• AIRS – Alliance of Information and Referral Systems
  • AHAR – Annual Homeless Assessment Report
  • APR – Annual Performance Report
  • ATA – Agency Technical Administrator
  • CAPER – Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report
  • CES – Coordinated Entry System
  • CDBG – Community Development Block Grant CoC - Continuum of Care
  • CH – Chronically Homeless
  • CoC – Continuum of Care
  • DOB – Date of Birth
  • DQSC – Data Quality Sub-Committee
  • DV – Domestic Violence
  • ES – Emergency Shelter
  • ESG – Emergency Solutions Grant
  • EVHI – Ending Veteran Homelessness Initiative
  • Homeless Emergency Assistance and Rapid Transition to Housing HIPAA - Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996
  • HMIS – Homeless Management Information System
  • HoH – Head of Household
  • HOPWA – Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS
  • HPCC – Homeless Prevention Call Center
  • HUD – Housing and Urban Development
  • NOFA – Notice of Funding Availability PIT - Point in Time
  • NP - Non-Participating (Agency is listed as not using ServicePoint or no longer in operation)
  • PATH - Projects for Assistance in Transition from Homelessness
  • PPI – Personal Protected Information
  • PSH – Permanent Supportive Housing
  • RHY – Runaway and Homeless Youth
  • ROI – Release of Information
  • RRH – Rapid Re-Housing
  • SH – Safe Haven
  • SHP – Supportive Housing Program
  • SRO – Single Room Occupancy
  • SSI – Supplemental Security Income
  • SSN – Social Security Numbe
  • SSO – Supportive Services Only
  • SSVF – Supportive Services for Veteran Families
  • UDE – Universal Data Element
  • TANF – Temporary Assistance for Needy Families
  • TFA – Temporary Financial Assistance
  • VASH – Veteran Affairs Supportive Housing

    • Articles in this section

    See more

    Coordinated Entry System (CES) Contact Protocol

    Avatar
    Salvador Munoz
    • Updated
    Follow

    In order to get a full scope of what is involved with the Coordinated Entry System, it is good to get a first sense of the terminology and the multiple systems at play. 

     

    CE List

    The most important concept to understand in Coordinated Entry is that of the CE List.

    The CE list is also called a "By Name List". It is an aggregation of individuals and households experiencing homelessness in Chicago. 

     

    Individuals and Households Included in the CE List

    The “By Name List” of individuals and households experiencing homelessness  is generated to address two important areas of the CES:

    1. The list provides a count the number of individuals and households who are experiencing homelessness and thus, in need of housing.
    2. The CE List serves as a housing prioritization list and is used to match individuals and households to the appropriate housing provider based on their experiencing with chronic homelessness, the score on their Vulnerability Index (VI) and length of time homeless.

    How is this list generated?

    The report is generated from the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) that is based on the creation of “entries” and “exits” for clients into projects created within the database.

    Following the creation of an entry into a project, HMIS users add assessment information that includes individuals’ homeless status and current residence/living situation.

     

    Individuals will be listed on the CE List if:

    • They are experiencing homelessness
      • Homeless
      • At Imminent Risk of Losing Housing
      • For Youth Only, Unstably Housed  
      • Homelessness here would mean the client's Housing Status is:
    • They are in an corresponding current residence/living situation

     

    Entries and Exits

    First a little bit of terminology:

    • Entry - Any clients on the CE List must have an entry into a project in HMIS. The entry is typically the most comprehensive a client has to complete.
    • Exit - The exit documents that client as they leave a project.
    • Active - An active status as it refers to clients means that they are currently enrolled in a project and are engaged with that project.

     

    The report will include all individuals and households who experience homelessness and have a current entry into a project in HMIS. For example, an individual entered and assessed via the Coordinated Entry System – Skilled Assessors Project has an “active” entry to reflect their current enrollment in the project. The individual will remain in this project, and stay “active”, until they are “exited” when housed or in response to other provided data. Another instance includes an individual entered into an Emergency Shelter. This individual will have an “active” entry in this project until the Veteran leaves the project and has an associated exit.

     

    The report will include all individuals experiencing homelessness who left (exited) from a project during the selected period, three months prior to the running of the report. For example, an individual will be on the CE List if the individual exits from an Emergency Shelter to a homeless destination (or one that is unknown/not reported) within the three-month period prior to running the report. Conversely, a Veteran who exits from an Emergency Shelter (to a homeless or unknown destination) in a period extending longer than three months before the running of the report will no longer appear on the list.

     

    Transfer Requests 

    Projects may request that clients be transferred to projects either within the same type or program model or to one that provides a differing level of support. Projects can submit a Transfer Request Form via an Update (Interim) Assessment in HMIS.

    • Navigate to the client record for whom the transfer will be requested
    • Follow the steps to create an Update Assessment. Select the Assessment titled, Chicago Coordinated Entry System (CES) Transfer Request Form and complete all requested details.
    • Approval will subsequently be added to the form by the Matching Team.
    • The Matching Team will notify the contact person indicated in the form of the approval and match of the client to a newly identified project.

    There is a short video on how to create a transfer request.

     

     

    Clients Coming Off the CE List

    Individuals and Head of Household members will be removed from the report for the following reasons:

    • The individual enters a permanent housing option such as Permanent Housing, Rental by client, or Staying with Family, permanent tenure.
    • The individual left from a project (Exit) and did not have any subsequent contact with (Entry) a provider who entered the information into HMIS during the three-month period prior to the running of the report.
    • The individual’s housing status and associated current residence was corrected to indicate that the Veteran was not experiencing homelessness and not in need of connection to a housing provider.
    • For Veterans, the Veteran’s status was reviewed and was not found to be a Veteran.

      

    Referrals

    The updating of Need Status allows for the coordination of referrals to Housing Providers. In addition, the details outline the current needs or barriers that may be impacting a single provider or the system in connecting individuals and households to housing.

    There are several need statuses that serve specific functions. You can review our Referral Need Status Glossary here. 

    Initially Updating the Referral Need Status

    Housing providers should update the Need Status within two-business days of receipt of the referral. The initial status will be “CES: Matched: Awaiting response by Housing Provider”. The status should be changed to reflect the current work of the Housing Provider in contacting the individual or household and completing the initial intake/enrollment process.

    The Need Status options are outlined in the Referral Need Status Glossary to provide consistent details to assist with the appropriate response selection.

     

    Updating the Referral Need Status

    The continued tracking of the referral as the individual or household works with the Housing Provider further allows for the tracking of necessary resources needed to connect the individual or household to housing.

    The referral should be updated to reflect the individual or household’s movement toward housing or continued challenges presented to the Housing Provider.

     

    Requesting Assistance in Contacting the Household

    Housing providers should reach out to all contacts included in the matching email connected to the individual or household. Theses contacts are included to help facilitate a rapid connection between all team member to help connect the individual to the identified housing project.

     Housing Providers can update the Referral Need Status to “Rematch Needed: Not able to contact client”. Referrals with this status will be reviewed during the Community Team Meetings.

    Prior to selecting this option, the housing provider should attempt to contact the Veteran, emergency contact person, and referral partner if this information is provided in the assessment.

    The status of “Rematch Needed: Not able to contact client” should be selected after two unsuccessful attempts at reaching the individual. This should ideally be selected after five days have elapsed from the initial referral with active efforts made to contact the individual.

     

    Not Able to Locate the Client

    Housing Providers will change the Need Status of the Referral to indicate that they have not been able to contact the client within the 10 day period of time following the Match.

    Change the Need Status to “Rematch Needed: Not able to contact client”

    The Housing Provider will no longer need to respond to the referral. The individual (and household) will be connected to another housing provider when they re-establish contact with the CES.

    The individual and/or household will be removed from the CE List if they are not currently engaged with a housing or service provider for a period of 90 days. They will be matched again following their re-engagement with a project.

     

    Was this article helpful?
    3 out of 3 found this helpful
    Have more questions? Submit a request

    Related articles