Coordinated Entry System (CES) and Call Center

Coordinated Entry Call Center

The Coordinated Entry Call Center is a dedicated phone line administered by Catholic Charities that persons who meet the HUD definition of homelessness can call to complete a CES housing assessment. The Call Center is open to healthcare facilities (Hospitals, FQHCs, etc.) shelters, domestic violence and human trafficking service providers, and other partners as approved by CSH, the Coordinated Entry lead entity. The table below outlines the Call Center workflow.

Step 1: Completing a Housing Assessment

As stated above, housing assessments completed through the Call Center can come from a few key sources: (1) a healthcare facility, (2) approved shelters, (3) domestic violence and human trafficking service providers, (4) and other approved partners.

1. Before completing a housing assessment via the Call Center, the staff member calling with the client should complete the CES consent form. This consent should be explained to the client before the call and the client should verbally consent to participating in the call. At the beginning of the assessment, the skilled assessor will ask if the client has verbally consented to complete a housing assessment.
2. To complete a housing assessment via the Call Center, staff at the hospital (social worker, health advocate, care coordinator, etc.) shelter, or service provider must initiate the call with the client physically in the room. If staff call with the client on a different line, i.e., the client is not physically present, the Skilled Assessor will inform the callers that the assessment cannot be completed and let them know that they can either call back when they are together to complete the assessment or the client can go to a physical access point. Similarly, if a client calls without a staff member present, the Skilled Assessor will inform the caller that the assessment cannot be completed and will let them know that they can either call back with a staff member or go to a physical access point.
3. Once the call is initiated the staff member and client will be connected with a Skilled Assessor.
   1. The staff member calling with the client will be asked to give their contact information – this is so, if a client is matched to housing, the system can more efficiently locate that client. This also helps the Coordinated Entry lead entities with understanding who is connecting participants to this resource for follow up supports and feedback requests.
   2. The staff member will then be asked two questions about observing a disability. These questions need to be asked of the staff member privately, without the client on the line. These questions are a necessary part of the housing assessment and help determine vulnerability and prioritization. These questions should be asked at the very beginning of the assessment.
   3. After steps (a) and (b), the client complete the rest of the housing assessment with the Skilled Assessor. Most clients will be able to complete the remainder of the assessment on their own. Some, depending on their level of need and vulnerability, will need the staff member to stay with them to complete the full assessment.
4. Once the housing assessment is complete, the Skilled Assessor provides the client or client and staff member with information regarding next steps. This includes: (1) how and where to update one’s assessment (2) what happens if one is matched to housing (3) how long it will take for one to be matched to housing, etc. This information corresponds to the CES Consumer Brochure filled out by Skilled Assessors when doing housing assessments in person.
5. If requested an email receipt is sent to the caller and/or client after the assessment is completed. The receipt will be the client’s HMIS ID number.

Step 2: Updating Information

Clients may use the Call Center on their own any week day during the Call Center’s regular hours of 8:30am – 4:00pm to update their assessment. As was stated above, after the assessment is completed a receipt will be sent to the staff member and the client, depending on if the client has an email address, with instructions on how to update one’s assessment and stay active within CES.

Step 3: Linkage to Housing

Catholic Charities will link households to housing resources as they become available based on the CES Prioritization Plan.