Powerpoint accompanying workshop session from the Homeless and Housing Coalition of Kentucky's 2013 conference. Presented by Mary Frances Schafer, The Coalition for the Homeless and Davey King, Kentucky Housing Corporation As part of the latest HEARTH ACT regulations outlining the rules for obtaining federal homeless funding, all communities must now develop a common assessment to ensure that all homeless clients receiving services are assessed to understand their unique needs and helped to find services directly related to these needs. Our speakers will describe how communities across the Commonwealth are working to implement this new requirement.

1. Coordinated
Assessment
Homeless and Housing Coalition of Kentucky
April 17, 2013
Davey King, Kentucky Housing Corporation
Mary Frances Schafer, Coalition for the Homeless

2. What is Coordinated Assessment?
• Provision of HUD homeless program regulations
• Evidence-Based Practice
• Best Practice
• System Change/Transformation

3. 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.”

4. 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

5. 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.

6. 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

7. 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

8. Possible Models
• Centralized
• Decentralized
• Phone-based (e.g., 211)
• No Wrong Door
• Hybrid

9. System Needs
• Common Assessment tool
• Standardized process for assessment
• Written standards (eligibility, prioritization,
etc.)
• Trained staff
• HMIS
• Buy-In!

10. 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

11. 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?

12. 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.

14. Kentucky Balance of State
• Holding regional CoC meetings this spring
• Getting input from members across the state
• Committee of CoC members to develop
recommendations

15. 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