Coordinated Entry and Assessment (CEA)
For Families Experiencing Homelessness in King County 

Thank you for taking an interest in the Coordinated Entry and Assessment System developed for families experiencing homelessness in King County.

Update

Please click here to be directed to the new Family Housing Connection website.

See the most recent announcement from Catholic Community Services regarding the status of Coordinated Entry and Assessment (as of May 4th, 2012). Click here to read more.

Coordinated Entry and Assessment Program Inventory FAQs (as of 3/7/12):

Q: If someone other than the staff person mentioned in the email body is going to complete the program inventory, do you need to send another email with that person’s name in it?

A: No, the email is only for your information. Any staff member with knowledge of the program may complete the program inventory. If that person is not the same as the one included in the email we sent (identified as the main contact for that program), please let us know so we can update our records.

Q: We have a DV shelter program but you didn’t mention them in the initial email- should we have them complete a program inventory?

A: No- for DV confidential shelters, families will access confidential shelter the way they always have- through the Day One system. Coordinated Entry and Assessment will not replace this system. Once a family feels safety is no longer an issue for their housing, they can access coordinated entry by contacting the Family Housing Connection program (through 2-1-1).

DESCRIPTION AND BACKGROUND:

The lack of a common coordinated entry system with a standardized assessment has created inefficiencies for families experiencing and at-risk of homelessness, providers and the system itself.

Families must navigate an obstacle course of different phone numbers, agency vacancy protocols, and intake criteria in order to get assistance. Locating resources can be random for the family and does not always lead to the best fit for their needs. This is a stressful process for vulnerable families and especially for families with higher needs (who probably do not fare as well). In the current system, a homeless family may find shelter in a few days, or it could take weeks or months, depending on who they call, how often they call, and so on.

In addition, system-wide, we know very little about those families that are being turned away or do not seek services. We also lack the ability to target resources to program areas based on unduplicated need or demand for services.

Coordinated entry and uniform assessments for at-risk and homeless families will provide:

• A clearly identified process for families to know where and how to access services.
• A single access point to request services. Without additional resources within the system, families may not access services more quickly; however they will not need to continuously navigate the obstacle course of making numerous calls without knowing if or where they will find assistance.
• A standardized assessment - the ability to match families into appropriate housing and services tailored to their needs. Through one process, families will have access to a variety of programs that would be suitable for them based on their housing and service needs.
• Coordinated referrals at a system-wide level that matches families with the most appropriate services and providers based on the standardized assessment of the family and the program eligibility.
• Unduplicated data on the number of homeless families and the needs/barriers of these families that can influence system modifications and enhancements. For example, information on how many families are seeking services, what are their service level needs, what is the wait time for families receiving services (system gaps), etc.

The end result is a system for preventing and ending family homelessness that is less fragmented and is more efficient and effective for families.

For more questions about Coordinated Entry and Assessment in King County, please feel free to contact:

Deborah Kuznitz, Project Manager at deborah.kuznitz@kingcounty.gov
Debbi Knowles, Project Lead at debbi.knowles@kingcounty.gov