Coordinated Entry Process for VSPs & DV Survivors

Overview of Coordinated Entry Process for VSPs & DV Survivors

Introduction

The Massachusetts’s Balance of State Coordinated Entry System (CES) implementation in VESTA is designed to quickly and accurately identify and prioritize people experiencing homelessness for permanent housing based on the household’s specific needs and project availability. This is accomplished through a two-step screening and assessment process combined with a real-time housing placement matching based on an estimation of funds or units available in permanent housing projects.

CE Process for VSPs & DV Survivors

Participants who are survivors of Domestic Violence (DV) and wish to access mainstream CoC housing programs can complete a CE assessment while engaged with their Victim Service Provider.  Please find the steps below.

• A paper copy of the CE screener with scoring criteria would be completed by VSP staff and the participants. Participants who score high enough will be given the option to be referred to CE.
• Participants would receive an information packet explaining the CE process from VSP’s staff. Participants would then make decision whether they want to apply for full CE.
• If yes, they would complete the full CE paper assessment with VSP staff. The full CE Vulnerability Assessment determines the most appropriate housing intervention: RRH, PSH, or some other non-HUD funded housing assistance for the household based on their specific needs and project availability. Not all households will be able to be assisted with HUD-funded TH, RRH and PSH projects. CE is not intended to create wait lists for permanent housing projects. Households that cannot be assisted with TH, RRH, or PSH funds will need to work with their case managers on developing a case plan that utilizes other resources to find permanent housing. Once basic demographic page, screener and the full CE Assessment are complete, the files with a password protection are emailed to the appropriate CE Regional Navigator for entry into VESTA.
• VSP should ensure that ROI are signed by participants.

Referral for housing projects are automatedly generated by VESTA based on special needs, types of housing, region unit/subsidy availability. Care is taken by the Housing Navigators to refer only persons who are likely eligible for the project with the vacancy and to refer people who have identified on their Housing Preference form that they would accept housing in the region where the vacancy is occurring. The Housing Navigator will reach out to the housing provider with a Notice of Vacancy Form. The form contains information about the anticipated date that the unit will be ready for occupancy, type and size of unit, target population, and any unique unit characteristics to be considered in the matching process. 

Once the project receives the referral from the Housing Navigator, they will arrange an intake interview with the participant and their case manager. The project staff will review the referred person’s case for eligibility and may reject them only if they are found to be ineligible.

Potential project participants may reject offers of housing without consequence to their standing on the Coordinated Entry Registry.  It is understood that sometimes people will reject housing for excellent reasons that they are reluctant, or unable to share. However, a participant could only be referred twice in a fiscal year.

The safety of DV participants in CE is our priority as such special coded words would be used to protect participants’ identity. However, some PII is necessary for the CE score calculation (such as age) or eligibility determination (such as household composition, gender, veteran status, and age) so there are some things that really need to be collected & reported. Participants can of course decline to answer any questions, but they should know that refusal to answer some questions may impact their vulnerability score and/or the quality of referrals they may receive.

For participants whose homeless records (enrollments in ES or SO) are not in VESTA, they will need to check in with their Housing Navigator once every 89 days. Those who are “inactive” for 90+ days get automatically exited from CE. VSPs could also set up a process by which, for example, on a monthly basis they confirm with the Navigators the list of client IDs for clients who are still in the shelter vs. those whose homeless situation has been resolved.

The name and the contact information of the Regional Navigators are:   

• Metro Region – Leon Moore – [e-mail]
• North Region – Shawn Jalbert – [e-mail]
• West Region – Christa Pichler – [e-mail]
• Northshore Region – Marielis Batista – [e-mail]