Providing solutions to end homelessness in
Texas communities through education,
resources and advocacy
We provide support to agencies and
communities that build systems to end
homelessness.
2015 Kansas Statewide Summit
on Homelessness
Texas Balance of State Continuum of
Care
(TX BoS CoC)
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Agenda
Introduction & History
THN’s Role in Texas
History of TX BoS CoC
Program Accomplishments
CoC Governance, Structure, and Communication
Staff Structure
Coordinated Access
PIT
Housing First
Reallocation
THN Introduction and History
• THN est. in 1991
– 1992: Agency to do work of Texas Interagency
Council for the Homeless (TICH)
– 1994: Coalition Builder
– 1996: Training and Technical Assistance Provider
– 2006: Balance of State CoC lead
THN Role in Texas
How the TX BoS CoC was formed
• By the early 2000s most of Texas joined the
CoC party
• The six major metropolitan areas flourished
• Mid-size metropolitan saw little return on
social capital
• Rural areas largely went unfunded
• HUD implored THN to unite uncovered
regions
Texas’ CoC Outlook in early 2000s
TX CoC Coverage 2015
Program
Accomplishments
TX BoS CoC Governance Structure
TX BoS Membership and Communication
Structure
General Membership Meeting Participants
CoC lead Staff
• Ten team members in 2015
• TX BoS CoC Lead Department currently
operates in two divisions:
Director of CoC Programs
CoC Planning and
Operations:
HMIS:
CoC Manager
HMIS Project Manager
Data Coordinator
HMIS Data Analyst
Coordinated Access
Specialist
HMIS Support Team (2)
CoC administrative Support Team (2)
A new approach to staff Roles &
Responsibilities?
One team operating by Functions:
• Planning
• Data
• Performance
• CoC Governance
• Communications and Training
Internal Evaluation of processes
The team is examining each CoC lead task/function to determine where
responsibilities overlap in order to:
A.Operate more efficiently
B.Group team under function categories
Coordinated Assessment in the TX
BoS CoC
• The TX BoS CoC uses term “Coordinated
Access”
• Implementation underway in 7 communities
• Project success largely dependent on local
communities
• Coordinated Access Transition Teams (CATT)
formed in each community as lead entity
Coordinated Access starts with System
Change
Current System:
“Should we accept this household into our
program?”
Future System:
“What housing /service assistance is best
for each household and quickly ends their
housing crisis permanently?”
Program-Centric
Unique forms and assessment processes
to each organization
Does not necessarily ensure match
between need and service received
Uneven knowledge about available
housing and service interventions in the
CoC
Client-Centric and System Driven
Standard forms and assessment
processes used by every program for every
client
Coordinated referral process across the
CoC
Accessible information about available
housing and service interventions in the
CoC
Collection of meaningful data
Access
• A few entry points selected by CATTs
• 2-1-1
Assess
• Intake and Assessment in HMIS
• Focus on Diversion and Prevention
Assign
• Eligibility and Referral process completed
in HMIS
Accountability
• CAN oversees local process
• THN oversees BoS Implementation
Guiding Question for
Coordinated Access
Guiding
Question:
Core
Principles:
“What housing and service
assistance strategy is best for each
household of the several services
available?”
Standardized Access and
Assessment
Access
Assess
Coordinated
Referral
Assign
TX BoS CoC Point-in-Time Count
• 30 communities
– Local coordination but consistent method &
documentation
• Data collection
– Paper surveys, mobile app
• Data entry
– Local control, online survey tool used
• Data Analysis
– Community reports, TX BoS CoC report
Approach to Housing First
• The TX BoS CoC lags far behind on Hsg 1st
Iniaitive
• The TX BoS CoC is in the education phase in
regard to Housing First
– Despite misconceptions there are Rules under
Housing First
– Implementation of one true Housing First project
to show the success and then others will follow
Reallocation
• TX BoS CoC history with reallocation
• Current method
– Provider choice, competition for reallocated funds
limited
• Plans for future
– Less carrot, more stick
Contact Information & Resources
Director or Continuum of Care
Programs
Eric Samuels
[email protected]
Phone: 512-687-5105
Cell: 512-921-2570
www.thn.org
BoSers: (working group of BoS
CoC Leads)