Orientation to theContinuum of Care (CoC)

July 29, 2014

A Short History of the Continuum of Care

• McKinney Act of 1987• Continuum of Care model – late 1990s– Sonoma County Continuum of Care organized

1997

• HEARTH Act of 2009– Homeless Emergency and Rapid Transition to

Housing Act– Federal Strategic Plan to Prevent & End

Homelessness: Opening Doors– New regulations for Continuum of Care (CoC) &

Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) programs

Continuum of Care Responsibilities

• Operating a Continuum of Care– Engagement of all stakeholders

• Quarterly membership meetings – 3rd Thursdays of January, April, July & October

– Governance structure – Continuum of Care Board, written charter, code of conduct

–Working groups• Strategic populations: youth, veterans, families,

chronically homeless• Key program requirements: Coordinated Intake,

Program Standards groups

Continuum of Care Responsibilities – Planning

• Planning & development of a system of care– Coordinate & develop needed housing &

services• Outreach, Engagement, Assessment• Shelter, permanent housing, supportive services• Homelessness Prevention

• Point-in-Time Homeless Counts

• Gaps Analysis

Continuum of Care Responsibilities – Programs

• Establish a Coordinated Intake system– Screening and comprehensive assessment– Waitlist management

• Written Standards for all components of homeless services system– Rapid Re-Housing– Prevention– Emergency Shelter– Permanent Supportive Housing– Transitional Housing

Continuum of Care Responsibilities – Goals & Measurement

• Goals & performance targets (handout)– Exits to permanent housing– Days from system entry to permanent

housing– Increase income– Access to health goals

• Monitor system and program performance

• Evaluate outcomes & address poor performance (Evaluation Committee)

Continuum of Care Responsibilities – Consultations

• Assistance to Consolidated Planning agencies (HUD)

• Consultations with Emergency Solutions Grant funders (County and State) on allocations of funding

• Consultation with other funders as needed– VA: Supportive Services for Veteran Families

Continuum of Care Responsibilities – Annual Funding Competition

• County-wide consolidated funding application – $2.7 million annually

• Oversight of 20+ project applications

• Establish priorities between projects – Written criteria

• Determine whether and when to pursue designation as Unified Funding Agency (UFA)

Continuum of Care Responsibilities – HMIS

• Homeless Management Information System (HMIS)–Web-based client data system that

provides aggregate reports to HUD– Efforts to Outcomes (EtO)– Privacy, security, data quality

requirements– Participation requirements– Policy oversight by Quality Assurance

Committee

10-Year Plan Leadership

• Implementation of Local Strategic Plan– Housing – 4,128 Permanent Housing Units

• Policy suggestions, cost estimates• Potential for eventual conversion of

emergency housing

– Income – Workforce Readiness & Disability Income Initiatives

– Health Access – Universal Coverage, Primary Care Homes, Access to Behavioral Health Services (“parity”)