1. Missouri Housing Development Commission
Creating a Real System Across the Balance of State A look at MO-606: The Missouri Balance of State Continuum of Care Dustin Allen Community Initiatives Coordinator
Missouri Housing Development Commission

2. Missouri Continua of Care
8 CoCs: Kansas City, Springfield , Saint Joseph, Joplin, Saint Louis County, Saint Louis City, St. Charles, BoS
BoS: 101 Counties

3. Balance Demographic Information
Four of the top ten counties in regards to population
Ten of the bottom ten counties in regards to population
Smallest: Worth County
Population 2,024 (July 2016 Census)
Largest City in the BoS (4th Largest in Missouri): Columbia, Missouri
Population: 120,612 (July 2016 Census)
State Capital: Jefferson City, Missouri
Population: 43,088 (July 2016 Census)
Longest trip for one meeting: 759 Miles (11 Hours, 11 minutes)
Columbia and Jefferson City Information:
Columbia 4th Largest:

4. 2016 Point-In-Time Count Summarized by Household Type
Es- 758, TH-291, SH-7, US -375 Total-1431

5. Why Do We Need a System?
To ensure that we are serving the most vulnerable clients no matter where they present
To give a voice to rural communities and other areas that might otherwise not have input on service delivery to homeless populations
To cultivate collaborations for service providers that might not serve the same geographic area
To increase understanding of what rural homelessness looks like, and what types of programs can be effective in serving both rural and urban populations

6. Where Do You Begin?
Does the base structure support the system?

7. Balance of State Structure Prior to June, 2017
Governor’s Committee to End Homelessness
Statewide Interagency Council on Homelessness
Established in 1987
Appointed membership
Membership includes state agencies, non-profits, and representatives from each CoC in Missouri
Operated as the governing body of the BoS CoC

8. Strengths and Weaknesses of Old Structure
State structure provides solid objective process
Allows for representation in planning at a intra-CoC and state level
Great in creating initial structure
Top-Down
Transparency
Slow to respond to changes in needs
Struggles with long-term engaging non- funded and other service providers

9. Creating a New Structure
“(People) often oppose a thing merely because they have had no agency in planning it, or because it may have been planned by those whom they dislike.”
Alexander Hamilton

10. New Structure Natural progression of Regional Coordinated Entry groups
Regional representation directly voted on by the region on to CoC Board
“Voting Membership” that will vote on BoS wide issues
Bi-Annual full CoC meetings with topics brought forth by regions
Create additional incentives for non-funded agencies and other community members

11. Takeaways in Rebuilding a System
1) Evaluate the current system
2) Be ready to start over
3) Educate, Educate, Educate
Pay attention to both the messaging, as well as the
training