The purpose of this article is to provide information about the Coordinated Entry Transfer policy. The following topics will be covered:
Internal Transfers
Housing providers have the autonomy to make internal transfers between projects at the same agency.
- A CES approval is not required for transfers to the same program model type, as well as between Safe Haven and PSH models, though agencies are still required to submit an internal transfer request to notify CES of the transfer so that a referral can be generated
- A CES approval is required for transfers to a different program model type.
To ensure such transfers are documented through CES, housing providers must complete the Internal Transfer Notification Form within 2 business days of making the determination that an internal transfer will occur. See this article for the HMIS workflow: Coordinated Entry Transfer Request Workflow
The CE Matching Entity will acknowledge receipt of the internal transfer notification form and will complete a CES referral within 2 business days
- Internal transfers to the same program model type, as well as between Safe Haven and PSH models, can exit the client from the old project and enroll the client into the new project. Providers do not need to wait for this referral to transfer a participant
- Internal transfers to a different program model type must wait to receive instructions for next steps from the CES Team.
External Transfers
In some cases, agencies will need to transfer households to different agencies or a different project type, depending on the client's changing needs. Households meeting eligibility criteria for a housing intervention can be transferred to that intervention, regardless of the funding stream of the household’s current housing project.
Providers will need to complete the External Transfer Form. See this article for the HMIS workflow: Coordinated Entry Transfer Request Workflow
The approval process for transfer requests will vary depending on the reason identified. However, transfers due to fleeing/experiencing violence or accessibility to maintain a unit in the community will be prioritized above all other transfers and will have the fastest resolution possible.
Clients come off the transfer-in-waiting roster once they are:
- not approved
- are housed in a new project; OR
- are exited from the requesting project.
Categories of Transfers
The following lists the categories of transfers, descriptions, and the expected timeline of each.
- Category 1 - Individual or Environmental Safety or Accessibility
- Category 2 - Household Composition
- Category 3 - Service Level or Client Choice
- Category 4 - Defunded Projects
Category 1 - Individual or Environmental Safety or Accessibility
Individual Safety - A household is fleeing violence and must move locations to reach safety.
- This includes fleeing physical, sexual, and psychological harm.
- What it's not: Dissatisfaction with neighborhood and/or neighbors such as disputes that can be mediated.
Environmental Safety - The space has become unsafe for the household, even if the household has not been hurt or threatened.
- As examples, someone has taken over the unit and the household can no longer live there, violence taking place in the apartment building, or tenants in the building harassing the participant, possibly related to their gender, sexual orientation, or disability.
- What it's not: Crime in the neighborhood that are not specifically targeting the household or building.
Accessibility - The household is unable to live in their home due to requiring accommodations that cannot be made.
- Examples can include requiring an elevator or larger door frame for a wheelchair in a building without these features, conditions of the housing negatively impacting a medical challenge of a household member such as asthma, or need for a unit with an additional bedroom for a caregiver.
- What it's not: Accessibility accommodations needed that can be put into place such as grab bars or a lift.
Approval Time: As quickly as possible, no longer than two days
Approving Body: CE Lead Entity or Delegate
Category 2 - Household Composition
The family size changes so that the household requires a smaller or larger unit.
- This can include the unit size impacting the household retaining or obtaining custody of children or households that included children and now only include the parent/s.
- What it's not: Desire for a larger unit that is not required based on family size.
Approval Time: As quickly as possible, no longer than one week
Approving Body: CE Lead Entity or Delegate
Category 3 - Service Level or Client Choice
Service Level - The needs of the household cannot be accommodated by the current provider and additional community supports without a transfer, and is only utilized after other interventions are tested.
- This can include the need to move from a scattered site unit to a project based location or vice versa to accommodate service needs.
- What it's not: Client is challenging to engage in services or has ongoing conflicts with agency staff.
Client Choice - The household would be able to reach employment or educational goals living in a different location that cannot be obtained in the current program, or the household has identified that they require a different housing provider to successfully maintain housing.
- What it's not: Geographic preference that is unrelated to employment/education, preference for a larger unit, or preference for a different provider when challenges with the current provider can be resolved.
Approval Time: One to two weeks
Approving Body: System Integration Team or comparable group, no smaller than 5 total, with the agency submitting the transfer request present. The group will critically review the transfer request and decide on whether the agency has exhausted all other options and a transfer is the most appropriate next step, or brainstorm alternative solutions.
Category 4 - Defunded Projects
All Chicago will work with agencies with defunded projects to determine next steps for all households and will communicate with providers what steps they must take to have transfers approved. A maximum of 5 consecutive transfers will occur from a defunded agency at any given time. After five matches are made from a defunded agency or agencies, the following five matches will not include households from defunded projects.
When a defunded project has a population eligible for a housing intervention with supply that is greater than demand, no limit will be placed by CE on consecutive referrals. As an example, if there are more HUD VASH vouchers available than eligible Veterans in a defunded project, CE will not limit the number of transfers made.
Transfers related to fleeing violence will always be prioritized first, even ahead of defunded transfers.
Approval Time:
Approving Body: All Chicago
Communication standards
CE Matching Entity will acknowledge the receipt of a transfer request within two business days and will correspond with the referral agency weekly with status updates.
Housing providers will notify the CE Matching Entity if the transfer is no longer needed.