1 | P a g e

“In HUD’s vision, the coordinated entry process is an approach to coordination and management of a crisis response system’s resources that allows users to make consistent decisions from available information to efficiently and effectively connect people to interventions that will rapidly end their homelessness.”

-Coordinated Entry Core Elements, HUD, June 2017, pg. 5

Policy & Procedures Edition 3.6 Updated September 2025

Coordinated Entry

2 | P a g e

Table of Contents

I. Introduction

How to Use this Manual

II. Key Terms

A. Coordinated Entry System Terms

B. HUD Homeless Definition and Categories

C. Household Types

D. Sub-Populations

E. Project Types

E. Inactive Policy

III. Homelessness Prevention

IV. Street Outreach

V. Emergency Shelter

A. Emergency Shelter – Adults Only

B. Emergency Shelter – Households with Children & Pregnant Persons

C. Emergency Shelter – Domestic Violence

D. Emergency Shelter – Unaccompanied Youth

VI. Transitional Housing

A. Transitional Housing – Homestretch

B. Transitional Housing – Veteran Specific Transitional Housing

VII. Rapid Rehousing

A. Rapid Rehousing for Adults Only and Households with children

B. Rapid Rehousing for Transitioning Aged Youth

C. Rapid Rehousing for Domestic Violence

D. Rapid Rehousing for Veterans

VIII. Permanent Supportive Housing

A. Department of Behavioral Health & Disability Services PSH Expansion

A. Department of Behavioral Health & Disability Services PSH

IX. Other Permanent Housing

A. Rental Subsidy and Supportive Services

B. Vouchers

1. Mainstream Vouchers (Non-Elderly Disabled Mainstream Vouchers)

2. HUD-VASH Vouchers (Veterans)

3 | P a g e

3. Project Based Vouchers (PBV) Homeless Eligibility

C. Move On

D. Tenant Based Rental Assistance (TBRA)

X. CE Referrals, Pools, and Housing Matches and CE By Names List (BNL)

CE Referrals

CE Prioritization Pool

Housing Match Process

CE BNL

4 | P a g e

I. Introduction

Through the Coordinated Entry System, a Continuum of Care (CoC) ensures that finite resources are used as efficiently and effectively as possible. Coordinated entry transforms a CoC from a network of projects making individual decisions about whom to serve, into a fully integrated housing crisis response system.

The Fairfax/Falls Church Community Partnership to Prevent and End Homelessness’ Continuum of Care (hereafter referred to as “Fairfax County CoC”) began planning for its Coordinated Entry System (CES) in December 2014. Agency staff, providers and stakeholders were equal partners in developing its policies, procedures and written standards following the guidance provided by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

Our Coordinated Entry system was developed to make rapid, effective, and consistent program participant-to-housing and service matches, regardless of a program participant’s location within a CoC’s geographic area, by standardizing the access, assessment, and referral process across the CoC.

These four core areas are highlighted throughout the manual in the following ways:

The manual specifies how people experiencing homelessness can engage with our system for services and transparently identifies the front door to services.

Access

The manual specifies which assessments are used in each program type to learn the participants housing needs, preferences, and vulnerability. Assessment tools for programs are standardized and the same tools are used throughout the system. Assessment results help identify the most appropriate housing options and level of support services in which the participant might realize the most benefits, while retaining self-determination.

Assessment

To have the most impact on our partnership, resources are targeted to those that are deemed the most vulnerable. Assessments help Fairfax County CoC identify the most vulnerable people experiencing homelessness in its community. Identifies who is prioritized in each project type.

Prioritizing the most vulnerable in the community for housing and services, ensures that those with the greatest need receive the supports necessary to resolve their housing crisis.

Prioritization

This manual provides information on how to complete a referral for a given program type. The referral process is centralized and streamlined to gain the greatest access of housing opportunity with one referral package. This decreases the need for the program participant to repeat continually re-tell their history, reduces re-traumatization, and shifts the burden to the system from the person in crisis.

Referral

5 | P a g e

Coordinated Entry paves the way for more efficient homeless assistance systems by:

In its Policy Brief on Coordinated Entry, HUD identified 17 qualities of an effective CES. Fairfax County CoC operationalized all of these in our system and throughout this manual.

Fairfax County CoC identifies the following as fundamental principles in the day-to-day operations of all the services and housing we provide:

Helping people move through the system faster by reducing the amount of time people spend moving from program to program before finding the right match;

Reducing new entries into homelessness by consistently offering prevention and diversion resources upfront, reducing the number of people entering the system unnecessarily; and

Improving data collection, quality, and analysis by providing accurate information on system gaps and needs.

•Centers on providing housing centered support by quickly moving households experiencing homelessness into housing and then providing support services as needed. Five principles guide the model: Immediate access to permanent housing with no housing readiness requirements, participant choice and self-determination, Recovery Orientation, Individualized and program participant-driven supports, and Social and community integration.

Housing First

•The program participant holds the decision-making power to accept housing and participate in services, not the system. Participants are able to exercise some choice regarding the location and type of housing they receive (e.g. neighborhood, congregate setting, scattered site, etc.). Choice may be constrained by local availability and affordability. Participants have choices in terms of what services they receive, and when to start using services. During interviews and assessments, participants may choose to refuse to answer questions based on their level of comfort or knowledge without impact on their access to housing and services.

Person-Centered

•Is an approach in the human service field that assumes that an individual is more likely than not to have a history of trauma. It recognizes the presence of trauma symptoms and acknowledges the role trauma may play in an individual’s life. There are six principles to TIC Safety; trustworthiness and transparency; peer support; collaboration and mutuality; empowerment, voice, and choice; and cultural, historical, and gender issues.

Trauma Informed Care (TIC)

• Commitment to providing services that consider the fluidity and subjectivity of culture, race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, abilities, etc. Requires staff to engage in ongoing self-reflection and self-critique to ensure explicit or implicit bias, and the power differential between staff and program participant, is not impacting services provided to program participants.

Cultural Humility https://www.hudexchange.info/resources/documents/Coordinated-Entry-Policy-Brief.pdf

6 | P a g e

Fair and Equal Access.

The manual provides information regarding access and works towards providing fair and equal access to the system regardless of how households experiencing homelessness present to the system. Providers are non-discriminatory and services comply with the nondiscrimination and equal opportunity provisions of Federal civil rights laws as specified in

24 C.F.R. 5.105(a). In addition, HUD’s Equal Access Rule at 24 CFR 5.105(a)(2) prohibits discriminatory eligibility determinations in HUD-assisted or HUD-insured housing programs based on actual or perceived sexual orientation, gender identity, or marital status, including any projects funded by the CoC Program, ESG Program, and HOPWA

Program.

One Fairfax.

Fairfax County embraces its growing diverse population and recognizes it as a tremendous asset but also knows that racial and social inequities still exist. The One Fairfax policy defines expectations for consideration of racial and social equity, and in particular, meaningful community involvement when planning, developing, and implementing policies, practices, and initiatives. It provides a framework to advance equity in alignment with our stated visions and priorities.

This policy informs all other policies and applies to all publicly delivered services in Fairfax County Government and

Fairfax County Public Schools.

Learn more about the One Fairfax policy via the link below:

https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/topics/one-fairfax

Trust Policy. (January 26, 2021)

One Fairfax recognizes that the County’s ethnic, racial, and linguistic diversity is a key source of its strength. The County is devoted to protecting the rights of all its residents, regardless of their immigration or citizenship status, and to ensuring they have an equal opportunity to participate in our economic vitality. The Public Trust and Confidentiality

Policy (Trust Policy) is being issued to reaffirm current County policy, improve community health, welfare, safety and security and build trust by ensuring that immigrant residents can access County benefits and services without fear that the information they share will be disclosed to federal immigration officials. It is not an appropriate use of Fairfax resources to facilitate enforcement of federal immigration law, which is the sole responsibility of the federal government. Cooperation with civil administrative immigration enforcement is especially problematic because it lacks the constitutional protections of criminal law, and ICE civil detention requests are frequently issued in error. The County will comply with all federal or state law and regulations mandating cooperation with Immigration and Customs

Enforcement (ICE) and other federal immigration officials, as well as valid judicial warrants and subpoena, but will otherwise restrict sharing of personal identifiable information that could be used to further immigration enforcement efforts.

https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/topics/one-fairfax

7 | P a g e

How to Use this Manual This manual details the policies and procedures regarding the four core elements of the Fairfax County CoC Coordinated

Entry System. It includes the standards for eligibility and the prioritization process for programs, policies for access and assessment, procedures for referrals and applications, tools, and requirements for filling vacancies. The manual is organized by program types to improve ease of use in connecting households to various housing interventions.

Staff using these policies, procedures and written standards should also reference the HMIS Policies and Procedures

Manual, as well as related HMIS training materials, for more guidance.

Manual Edition Editions and Versions

The Coordinated Entry manual is evaluated annually to ensure that all policies and procedures are accurately reflected in the current system. The manual is updated by the Fairfax County Office to Prevent and End Homelessness (OPEH)

8 | P a g e

II. Key Terms

A. Coordinated Entry System Terms

HUD

Chronically Homeless

HUD’s definition:

Chronically homeless means: (1) A “homeless individual with a disability,” as defined in Section 401(9) of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, who:

i. Lives in a place not meant for human habitation, a Safe Haven, or an emergency shelter; AND

ii. Has been homeless continuously for at least 12 months or on at least four separate occasions in the last 3 years, as long as the combined occasions equal at least 12 months and each break in homelessness separating the occasions included at least 7 consecutive nights of not living as described in (i) above.

Disability HUD defines a person with disabilities as a person who:

1. has a disability as defined in Section 223 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C.423), or

2. is determined by HUD regulations to have a physical, mental or emotional impairment that:

a. is expected to be of long, continued, and indefinite duration;

b. substantially impedes his or her ability to live independently; and

c. is of such a nature that such ability could be improved by more suitable housing conditions, or

3. has a developmental disability as defined in the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and

Bill of Rights Act (42 U.S.C. 15002(8)), or

4. has the disease acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) or any conditions arising from the etiologic agent for acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV).

For the purpose of qualifying for low-income housing under HUD public housing and Section 8 programs, the definition does not include a person whose disability is based solely on any drug or alcohol dependence.

Continuum of Care (CoC)

Group responsible for the implementation of the requirements of HUD’s CoC Program interim rule. The CoC is composed of representatives of organizations, including nonprofit homeless providers, victim service providers, faith-based organizations, governments, businesses, advocates, public housing agencies, school districts, social service providers, mental health agencies, hospitals, universities, affordable housing developers, law enforcement, organizations that serve homeless and formerly homeless veterans, and homeless and formerly homeless persons.

Homeless Management Information System (HMIS)

Local information technology system used by a CoC to collect participant-level data and data on the provision of housing and services to homeless individuals and households with children and to persons at risk of homelessness. Each CoC is responsible for selecting an HMIS software solution that complies with HUD’s data collection, management, and reporting standards.

Release of Information (ROI)

Written documentation signed by a participant to release his/her personal information to authorized partners.

Area Median Income (AMI)

The Area Median Income (AMI) is the midpoint of a region’s income distribution – half of households in a region earn more than the median and half earn less than the median. For housing policy, income thresholds set relative to the area median income—such as 50% of the area median income—identify households eligible to live in income-restricted housing units and the affordability of housing units to low-income households. These are determined and published annually by HUD and can be found at https://www.huduser.gov/portal/datasets/il.html.

https://www.huduser.gov/portal/datasets/il.html

9 | P a g e

B. HUD Homeless Definition and Categories The most important definition for the homeless system is the definition and distinction between “homeless” and “at-risk of homelessness” as defined by HUD versus other agencies. The Fairfax CoC operates through the “homeless” definition codified by federal regulations. It is critical to determine a household category of homelessness to appropriately connect them to various programs. The following table is used throughout the manual to assist providers in defining this category for eligibility purposes.

Homeless Definition: HUD’s Four Categories of “Homeless”

HUD Category Description Category 1

Literal Homelessness

Individual or family who lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence, meaning:

1. Has a primary nighttime residence that is a public or private place not meant for human habitation;

2. Is living in a publicly or privately operated shelter designated to provide temporary living arrangements (including congregate shelters, transitional housing, and hotels and motels paid for by charitable organizations or by federal, state, and local government t programs); or

Is exiting an institution where (s)he has resided for 90 days or less and who resided in an emergency shelter or place not meant for human habitation immediately before entering that institution.

Category 2

Imminent Risk of Literal Homelessness

Individual or family who will imminently lose their primary nighttime residence, provided that:

1. Residence will be lost within 14 days of the date of application for homeless assistance;

2. No subsequent residence has been identified; and The individual or family lacks the resources or support networks needed to obtain other permanent housing.

Category 3

Homeless under other

Federal statutes

Unaccompanied youth under 25 years of age, or households with children and youth, who do not otherwise qualify as homeless under this definition, but who:

1. Are defined as homeless under the other listed federal statutes;

2. Have not had a lease, ownership interest, or occupancy agreement in permanent housing during the 60 days prior to the homeless assistance application;

3. Have experienced persistent instability as measured by two moves or more during the preceding 60 days; and Can be expected to continue in such status for an extended period of time due to special needs or barriers.

Category 4

Fleeing/Attempting to Flee Domestic Violence

Any household who:

1. Is fleeing, or is attempting to flee, domestic violence;

2. Has no other residence; and

Lacks the resources or support networks to obtain other permanent housing.

https://www.hudexchange.info/resources/documents/HomelessDefinition_RecordkeepingRequirementsandCriteria.pdf

10 | P a g e

At-Risk of Homelessness Definition: HUD’s Three Categories of “At Risk of Homelessness”

HUD Category Description

Category 1

At Risk of Homelessness

Individuals and households with children

An individual or family who:

1. Has an annual income below 30 percent of Median Family Income (MFI) for the area, as determined by HUD;

2. Does not have sufficient resources or support networks, (e.g., family, friends, faith-based or other social networks), immediately available to prevent them from moving to an emergency shelter or another place described in paragraph (1) of the “homeless” definition in this section; and

3. Meets one of the following conditions:

o Has moved because of economic reasons two or more times during the 60 days immediately preceding the application for homelessness prevention assistance;

o Is living in the home of another because of economic hardship;

o Has been notified in writing that their right to occupy their current housing or living situation will be terminated within 21 days after the date of application for assistance;

o Lives in a hotel or motel and the cost of the hotel or motel stay is not paid by charitable organizations or by Federal, State, or local government programs for low-income individuals;

o Lives in a single-room occupancy or efficiency apartment unit in which there reside more than two persons or lives in a larger housing unit in which there reside more than 1.5 persons reside per room, as defined by the U.S. Census Bureau;

o Is exiting a publicly funded institution, or system of care (such as a health-care facility, a mental health facility, foster care or other youth facility, or correction program or institution); or o Otherwise lives in housing that has characteristics associated with instability and an increased risk of homelessness, as identified in the recipient’s approved consolidated plan

Category 2 Unaccompanied

Children and Youth

A child or youth who does not qualify as homeless under the homeless definition but qualifies as homeless under another Federal statute.pr

Category 3 Households with children and Youth

An unaccompanied youth who does not qualify as homeless under the homeless definition but qualifies as homeless under section 725(2) of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, and the parent(s) or guardian(s) or that child or youth if living with him or her.

https://www.hudexchange.info/resources/documents/AtRiskofHomelessnessDefinition_Criteria.pdf

11 | P a g e

C. Household Types

There are three main types of “households” that are served within all project types within the Fairfax County CoC, unless otherwise specified.

Household Types by Shelter Eligibility.

*If other households compositions require additional support, please reach out to OPEH (Coordinated Entry Team and/or Program team) for guidance.

Adult-Only (AO) (without children)

Adult & Child (AC) (at least one adult and one child)

Child Only (CO)

This category includes households made up of:

• Single adults (ages 18+),

• Adult couples (all ages 18+), with no children under age 18, or

• Groups of adults (all ages 18+)

This category includes households made up of:

• Households with at least one adult, aged 18 and older, and one child under age 18.

This category includes households made up of persons under age 18:

• Including unaccompanied children,

• Adolescent parents and their children,

• Minor siblings, or

• Other household configurations composed only of children.

Adult-Only Shelters Households with Children Shelters

Child Only Shelters

Serving the following households:

Adult-Only Households (AO)

• Individuals 18 and over

• Married couples

• Unmarried couples

• Pregnant persons

Adult & Child Households (AC)

• Households with at least one adult, aged 18 and older, and one child under age 18.

Adult-Only Households (AO)

• Including adult children ages 18-

• Pregnant persons

Child Only Households (CO)

12 | P a g e

D. Sub-Populations

The Fairfax County CoC primarily focuses on four distinct sub-population groups.

Subpopulation. A specified group of individuals identified as either a priority and/or needing tailored services to end their homelessness as identified by HUD and/or Fairfax County CoC. Specific resources often exist for each sub-population.

Chronically Homeless. This is a specific subpopulation of interest deemed to be the most vulnerable and in need of housing resources. The definition is codified by federal regulation. The FINAL Rule states:

“A ‘chronically homeless’ individual is defined to mean a homeless individual with a disability who lives either in a place not meant for human habitation, a safe haven, or in an emergency shelter, or in an institutional care facility if the individual has been living in the facility for fewer than 90 days and had been living in a place not meant for human habitation, a safe haven, or in an emergency shelter immediately before entering the institutional care facility. In order to meet the ‘‘chronically homeless’’ definition, the individual also must have been living as described above continuously for at least 12 months, or on at least four separate occasions in the last 3 years, where the combined occasions total a length of time of at least 12 months. Each period separating the occasions must include at least 7 nights of living in a situation other than a place not meant for human habitation, in an emergency shelter, or in a safe haven.”

Domestic Violence Survivors

• Any individual or family member who is fleeing or attempting to flee domestic violence (DV), dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, or human trafficking that are presenting to the homeless and/or survivor services system. They have access to the full range of housing and service intervention options in the CoC, including some specialized resources for DV.

For specific information and directions for assisting those experiencing DV, please pay careful attention to areas labeled with a purple banner or outlined in a purple box.

banner and/or enclosed with a purple box.

Transitioning Aged Youth (TAY)

• is an individual (or if a family is the oldest member of the household) who is at least 18 years old but less than 25 years old. TAYs have access to the full range of housing and service intervention options in the CoC, including some specialized resources for this age group. For specific information and directions for TAYs, please pay careful attention to areas labeled with a blue banner or outlined in a blue box.

Veteran

• For the purposes of the Fairfax CoC, any individual who served in the U.S.

Armed Forces regardless of discharge status, length of service and service type is considered a veteran. They have access to the full range of housing and service intervention options in the CoC, including some specialized resources for veterans. Many veteran service providers have specific military service requirements for entry. For specific information and direction for veterans, please pay careful attention to areas labeled with a green banner or outlined in a green box.

https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/24/578.3

13 | P a g e

E. Project Types There are seven main program types within the homeless crisis system including Homelessness Prevention, Outreach, Emergency Shelter, Rapid Rehousing, Transitional Housing, Permanent Supportive Housing, and Other Permanent

Housing. This manual is divided by each housing intervention in the following order:

•The overall goals of homelessness prevention services are to reduce the number of households who become homeless for the first time and to reduce the number of households experiencing multiple episodes of homelessness.

Homeless Prevention

•Street Outreach is defined by the Department of Housing and Urban Development as the act of reaching out to unsheltered homeless individuals, connecting them with emergency shelter, housing, or critical services, and providing them with urgent, non-facility-based care

Street Outreach

•Fairfax County has six community emergency shelters that operate year-round, 24 hours per day, seven (7) days a week, serving households experiencing homelessness with and without children.

Shelters provide a temporary place to stay, meals, access to laundry and help with other basic needs, and housing focused case management services. Shelter programs follow a low barrier, housing first focused approach that allow program participants to quickly access shelter and rapidly move out to housing.

Emergency Shelter

Temporary housing program with intensive case management and services meant to bridge the gap from homelessness to permanent housing generally lasting twenty four months in length.

Transitional Housing (TH)

Rapid re-housing is an intervention that follows a Housing First approach to rapidly connect households experiencing homelessness to housing. The core components and responsibilities for the Rapid Re-Housing program are housing location and placement, rent subsidy and move-in assistance, and supportive case management and services once the household is housed.

Rapid Rehousing (RRH)

•Non time-limited, affordable housing with wrap around intensive support services for people experiencing homelessness where a member of the household has a long term disability that is not expected to resolve and the disability significantly interferes with their activities of daily living.

Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH)

•All other programs that provide a non-time-limited housing option usually funded through means outside of the HUD CoC Funds. These programs have specific eligibility and prioritization criteria determined by the project’s funding source that differs from similar HUD CoC funded projects.

Other Permanent Housing

14 | P a g e

E. Inactive Policy Coordinated Entry Inactive Policy for Fairfax-Falls Church Coordinated Entry

For Providers that submit Coordinated Entry Prioritization Referrals through HMIS:

INACTIVE DEFINED

Inactive

1. If a household has had no activity (no services, entry/exits, shelter stays) in HMIS, or has remained in any Coordinated Entry Status except L3 Approved (including no status entered), for 90 days or more, the household needs to be removed from the Coordinated Entry Prioritization Pool/Move-On

Prioritization Pool (see steps below).

2. If a household has not had at least one current living situation recorded in the last 30 days, the household will be removed from the Coordinated Entry Prioritization Pool.

3. If a household is no longer experiencing homelessness as defined by HUD in Category 1 or Category 4 of the Homeless Definition, or otherwise discontinues services from the referring agency, the household will be removed from the Coordinated Entry Prioritization Pool.

4. If a household is transferred between providers, the new provider must create and submit a new referral for their agency, or the household will be removed from the Coordinated Entry Prioritization

Pool/Move-On Prioritization Pool.

5. If a household on the Move-On Prioritization Pool exits their program (RRH, RSSP or PSH), the household will be removed from the Coordinated Entry Move-On Prioritization Pool (see steps below).

Coordinated Entry Inactive Policy for Veterans By Names List (BNL)

INACTIVE DEFINED – VETERANS BNL

Inactive

If a Veteran has had no activity (no services, entry/exits, no shelter stays) in HMIS for 90 days or more, the Veteran’s status will be changed to inactive.

If Veteran has indicated that they have left the area or do not require services, the Veteran will be removed from the Veterans BNL at that time.

HMIS

Referring Providers Are required to close out Coordinated Entry Pool

Program Entries in HMIS who they know have not been active in Fairfax-Falls Church Community Partnership homeless response system for 90 days using the proper workflow in HMIS.

CE Team The Coordinated Entry team will regularly run reports in

HMIS to identify those who have been exited in HMIS and remove from the Coordinated Entry Pool List accordingly.

15 | P a g e

III. Homelessness Prevention The following table summarizes coordinated entry processes for entry into Homelessness Prevention projects.

Homelessness Prevention is the approach used to stabilize households in their current housing or help them to move into new housing without entering the emergency shelter system or otherwise experiencing homelessness. Services may include financial assistance (security or utility deposits, utility payments, and moving cost assistance), short- or medium-term rental assistance, housing search and placement, landlord-tenant mediation, and case management to ensure households are referred to person-centered support services. The support is provided to help households resolve their immediate housing crisis and access ongoing sources of support in the community to remain housed. The program receives support from the Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) regulations and the Virginia Homeless and Special Needs

Housing Funding (VHSP) grants, and it is expected for providers to adhere to the guidelines outlined by these funding sources.

It is important to note that homelessness prevention cannot be attempted with someone who is already experiencing literal homelessness, as it occurs before someone reaches that point. Costs of homelessness prevention are only eligible to the extent that the assistance is necessary to help the program participant regain stability in their current housing or move into other stable housing.

The overall goals of homelessness prevention services are to reduce the number of households who become homeless for the first time and the number of households experiencing multiple episodes of homelessness.

Diversion is a focused problem-solving conversation and connection to supports that should occur when the household is referred to the homeless prevention program and cannot remain housed. The purpose of diversion is to assist households in identifying a safe alternative to entering emergency shelter or the experience of unsheltered homelessness.

Eligibility The household must meet all three of the criteria below:

Homelessness Prevention

Eligibility • Homeless as defined by HUD Categories 2, 3 or 4

• At Risk of Homelessness as defined by HUD

• At or Below 30% AMI

• Any additional requirements specific to project’s funding

Prioritization

• Possess Appropriate Written Verification (list below)

• Fairfax-Falls Church Partnership residency

Access

• Coordinated Services Planning (CSP) 703-222-0880

Assessment

• CSP assessment, Agency Screening Tool

Referral • From CSP to Non-Profit

The household must be homeless in Categories 2, 3 or 4 or At Risk of

Homelessness per HUD’s definitions;

The household has an annual income at or below 30 percent of the area median income (AMI) for the area, as determined by HUD

Any additional eligibility requirements specific to the project’s funding (ex.

programs for survivors of domestic violence, programs for people with serious mental illness or chronic substance abuse or programs for veterans, etc.)

https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ecfr.gov%2Fcurrent%2Ftitle-24%2Fsubtitle-B%2Fchapter-V%2Fsubchapter-C%2Fpart-576&data=05%7C01%7CDiana.Pina%40fairfaxcounty.gov%7C489b4cd69be8417d9d1908db5b0ba6bb%7Ca26156cb5d6f41729d7d934eb0a7b275%7C0%7C0%7C638203877820085393%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=COgOvOH9%2Fuz0idvovXXKkoMrtU0jN6eGcaoP73GUXIg%3D&reserved=0 https://www.dhcd.virginia.gov/sites/default/files/Docx/vhsp/hsnh-guidelines-2022-2024-htf-hrg-2023.pdf https://www.dhcd.virginia.gov/sites/default/files/Docx/vhsp/hsnh-guidelines-2022-2024-htf-hrg-2023.pdf https://www.hudexchange.info/homelessness-assistance/coc-esg-virtual-binders/coc-esg-homeless-eligibility/four-categories/ https://www.hudexchange.info/homelessness-assistance/coc-esg-virtual-binders/coc-esg-homeless-eligibility/four-categories/at-risk-of-homelessness/ https://www.hudexchange.info/homelessness-assistance/coc-esg-virtual-binders/coc-esg-homeless-eligibility/four-categories/at-risk-of-homelessness/

16 | P a g e

Prioritization For a referral to be sent to the homeless services system, the following prioritization criteria should be adhered to:

1. Those who meet HUD’s eligibility criteria for homelessness prevention services as listed above; AND

2. Possess at least one of the following types of written verification:

a) Summons for Unlawful Detainer

b) Writ of Possession for Unlawful Detainer

c) Third-party verification of imminent risk of literal homelessness

d) Self-certification or third-party verification that individual/household is fleeing domestic violence; AND

3. Reside within the geographical boundaries of the Fairfax County CoC (includes Fairfax County, Cities of Fairfax and Falls Church, and Towns of Clifton, Herndon, and Vienna)

Note: Until further notice, only homelessness prevention referrals from CSP to the homeless services system that are determined to meet HUD’s eligibility for assistance AND Fairfax County’s prioritization criteria will be accepted.

Access, Assessment and Referral Below are the steps to be taken if a household is seeking homelessness prevention assistance:

• All households seeking homelessness prevention assistance should call Coordinated Services Planning (CSP) at

(703) 222-0880

• Assessment is completed to determine current housing status and level of need.

• If a resolution through CSP is not available, the household is still eligible for homelessness prevention services based on the eligibility criteria. CSP will make a referral to the homeless services system.

• Upon receipt of the referral, the regional nonprofit should:

• Contact the household/individual within 1-2 business days to complete the appropriate assessment/screening.

• Add the referral to HMIS within one business day

• If the nonprofit is unable to reach the program participant, they should update CSP by emailing the Regional Supervisors/Team Leaders at ncs-cspteamleaders@fairfaxcounty.gov.

• Once eligibility and prioritization have been confirmed, the individual’s case will be assigned to a case manager.

• The assigned case manager must contact the program participant in no more than two (2) business days.

A face-to-face meeting should occur within five (5) business days.

• In the occasion that a household is determined not to be eligible for prevention services, a connection to mainstream resources should be provided. The provider should inform CSP that the referral was ineligible by sending an email to the CSP Team and the OPEH Team. CSP will provide emergency shelter referrals to OPEH for placement.

• The receiving provider during the first meeting with the program participant, the case manager will collect documentation that confirms eligibility. If the household is receiving financial assistance, recertification must occur every 90 days. Note: Documentation is NOT required to be presented prior to intake.

• All Prevention providers should keep CSP updated on the household’s case status by emailing updates to ncs-cspteamleaders@fairfaxcounty.gov.

• A referral from CSP will be considered valid for 30 calendar days if eligible for homelessness prevention.

Communication is critical to providing consistent messaging about services provided so that the crisis system can collaborate effectively to prevent homelessness. The best way to maintain consistent communication with CSP and

OPEH is by using ncs-cspteamleaders@fairfaxcounty.gov and opehcoordinatedentry@fairfaxcounty.gov.

mailto:ncs-cspteamleaders@fairfaxcounty.gov mailto:ncs-cspteamleaders@fairfaxcounty.gov mailto:opehcoordinatedentry@fairfaxcounty.gov

17 | P a g e

IV. Street Outreach The following table summarizes coordinated entry processes for entry into Street Outreach projects for Adults Only. Each element is explained in detail below.

Street Outreach Adults Only

Eligibility • Anyone over the age of 18 years old and residing in places not meant for human habitation

Prioritization

• N/A

Access

• Contact outreach program.

Assessment

• N/A

Referral • Individual Self-Referral or Community Referral

Street Outreach is defined by HUD as the act of reaching out to individuals experiencing unsheltered homelessness, connecting them with emergency shelter, housing, or critical services, and providing them with urgent care.

Outreach to those experiencing unsheltered homelessness should include:

Coordinated Entry for programs serving unsheltered individuals is important because it defines the means for which individuals experiencing unsheltered homelessness can access the services and facilitates collection of the necessary data to know who is experiencing unsheltered homelessness throughout the entire year. To accomplish these goals, the following Coordinated Entry standards for Street Outreach were established to provide:

• A streamlined framework for outreach services throughout all four human services regions; and

• Clear expectations of ongoing engagement attempts for the “hardest to serve.”

The location, identification, and relationship building with individuals experiencing unsheltered homelessness with the purpose of providing immediate and long-term support, interventions, and connection with other homeless assistance programs and/or mainstream social services/housing programs.

Engagement

The assessment of housing and other service needs to develop an individualized service plan geared towards moving individuals experiencing unsheltered homelessness into housing.

Case Management

Such as those provided by the Homeless Healthcare Program (HHP) under contract with the Fairfax County Health Department (HD).

Emergency Health Services

Such as those provided by the Projects for Assistance in Transition from Homelessness (PATH) teams under the Fairfax-Falls Church Community Services Board (CSB).

Emergency Mental Health Services

18 | P a g e

Collaboration is essential between the Street Outreach programs, Homeless Healthcare Programs, and the CSB’s PATH program to provide comprehensive outreach services to those experiencing unsheltered homelessness in our community. These Policies and Procedures are a means to provide standards of engagement for Street Outreach. Any policies and procedures related to HHP and PATH should be obtained by their respective agencies.

Anyone experiencing unsheltered homelessness in Fairfax County is eligible for outreach services through Street

Outreach. For clarification, individuals experiencing unsheltered homelessness reside in “places not meant for human habitation”, including cars, parks, wooded areas, sidewalks, abandoned buildings, etc.

Providers offering Street Outreach programs should work to engage as many individuals experiencing unsheltered homelessness in their respective regions as possible.

Access, Assessment and Referral Access to Street Outreach services can be accomplished through either direct outreach or referral.

Street Outreach programs are expected to have a system in place to provide ongoing and consistent outreach to commonly frequented “hot spots” where individuals experiencing unsheltered homelessness are known to reside or congregate.

For the purposes of outreach services, a referral is a means by which an individual experiencing unsheltered homelessness engages in outreach. There are two main ways that Street Outreach programs could receive referrals for outreach services:

• Self-referral: individuals experiencing unsheltered homelessness may contact or visit a nonprofit partner directly with a request for services; (this includes walk-ins and calls), and

• Referral from community: Street Outreach workers are made aware of one or more individuals thought to be experiencing unsheltered homelessness from those in the larger community, OPEH, Board of Supervisors’ offices, police department, etc.

Once an individual has been identified as experiencing unsheltered homelessness, regardless of the method, it is the responsibility of the Street Outreach worker to try and engage with the individual on an ongoing basis while the individual continues to be unsheltered.

19 | P a g e

V. Emergency Shelter

THE INFORMATION IN PAGES 18-24 ARE FOR ADULT ONLY HOUSEHOLDS

A. Emergency Shelter – Adults Only The following table summarizes the coordinated entry processes for entrance into emergency shelter for Adults Only.

Each element is explained in detail below.

Emergency Shelter Adults Only

Eligibility

• HUD Definition of Homelessness, Category 1 & 4

• All other viable housing options have been considered and are not appropriate or available

Prioritization • Phase 1: Currently experiencing unsheltered homelessness OR homelessness is verifiably imminent within 72 hours

• Phase 2: Fairfax County Residency and highest score on Adults Only E&P Tool; if tied, earliest entry into STARSS; if tied, lowest HMIS Client ID number

Access • Call or walk-in to shelter to speak to shelter staff, if unable to call for themselves, a representative can call on behalf of program participant.

Assessment • Adults Only E&P Tool

• Shelter Triage, Access and Referral System for Adults Only (STARSS)

Coordinated Entry requires shelters to operate within the same, coordinated system and utilize the same eligibility, prioritization, assessment, and access procedures.

Using a trauma informed approach, shelter staff should attempt to divert households from experiencing sheltered homelessness by utilizing diversion interventions to find a safe alternative to shelter. If diversion is unsuccessful, the household is offered a placement at the emergency shelter program, where available, or a referral to Street Outreach services.

Emergency Shelters provide a temporary place to stay, meals, access to laundry and help with other basic needs, and housing focused case management services. Shelter programs follow a low barrier, housing focused approach that allow program participants to quickly access shelter and rapidly move out to housing.

Eligibility Adults Only individuals seeking emergency shelter services are required to meet both of the following basic eligibility guidelines:

Adults Only

Be considered homeless under the HUD definitions of Categories 1 or 4 or within 72 hours of experiencing literal homelessness

All other viable housing options have been considered and are not appropriate or available:

a.Diversion options should be explored and pursued before entering emergency shelter.

b.For those shelters that serve bothAdults Only and Households with Children, a Sex Offender Registry search must be conducted before admitting any adult in the household into the emergency shelter.

20 | P a g e

Prioritization: Phase One

The primary prioritization criteria for access to emergency shelter that serve Adults Only in the Fairfax County CoC is as follows:

1. Currently experiencing unsheltered homelessness, meaning that the individual is living in a place not meant for human habitation.

Prioritization: Phase Two

Once an individual has been determined to be prioritized based on the Phase 1 prioritization criteria, emergency shelter beds for Adults Only are filled utilizing a tool known as the Shelter Triage, Access and Referral System for Adults Only (STARSS). Individuals will first be prioritized by residency within the geographical boundaries of Fairfax County (includes Fairfax County, Cities of Fairfax and Falls Church, and Towns of Clifton, Herndon, and Vienna). From there, they will be further prioritized based on the highest score on the Adults Only E&P Tool, which obtains information regarding the presence of the following prioritization components:

If two or more individuals in the STARSS have the same E&P score, individuals will be further prioritized by their entry date into the STARSS. If two or more individuals have the same E&P score and the same entry date into the STARSS, the individual with the lowest HMIS will be the individual prioritized for the next available bed.

Access, Assessment, and Referral Access to emergency shelter for Adults Only individuals experiencing homelessness is accomplished through the following steps:

1. Individuals seeking shelter should call one of the three emergency shelters that serve Adults Only. Calls can be made any time, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. If the individual calls Coordinated Services Planning (CSP), they should be instructed to call one of the emergency shelters directly. For individuals who are unable to call for themselves, such as those without access to a phone, those with an intellectual disability, brain injury, or serious mental illness, calls will be accepted by a representative/professional. Individuals without access to a phone personally or through a professional may go to the nearest shelter to be assessed on-site.

2. When an individual seeking shelter (or representative) calls one of the three emergency shelters that serve

Adults Only a STARSS assessment should be completed.

3. Shelter staff will administer the Adults Only E&P to determine the individual’s eligibility and priority score based on the previously mentioned criteria. If the shelter staff determines that the individual is eligible, diversion to safe and stable housing is unsuccessful, and the individual provides verbal permission to allow their information to be stored in the STARSS in HMIS, the shelter staff will add the individual to the STARSS within six (6) working hours of eligibility determination. Regardless of which shelter the individual has called, they can elect to be placed into the STARSS for any of the emergency shelters that serve Adults Only they choose. It is important to note that:

Homeless History

Current living situation Vulnerability Disability

Age 18-24 or 60+

Currently Pregnant

Terminal Illness

21 | P a g e

a. If a representative calls on behalf of the individual seeking shelter, they must be able to answer all of the questions accurately to the best of their knowledge; guessing or conjecture will not be permitted, and the representative will be asked to call back once they are able to accurately answer all assessment questions.

b. Individuals will be ranked in the STARSS based on their residency status and prioritization score, which is calculated using the Adults Only E&P. These rankings are dynamic and are subject to change as new individuals are added to the STARSS.

c. If an individual states that they are currently experiencing unsheltered homelessness, a referral to the Adults Only Outreach program must be made so that street outreach services can be offered/provided while the individual is in the STARSS. Shelters are required to develop a system to ensure that this transfer of knowledge takes place quickly and efficiently so that services can begin immediately.

When an individual is added to the STARSS, they will be informed that if anything about their life circumstances changes, they should call back to be reassessed.

a. Individuals will be made aware that if they do not receive a call for shelter in three (3) months from their entry date, they will be exited from the STARSS and will need to call back should they still be in need of shelter.

4. Individuals will be called into as beds become available. To determine the next eligible person, staff should follow the instructions below:

a. Apply the following filters to the STARSS:

i. Preferred dorm assignment (based on gender identification)

ii. Preferred region/shelter location

b. Identify the first person on the filtered STARSS, which is determined using the following progressive logic:

i. Fairfax County resident

ii. Highest Adults Only E&P score

iii. Earliest entry date into the STARSS

iv. Lowest HMIS Client ID

Note: The STARSS will be pre-sorted in priority order based on this logic.

c. Ensure there are no applicable program restrictions in place that would prevent the individual from being eligible to access the shelter bed by looking in the individual’s HMIS profile.

An individual with the highest Adults Only E&P Tool score and meets the filter criteria for the available bed should be selected to fill the vacancy. If two or more individuals have the same Adults Only E&P Tool score, then the individual with the earliest entry date into the STARSS should be selected. If two or more individuals have the same Adults Only E&P Score and the same entry date into the STARSS, the final tiebreaker is the individual with the lowest HMIS Client ID. It is important to note that individuals with an active shelter-specific restriction in place for the shelter that has the bed vacancy and/or a system-wide ban in place for all Fairfax County shelters will not be eligible for the vacant bed until their ban has expired or has been lifted.

22 | P a g e

5. To ensure that shelter beds are filled quickly and do not stay vacant for an extended period of time, shelter…