Recipes for Coordinated Entry: Assessment and Prioritization in Connecticut NAEH Conference July 2017 Mary Ann Haley, Deputy Director Connecticut Coalition to End Homelessness Think Change • Be Change • Lead Change

Timeline of significant milestones in Connecticut 2015 January 2015 Governor Malloy launches Zero:2016 effort to end chronic homelessness in Connecticut February 2015 Coordinated Access is fully implemented when Greater New Haven CAN comes online March 2015 Series of 100 day challenges around the state to accelerate efforts to end homelessness August 2015 Connecticut becomes the first state to end chronic homelessness for veterans October 2015 All Connecticut CANs establish By Name List registries (BNLs) 2016 February 2016 Connecticut is certified as one of two states to end all homelessness for veterans July 2016 Statewide 90 in 90 challenge, in which CANs verified 90% of chronic clients in 90 days December 2016 All Chronic (Verified) homeless in Connecticut are matched to a housing resource Think Change • Be Change • Lead Change

Decrease in numbers of chronically homeless in the “Point in Time” Count Our overall numbers for our Chronic Homeless population have been decreasing steadily over this same time period. Going from 1026 to 400 in our most recent Point in Time Count in 2017. Think Change • Be Change • Lead Change

What are Core Elements and Regional Differences? Think Change • Be Change • Lead Change

What are the Universal Ingredients? Coordinated Entry Diversion Assessments What, Why, When, How Prioritization and Matching By Name Lists Case Coordination HMIS and Data Think Change • Be Change • Lead Change

What is the process. What do you do first. When is the next step What is the process? What do you do first? When is the next step? Here is our basic pathway. enReview elements: Enter through 211 or Outreach 211 – assess for immediate risk, connect to appropriate pathway (very important, VA, DV, RHY), if client still needs to be connected to our homeless service system, 211 refers them to Coordinated Access network appointment. At the CAN, high rate of no-shows, diversion, either go to es, th or waitlist. Give enough opportunity to self-resolve if they are in shelter/th. If they are on the waitlist, then still attempt to divert or assist in self-resolution. Might be able to go to another Mainstream resource (VA or DV). At various stages within this green ban, the VI-SPDAT is conducted. If they are unable to self-resolve, be connected to another resource or be diverted, then they will be added to our BNL. Once on the BNL, they can still self-resolve. All of our communities use the BNL, based on listing the most vulnerable using the assessment scores, as the tool for determining prioritization for local housing resources. (1 minute) Think Change • Be Change • Lead Change

CT System: Divert Permanently back with friends or family Return to their own residence Temporarily diverted as they seek new housing Relocating permanently to safe place out of town Think Change • Be Change • Lead Change

CT System: Assess Coordinated Access Networks (CANs) assess the housing needs of all individuals and families experiencing homelessness Individuals and Families identified through outreach and those who present at CAN appointment/shelter entry factors are assessed with VI-SPDAT immediately Most individuals entering the CT system are assessed after 14 days (period of time during which the bulk of clients self-resolve their homelessness in CT) After clients have been assessed they are added to the active BY-NAME LIST registry in HMIS, which is updated in real-time Think Change • Be Change • Lead Change

WHEN TO ADMINISTER THE VI-SPDAT TOOL Useful tools – example. Helps keep things consistent. Think Change • Be Change • Lead Change

CT System: Prioritize and Match CANs hold regular matching meetings to identify housing opportunities for clients verified to meet HUD criteria. BNLs for all CANs are maintained in the statewide HMIS, and are updated in real-time CANs conduct bi-weekly case conferencing to prioritize and match individuals to housing interventions Nearly all PSH units in CT (CoC and state-funded) are dedicated to chronic homelessness (~4,000 units) Currently using rapid re-housing as bridge housing Think Change • Be Change • Lead Change

CT System: House CT providers have housed 1,756 chronically homeless clients since January 2015 In the 90 days preceding July 1, 2017, Chronic (Verified) clients were housed in an average of 107 days 146 Chronic (Verified) clients currently matched to a housing resource Only 62 remaining Chronic (Verified) are not matched to a housing resource Our goals: house chronically homeless clients within 90 days after they are verified to meet the HUD criteria; right now fewer than 24 clients not yet housed at 91 days. Our goals: house clients within 90 days after they are verified to meet the HUD criteria; fewer than 24 clients not yet housed at 91 days Think Change • Be Change • Lead Change

HMIS and Data Tracking Robust and regular use of data is the basis of our system: we track and review data weekly on our efforts to verify, match and houses data to prevent chronic homelessness, monitor RRH success, and make adjustments to our Coordinated Entry process Weekly report tracks numbers against key goals at community and state levels: 90% of clients on BNL have verified CH status? Verifying CH status within 30 days or less? Housing those verified within 90 days? Track those who refuse assistance to ensure appropriate continued outreach Think Change • Be Change • Lead Change

TALE OF TWO COORDINATED ACCESS NETWORKS Greater Hartford CAN Region Southeastern CAN Region Think Change • Be Change • Lead Change

What if you run out of sugar? Adaptations to the Recipe Resource Usage Bottlenecks By Name List Management Tie-breakers Resolving Disagreements Wait times for Entry Think Change • Be Change • Lead Change

Not All Pies are Created Equal: Continuous Quality Improvements Think Change • Be Change • Lead Change

Thank you! Questions? Mary Ann Haley mhaley@cceh.org fff Think Change • Be Change • Lead Change