ensures that people experiencing or at-risk of homelessness can readily find and navigate crisis intervention assistance. It is designed to ensure that households are prioritized for and matched with the right intervention as quickly as possible. It aims to standardize the access, assessment, and referral process across all providers in communities.

Coordinated Entry in the TX BoS CoC

In the TX BoS CoC, the CE process is managed by multiple parties from the regional to the CoC levels. These parties include the TX BoS CoC, Texas Homeless Network, the Coordinated Entry Steering Committee, and Coordinated Entry Planning Entities.

The CE process operates similarly across all 17 designated CE regions in the TX BoS CoC and involves Entry Points, Assessors, and Receiving Agencies. The process flowchart below provides a very brief overview of the CE process in the TX BoS CoC.

– CE Written Standards, version 1.1
– Systems Change Toolkit
– CE Manual – Forthcoming
– Guidance for Adding New Entry Points

TRAINING INFORMATION AND RESOURCES

CE Training Request Form

CE Training Requests – see the status of CE Training requests and current CE users in HMIS

Technical Assistance Request Form – This request form is for in-depth, one-on-one program assistance and capacity building.

CE Training Checklist for Assessors – Forthcoming

TX BoS CoC CE Assessor Manual – Forthcoming

TX BoS CoC CE Data Guide – Forthcoming

THN YouTube Videos

ROLES IN COORDINATED ENTRY

Planning Entities

TX BoS CoC – The TX BoS CoC is made up of all service providers, advocates, local government officials, and citizens who work to eliminate homelessness in 215 of Texas’ 254 counties. The TX BoS CoC is governed by a Board elected by the general members of the CoC.

Texas Homeless Network – Texas Homeless Network is appointed by the CoC Board as the Lead Agency and HMIS Lead for the TX BoS CoC. THN serves as the policy oversight and evaluation entity for CE implementation in the TX BoS CoC. THN also provides technical assistance and supports the Coordinated Entry Planning Entities (CEPE) with managing local CE processes.

Coordinated Entry Planning Entities – Coordinated Entry Planning Entities (CEPEs) are the management bodies at the regional levels responsible for implementing the day-to-day process of CE in the region. This includes establishing the day-to-day management structures, establishing a clear and accessible communication plan in their region, promoting standardized screening, assessment and referral processes, ensuring enrollment of staff into training, and conducting evaluation and monitoring of their local CE process.

Coordinated Entry Steering Committee – The Coordinated Entry Steering Committee (CESC) is composed of elected representatives from each Coordinated Entry Planning Entity (CEPE) within the TX BoS CoC. This committee provides direct support and guidance to the CoC Board on systems change efforts and influences the direction of the CE process in the TX BoS CoC.

Local CE Process

Participating Agencies

Entry Points – Entry Points are the points of access, or front doors, into the housing crisis response system and are often the organizations that households approach to access resources in their communities.

Assessors – Assessors are staff members who work with households seeking assistance at an Entry Point. Staff members are considered Assessors when they have completed training with the TX BoS CoC.

Receiving Agencies – Receiving Agencies are agencies that have housing intervention projects to assist individuals in resolving their homelessness. When Receiving Projects receive referrals from the local CE process, they must fill project vacancies with the referred household after eligibility has been verified. Receiving Agencies that do not currently use HMIS are strongly encouraged to use HMIS. Visit here for more information: https://www.thn.org/texas-balance-state-continuum-care/hmis/basics/

Non-Participating Agencies

Agencies not currently participating in CE within a region but are involved in a region’s homeless crisis response system still play a crucial role in housing and resources needed for people experiencing homelessness. Therefore, they should be frequently encouraged to participate in CE with CEPEs giving guidance and displaying the benefits that regions and agencies are seeing from involvement with CE.

Common Terms for Participating Agencies

Continuum of Care (CoC) Program – This program is designed to promote community-wide commitment to the goal of ending homelessness; to provide funding for efforts by nonprofit providers, states, and local governments to quickly re-house homeless individuals, families, persons fleeing domestic violence, and youth while minimizing the trauma and dislocation caused by homelessness; to promote access to and effective utilization of mainstream programs by homeless individuals and families; and to optimize self-sufficiency among those experiencing homelessness.

Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) Program – This program provides funding to do the following: engage homeless individuals and families living on the street, improve emergency shelters for individuals and families, help operate emergency shelters, provide essential services to shelter residents, rapid re-house homeless individuals and families and prevent individuals and families from becoming homeless.

Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) Program – This program was established in 2011 to rapidly re-house homeless Veteran families and prevent homelessness for those at imminent risk due to a housing crisis. Through a competitive application, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) makes grants to private non-profit organizations and consumer cooperatives to provide eligible Veteran families with outreach, case management, and assistance in obtaining VA and other mainstream benefits that promote housing stability and community integration.

VA Medical Centers (VAMC) – these are medical centers operated by the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) as a component of the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs (VA). The VHA also administers and operates Outpatient Clinics (OPC), Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOC), and VA Community Living Centers (VA Nursing Home) Programs. In Texas, there are 5 VAMCs and 7 VA Health Care Systems.

Victim Service Provider – HUD defines a victim service provider to mean a private nonprofit organization whose primary mission is to provide direct services to victims of domestic violence.

COORDINATED ENTRY PLANNING ENTITIES (CEPE) & COORDINATED ENTRY STEERING COMMITTEE (CESC)

CEPE Member & CESC Representative List

CESC Meeting Agendas, Minutes, and Meeting Recordings

2019
- - April 1, 2019 Agenda (Meeting Minutes were not documented.)
  - June 20, 2019 Agenda and Meeting Minutes
  - July 16, 2019 Agenda and Meeting Minutes
  - August 20, 2019 Agenda (Meeting Minutes were not documented.)
  - December 10, 2019 Agenda and Meeting Minutes
2020
- - February 11, 2020 Agenda and Meeting Minutes
  - April 21, 2020 Agenda and Meeting Minutes
  - June 23, 2020

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

As an Assessor who also does Street Outreach, can I complete a paper CE assessment?

Yes, street outreach workers who are also assessors can use paper CE assessments, however, you must request these paper assessments by emailing CE@thn.org and asking for them with your name, your agency name and your CE region.

Where do I provide feedback on Systems Change in my region?

You can provide your feedback here!

How do I add an Entry Point to my region?

CEPEs can vote to add a new Entry Point to their region. Guidance and steps are included in this document: Guidance for Adding New Entry Points

HELPFUL RESOURCES OUTSIDE THE TX BOS COC

TX BoS CoC Guidance for Coordinated Entry during COVID-19 Pandemic

Understanding the Basics of Coordinated Entry

- Coordinated Entry Core Elements – U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
- Notice CPD-17-01: Notice Establishing Additional Requirements for a Continuum of Care Centralized or Coordinated Assessment System – U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

Planning the Coordinated Entry Process

- VI-SPDAT, Version 2.01 (Download PDF/ Spanish Version) and F-VI-SPDAT, Version 2.01 (Download PDF/ Spanish Version) – OrgCode, Inc.
  - These are Assessment Tools used in the TX BoS CoC for the CE process.
- VA Participation in Coordinated Entry – U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs
- HUD’s New Coordinated Entry Data Elements – U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
- Coordinated Entry Management and Data Guide – U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
- Coordinated Entry and HMIS FAQs – U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development