Background

CoC and ESG funded Homelessness Prevention projects are required to receive referrals for their projects through the Coordinated Entry System. To meet this requirement, the Coordinated Entry System in Orange County will now serve households that are at-risk of homelessness, as well as households that are literally homeless. Households that are at-risk of homelessness are currently housed, but may lose their housing without intervention.

These households will still be enrolled in either the Individual or Family Coordinated Entry project, but will complete the Prevention Assessment Tool instead of the CES Assessment. Households will receive a score from that assessment, and households with a score of at least 12 points will be served through the Coordinated Entry System. Homelessness Prevention projects will select their households from the Homelessness Prevention Coordinated Entry Waitlist; they will not need to enter housing opportunities or wait for matches from a Matchmaker. Below are instructions for Access Points and Housing Providers serving households that are at risk of homelessness.

Access Points

1. Enroll the Head of Household (HoH) and all household members into either the Individual or Family Coordinated Entry project.
2. Complete Current Living Situation assessments at Project Entry, and each time an assessment is completed.
3. Complete the Prevention Assessment Tool on the Assessment page for the HoH. Do not complete the assessment for each household member.
4. If the household scores at least 12 points on the Prevention Assessment Tool they should continue with the process below. If the household scores less than 12 points they should be referred back to 211OC for non-ESG Homeless Prevention assistance, and the household should be exited from the Coordinated Entry project.
5. On a weekly basis, enter the Prevention Assistance: Needs Prevention Assistance service on the Services page to the HoHs Coordinated Entry enrollment. This service will be used to create the waitlist for households that need prevention assistance, and will signify to the Homelessness Prevention projects that the household still needs assistance. On Wednesdays, the Data Entry: Needs Prevention Assistance Service report will be sent for all at-risk households enrolled by the Access Point that are still active in the Coordinated Entry project.
6. If the household falls out of contact they should be exited from the Coordinated Entry project.
7. If the household becomes homeless during the process the access point should exit the existing Coordinated Entry enrollment, and create a new Coordinated Entry enrollment that reflects that the household is now homeless. The access point should follow the instructions for adding the household to the Coordinated Entry Community Queue.

Homelessness Prevention Providers

1. Run the Homelessness Prevention Coordinated Entry Waitlist report to see the households in the Coordinated Entry projects that need prevention assistance.
2. Select the household with the highest score available to assist. On the History page for the HoH's Coordinated Entry enrollment ensure that the client does not have the Coordinated Entry Event: Referral to Prevention Assistance service entered within the past 7 days.
3. On the Services page, enter the Coordinated Entry Event: Referral to Prevention Assistance project for the HoH. This signifies that the household is no longer on the waitlist. 
4. Complete Current Living Situation assessment when the Coordinated Entry Event: Referral to Prevention Assistance project service is entered.
5. Determine if the household is eligible to be served through the project. At least two attempts should be made by the Homelessness Prevention Provider to contact the household. If the Provider cannot reach the household, exit the household from the Coordinated Entry project.
6. If the household is eligible, enroll the household in the Homelessness Prevention project, and exit the household from the Coordinated Entry project. If the household is staying in their current housing situation, usually the Destination will be Rental by client, with RRH or equivalent subsidy. The Project Exit Date from the Coordinated Entry project should match the date the household is enrolled in the Homelessness Prevention project.
7. If the household is not eligible for the project, enter the Prevention Assistance: Needs Prevention Assistance service on the Services page to return the household to the waitlist.
8. If the household no longer needs prevention assistance, exit the household from the Coordinated Entry project.
9. If the household becomes homeless during the process refer the household back to the access point that completed the Coordinated Entry enrollment so the household can be added to the Coordinated Entry Community Queue.