1. West Central Minnesota Continuum of Care

2. What is a Continuum of Care (CoC)?
The Continuum of Care is a regional planning body of representative stakeholders designed to promote a shared commitment to the goal of ending homelessness with a focus on;
quickly rehousing homeless individuals and families while minimizing the trauma and dislocation caused to homeless individuals, families, and communities by homelessness;
promoting access to and effect utilization of mainstream programs; and
optimizing stability and self-sufficiency for individuals and families while homeless and once housed.
It includes:
Gathering and analyzing information to determine the local needs of people experiencing homelessness,
Implementing strategic plans to end homelessness based on data;
Measuring results of regional plan; and
Setting a local process for applying, reviewing and prioritizing HUD CoC project applications.

3. History of Continuum of Care (CoC)?
In 1995, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) implemented the Continuum of Care (CoC) approach to streamline the existing competitive funding and grant-making process under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act and to encourage communities to coordinate more fully the planning and provision of housing and services for homeless people.
On April 2, 2009, Senators Reed, Bond, and 11 other Senators and Representatives Moore, Biggert, and 5 other House Members introduced identical versions of a McKinney-Vento reauthorization bill, the HEARTH Act. That measure was attached by amendment to the Helping Families Save Their Homes Act (S. 896), which was enacted on May 20, The HEARTH Act made numerous changes to HUD's homeless assistance programs including; consolidating HUD's competitive grant programs, changing HUD's definition of homelessness and chronic homelessness and formally defining the role of the Continuum of Care.

4. West Central MN CoC Region
Counties
Becker
Clay
Douglas
Grant
Pope
Otter Tail
Stevens
Traverse
Wilkin
Reservations:
White Earth Reservation (within Becker Co).

5. Community Action Agencies
Lakes & Prairies Community Action (Clay & Wilkin)
Mahube-otwa (Mahnomen, Hubbard, Becker, Otter Tail & Wadena)
West Central MN Communities Action (Grant, Douglas, Traverse, Stevens, & Pope)
ESG Sub-Grantees
Churches United for the Homeless Emergency Shelter (Moorhead)
Dorothy Day Emergency Shelter (Moorhead)
Lakes & Prairies Transitional Housing, Rapid Re-housing, & Youth (Clay & Wilkin)
Mahube-Otwa Transitional Housing, Rapid Re-housing & Emergency Shelter (Becker & Otter Tail)
WCMCA Transitional Housing & Emergency Shelter (Grant, Douglas, Traverse, Stevens & Pope)
White Earth – Motel Vouchers (White Earth Reservation in Becker)
HUD Continuum of Care Funded Programs
WCMCA Transitional Housing & Permanent Supportive Housing (Douglas)
Lakes & Prairies Permanent Supportive Housing (Clay & Wilkin)
Clay County HRA Cares PSH (All 9 Counties) & Prairie Horizons PSH (Clay)
Homeless Information Management System (HMIS)

6. West Central MN CoC Region
Other Homeless Programs
Dream Catcher Homes PSH (White Earth Reservation, Becker)
Clay County HRA ELTH Vouchers (Clay, Wilkin, Douglas, Grant, Stevens, Pope, and Traverse)
Clay County HRA Gateway Gardens (Clay)
Clay County HRA Highly Mobile Youth (Clay)
Compassion House GRH (Detroit Lakes)
Lakes & Prairies Family Homeless Prevention & Assistance (FHPAP) - (Clay & Wilkin)
Mahube-Otwa FHPHP (Becker)
Mahube-Otwa ELTH Vouchers (Becker and Wilkin)
Mahube-Otwa Supportive Services (Becker)
Mary’s Place Domestic Violence Shelter (Detroit Lakes)
Mahube-otwa FHPAP (Becker & Otter Tail)
WCMCA FHPAP (Grant, Douglas, Traverse, Stevens & Pope)
WCMCA House Keys/Rapid Re-Rehousing (Douglas)
Someplace Safe DV Safe homes and motel vouchers (Douglas, Otter Tail and Wilkin)

7. Required Roles/Responsibilities Other Goals/Responsibilities
CoC Organizational Structure
Required Roles/Responsibilities
Other Goals/Responsibilities
MEMBERSHIP
Approve CoC organizational structure including board and committee structure, and process for selecting both.
Approval of bylaws, policies and code of conduct.
Annually elect Board of Directors
Participate in annual CoC planning and establishment CoC priorities and performance outcomes.

8. Required Roles/Responsibilities Other Goals/Responsibilities
CoC Organizational Structure
Required Roles/Responsibilities
Other Goals/Responsibilities
MEMBERSHIP
Approve CoC organizational structure including board and committee structure, and process for selecting both.
Approval of bylaws, policies and code of conduct.
Annually elect Board of Directors
Participate in annual CoC planning and establishment CoC priorities and performance outcomes.
BOARD of DIRECTORS
Approve annual CoC membership plan
Appoint ad hoc committees/workgroups and vacant committee chair positions.
Approve standards for administering CoC Assistance.
Approve process for evaluating ESG and CoC Programs.
Designate a HMIS lead and system.
Approve an annual Coordinated CoC Plan (ES to PSH)
Conduct an annual Gaps Analysis
Assure Coordinated with Consolidated Plan
Approve annual HUD CoC submission (including Collaborative Applicant, Collaborative Application, and ranking of projects)
Approve annual priorities for CoC projects.
Determine whether UFA or Collaborative Applicant system is utilized.
Approve selection of CoC Coordinator

9. Required Roles/Responsibilities Other Goals/Responsibilities
CoC Organizational Structure
Required Roles/Responsibilities
Other Goals/Responsibilities
MEMBERSHIP
Approve CoC organizational structure including board and committee structure, and process for selecting both.
Approval of bylaws, policies and code of conduct.
Annually elect Board of Directors
Participate in annual CoC planning and establishment CoC priorities and performance outcomes.
BOARD of DIRECTORS
Approve annual CoC membership plan
Appoint ad hoc committees/workgroups and vacant committee chair positions.
Approve standards for administering CoC Assistance.
Approve process for evaluating ESG and CoC Programs.
Designate a HMIS lead and system.
Approve an annual Coordinated CoC Plan (ES to PSH)
Conduct an annual Gaps Analysis
Assure Coordinated with Consolidated Plan
Approve annual HUD CoC submission (including Collaborative Applicant, Collaborative Application, and ranking of projects)
Approve annual priorities for CoC projects.
Determine whether UFA or Collaborative Applicant system is utilized.
Approve selection of CoC Coordinator
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Develop annual membership recruitment plan
Establish written policies to select board
Establish policy to appoint Committee/ workgroups.
Establish policies, bylaws & code of conduct.
Approve plan for taking action against poor performance.
Approve plan for development and ranking of CoC applications.
Support and/or guide Coordinator and Committee in responding to Poor performers, HMIS non-compliance, and Coordinated Assessment issues.
Approve and evaluate annual CoC Coordinator work plan.
Selection committee for CoC Coordinator.

10. Required Roles/Responsibilities Other Goals/Responsibilities
CoC Organizational Structure
Required Roles/Responsibilities
Other Goals/Responsibilities
MEMBERSHIP
Approve CoC organizational structure including board and committee structure, and process for selecting both.
Approval of bylaws, policies and code of conduct.
Annually elect Board of Directors
Participate in annual CoC planning and establishment CoC priorities and performance outcomes.
BOARD of DIRECTORS
Approve annual CoC membership plan
Appoint ad hoc committees/workgroups and vacant committee chair positions.
Approve standards for administering CoC Assistance.
Approve process for evaluating ESG and CoC Programs.
Designate a HMIS lead and system.
Approve an annual Coordinated CoC Plan (ES to PSH)
Conduct an annual Gaps Analysis
Assure Coordinated with Consolidated Plan
Approve annual HUD CoC submission (including Collaborative Applicant, Collaborative Application, and ranking of projects)
Approve annual priorities for CoC projects.
Determine whether UFA or Collaborative Applicant system is utilized.
Approve selection of CoC Coordinator
Develop annual membership recruitment plan
Establish written policies to select board
Establish policy to appoint Committee/ workgroups.
Establish policies, bylaws & code of conduct.
Approve plan for taking action against poor performance.
Approve plan for development and ranking of CoC applications.
Support and/or guide Coordinator and Committee in responding to Poor performers, HMIS non-compliance, and Coordinated Assessment issues.
Approve and evaluate annual CoC Coordinator work plan.
Selection committee for CoC Coordinator.
COC COORDINATOR
Coordinate the goals and annual plan of the CoC.
Complete the annual HUD Collaborative Application.
Support communication and collaboration among CoC members, grantees and other stakeholders/partners.
Help assure compliance with HUD mandates for CoC.

11. Required Roles/Responsibilities PERFORMANCE EVALUATION COMMITTEE
CoC Structure - Committees
Required Roles/Responsibilities
PERFORMANCE EVALUATION COMMITTEE
Recruit committee members
Take lead in establishing performance measures, targets and standards for administering ESG and CoC assistance.
Review outcomes for ESG & CoC programs and report to Board. CoC outcomes monitored through APR pre-review.
Lead in establishing Ranking Criteria.
Regularly monitor system wide performance targets.
Provide input to data committee on desired data input.
Establish and implement plan for taking action against poor performances.
Assure participation in HMIS

12. Required Roles/Responsibilities PERFORMANCE EVALUATION COMMITTEE
CoC Structure - Committees
Required Roles/Responsibilities
PERFORMANCE EVALUATION COMMITTEE
Recruit committee members
Take lead in establishing performance measures, targets and standards for administering ESG and CoC assistance.
Review outcomes for ESG & CoC programs and report to Board.
Regularly monitor system wide performance targets.
Provide input to data committee on desired data input.
Establish and implement plan for taking action against poor performances.
Assure participation in HMIS
DATA COMMITTEE
Recruit Committee members
Work with CoC Coordinator to plan, conduct and review annual PIT, HIC, and gaps analysis processes.
Obtain participant feedback on program performance and gaps.
Reviews program participation in HMIS.
Reviews HMIS privacy, security, data quality plan annually
Assure HMIS is administered in compliance w/HUD
Provide information to Consolidated plans
Develop and review annually governance charter with HMIS.

13. CoC Structure – 2015 Board

14. Coordinated Assessment (CA)
The CoC is required to have a “…a centralized or coordinated process designed to coordinate program participant intake assessment and provision of referrals. A centralized or coordinated assessment system covers the geographic area, is easily accessed by individuals and families seeking housing or services, is well advertised, and includes a comprehensive and standardized assessment tool.”
Coordinated Assessment must support the purpose of the CoC program which is to:
promote community wide commitment to the goal of ending homelessness;
provide funding for efforts by nonprofit providers and state and local governments to quickly rehouse homeless individuals and families while minimizing the trauma and dislocation caused to homeless individuals, families, and communities by homelessness;
promote access to and effective utilization of mainstream programs by homeless individuals and families; and
optimize self-sufficiency among individuals and families experiencing homelessness.

16. Homeless Management Information System
A Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) is the information system designated by a local Continuum of Care(CoC) to comply with the requirements of CoC Program interim rule 24 CFR 578. MN has a state-wide system.
HMIS is used to record and analyze client, service and housing data for individuals and families who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.
HMIS is a valuable resource because of its capacity to integrate and unduplicate data across projects in a community.
Aggregate HMIS data can be used to understand the size, characteristics, and needs of the homeless population at multiple levels: project, system, local, state, and national.
Each CoC is required to designate and utilize HMIS.
Some homeless funders require participation in HMIS from the following programs: HUD CoC, ESG (TH and ES), ESP, ELTH, DSS LTH, PATH, and RHYA.

17. Annual Homeless Reports
HUD requires each CoC to conduct a Housing Inventory Count (HIC) annually and Point-in-Time (PIT) count biannually at one point-in-time during the last 10 days of January. The CoC also submits HMIS data to the Annual Homeless Assessment Report (AHAR).
HIC: An annual inventory of current dedicated homeless Emergency Shelter, Transitional Housing, Rapid Rehousing, Permanent Supportive Housing beds and units. Beds included:
PIT: An annual point-in-time sheltered and unsheltered count of persons who are homeless to understand the number and characteristics.
Sheltered: Capacity and utilization of ES & TH dedicated beds.
Unsheltered: Count of persons whose primary nighttime sleeping arrangement is public place not meant for use as a regular sleeping accommodation (car, park, abandoned building, bus, train station, camp ground, etc.)
AHAR: A report to the U.S. Congress based primarily on HMIS data about persons who experience homelessness during a 12-month period. It provides nationwide estimates of homelessness, including information about the demographic characteristics of homeless persons, service use patterns, and the capacity to house homeless persons.

18. Evaluation
System-wide Performance: HUD established system-wide performance measures will begin tracking in the 2015 NOFA, with a baseline beginning October 1, These include:
Length of time homeless
Recidivism (subsequent return to homelessness)
Access/coverage/outreach - thoroughness in reaching all homeless
Overall reduction in the number of homelessness individuals and families
Job and income growth for persons who are homeless
Reduction in the number of individuals and families who become homeless
Successful placement from street outreach
Successful housing placement to or retention in permanent housing destination
Use Rapid Re-Housing as a method to reduce family Homelessness
Increase Progress Towards Ending Chronic Homelessness
Program performance: HUD is asking Continuums to rank and prioritize projects who are high performing and consider reallocation of those who are underperforming. HUD has set the following performance measures for projects in CoC projects Annual Performance Report (APR):
Increase Housing Stability – HUD has set 80% target
Increase project participants income
Earned income – HUD has set 20% target
Other cash income – HUD has set 54% target
Increase the #of participants obtaining mainstream benefits – HUD target 56%
Utilization Rate - CoC has set 100% target
Budget expenditure – CoC has set 99% target
HMIS participation – HUD has set 86% target, CoC has set 100% target

19. State & Federal Homeless Funding
HUD Continuum of Care Program (CoC) The CoC is responsible for submitting a reviewing, ranking and submitting projects during the annual CoC Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) process. Programs funded under the CoC Program include: Supportive Services Only (SSO), Transitional Housing (TH), Rapid Rehousing (RRH), Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH), Homeless Management Information System (HMIS), Coordinated Assessment (CA) and CoC Planning.
State of MN The CoC is responsible for setting priorities and providing input on the following programs:
Family Homeless Prevention and Assistance (FHPAP)
MN Housing Ending Long-term Homeless (ELTH) Vouchers
DHS Supportive Services Funding (DSS)
OEO Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG), Emergency Shelter (ES) and Transitional Housing (TH)
Runaway Homeless Youth Act (RHYA)
Capital – MN Housing
Other Federal Sources The following are “other” key homeless funding sources. The CoC is NOT responsible for prioritizing these funding sources.
Violence Against Women Act (VAWA)
Supportive Services for Veterans Families (SSVF)
Veterans Assistance (VA) Homeless

20. Overview of CoC funds
Eligible Costs: HUD CoC programs support funding for;
new construction, acquisition, rehabilitation, or leasing of buildings to provide transitional or permanent housing;
rental assistance or leasing for transitional or permanent supportive housing;
payment of operating costs for transitional or permanent supportive housing;
supportive services;
re-housing services;
payment of administrative costs; and
HMIS.
Applicant Eligibility: Private nonprofit organizations, states, local governments, and instrumentalities of state and local governments are eligible to apply if they have been selected by the Continuum of Care for the geographic area in which they operate.
Funds available: Currently the NW CoC is an a hold harmless annual renewal status. There for any new project funds can only be requested through reallocation of current funding. In 2014, the CoC’s annual renewal amount of $655,107 exceeded our annual pro rata share of $413,444.

21. Current CoC Funded Projects

22. Housing First
Housing First is an approach in which housing is offered to people experiencing homelessness without preconditions (such as sobriety, mental health treatment, or a minimum income threshold) or service participation requirements and in which rapid placement and stabilization in permanent housing are primary goals.
PSH projects that use a Housing First approach promote the acceptance of applicants regardless of their sobriety or use of substances, completion of treatment, or participation in services.
HUD encourages all recipients of CoC Program-funded PSH to follow a Housing First approach to the maximum extent practicable.
HUD recognizes that this approach may not be applicable for all program designs, particularly for those projects formerly awarded under the SHP or SPC programs which were permitted to target persons with specific disabilities (e.g., “sober housing”).

23. PSH PRIORITIZATION
HUD is requesting CoC’s establish CoC policy on prioritizing PSH to persons with the highest needs and greatest barriers towards obtaining and maintaining housing on their own. The two priority areas include:
Chronic Homeless
Persons who have been literally homeless (ES, place not meant for human habitation) for at least 12 months continuously, OR have had 4 separate episodes (totally at least 12 months) in the past 3 years; AND
Persons with a verifiable disability
Severity of Service Needs.
Person with a history of high utilization of crisis services (emergency rooms, jails, and psychiatric facilities, etc.); OR
Persons with significant health or behavioral health challenges or functional impairments which require a significant level of support in order to maintain permanent housing. The determination must not be based on a specific diagnosis or disability type, but only on the severity of needs of the individual.
Note: Severe service needs should be identified and verified through data-driven methods such as an administrative data match or through the use of a standardized assessment tool that can identify the severity of needs such as the Vulnerability Index (VI), the Service Prioritization Decision Assistance Tool (SPDAT), or the Frequent Users Service Enhancement (FUSE).

24. Why should I participate in the CoC?
The CoC is a regional evaluation and planning process. Broad participation is needed to provide input on the creation, implementation and evaluation of the plan.
Peers in your Continuum of Care can help your organization develop more effective ways to serve consumers by sharing information and experiences.
Planning as a Continuum of Care helps avoid duplication of efforts within a community and makes service providers more efficient.
Being involved in your Continuum of Care permits you to keep appraised of important information including; funding opportunities, partner updates, state plans and priorities, trainings, regional trends, etc.
Being involved in your Continuum of Care allows your voice to be heard on policies, funding, and service needs of persons who are experiencing homelessness in your communities.
An effective Continuum of Care makes a community more competitive for HUD Homeless Assistance grants.
A Continuum of Care can create a critical mass of political will to end homelessness.
Together we really can do more!

25. How do I participate in our Continuum of Care?
Attend CoC Membership Meetings.
Join a CoC committee.
Participate in annual Point-in-time (PIT) and Housing Inventory Counts (HIC).
Participate in Coordinated Assessment
Provide input on system needs and solutions.
Keep up to date by reading the meeting notices and materials.

26. HUD Homeless Definition
As described in the preamble of the Final Rule Defining Homeless, the final rule establishes four categories of homelessness. These categories are:
(1) Individuals and families who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence and includes a subset for an individual who is exiting an institution where he or she resided for 90 days or less and who resided in an emergency shelter or a place not meant for human habitation immediately before entering that institution;
(2) Individuals and families who will imminently lose their primary nighttime residence;
(3) Unaccompanied youth and families with children and youth who are defined as homeless under other federal statutes who do not otherwise qualify as homeless under this definition; or
(4) Individuals and families who are fleeing, or are attempting to flee, domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, or other dangerous or life-threatening conditions that relate to violence against the individual or a family member.

27. HUD Chronic Homeless Definition
An individual who:
Is homeless and lives in a place not meant for human habitation, a safe haven, or in an emergency shelter; and
Has been homeless and living or residing in a place not meant for human habitation, a safe haven, or in an emergency shelter continuously for at least one year or on at least four separate occasions in the last 3 years; and
Can be diagnosed with one or more of the following conditions: substance use disorder, serious mental illness, developmental disability (as defined in section 102 of the Developmental Disabilities Assistance Bill of Rights Act of 2000 (42 U.S.C )), post- traumatic stress disorder, cognitive impairments resulting from brain injury, or chronic physical illness or disability;
An individual who has been residing in an institutional care facility, including a jail, substance abuse or mental health treatment facility, hospital, or other similar facility, for fewer than 90 days and met all of the criteria in paragraph (1) of this definition [as described in Section I.D.2.(a) of this Notice], before entering that facility; or
A family with an adult head of household (or if there is no adult in the family, a minor head of household) who meets all of the criteria in paragraph (1) of this definition [as described in Section I.D.2.(a) of this Notice, including a family whose composition has fluctuated while the head of household has been homeless.

28. Please share your questions, comments, & input!