One of the Coalition's critical roles is to coordinate an overall community response to homelessness.  We accomplish this task through several initiatives but one of the most extensive is the development of the Continuum of Care.

  

What is the Continuum of Care?

 

In 1994, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) launched the Continuum of Care process.  This process is an approach that helps communities across America address the problems of homelessness in a coordinated, comprehensive, and strategic fashion.  

   

HUD Defines Homelessness as:

   

● A homeless person is one who sleeps in a place not meant for housing or in an emergency shelter.

   

● The term also applies to someone in transitional or supportive housing who originally came from the street or an emergency shelter.

   

● A person experiencing chronic homelessness is: 1) unaccompanied, 2) has a disabling condition, and 3) has been continually homeless for at least one year or has been on the streets or in an emergency shelter four or more times in the last three years.

   

A Continuum of Care is a community's plan to organize and deliver housing and services that meet the specific needs of homeless individuals and families as they move toward stable housing and maximum self-sufficiency. This plan should include:

    

● Outreach, intake, and assessment to identify an individual's or family's service and housing needs, and link them to appropriate housing or service resources.

   

● Emergency shelter and safe, decent alternatives to the streets.

   

● Transitional housing with supportive services to help people develop the skills necessary to live in permanent housing.

   

● Permanent housing and permanent supportive housing.

   

Every Continuum of Care should also feature homelessness prevention strategies and services, which can range from one-time emergency funds that keep a roof over a family's head to crisis intervention services for people with mental illness.

   

By working together, these groups can envision, develop, and implement solutions that respond to the wide-ranging needs among homeless subpopulations, such as veterans, homeless youth, victims of domestic violence, and people struggling with mental illness, substance abuse, and HIV/AIDS.

   

What is the Coalition's role in the Continuum of Care process?

   

The Coalition for the Homeless has provided leadership and coordination of the process since 1997. We have staff dedicated to working with the 40 homeless agencies in a year-round research, strategic planning and application process. 

   

Our staff specifically focuses on the following activities to direct this process:

   

1. Reading and interpreting the HUD application for community agencies.

2. Conducting necessary research.

3. Organizing and conducting the Annual Homeless Count.

4. Facilitating the community process with homeless service agencies.

5. Writing Exhibit I, compiling Exhibit II, and submitting proposal to HUD.

6. Coordinating other grant processes administered through the Coalition to coincide with the goals of the Continuum of Care.

   

Why does our community have a Continuum of Care?

    

By participating in the Continuum of Care, our community can:

Increase federal funding for homeless services in Louisville.

Increase accuracy of identifying homeless persons and families in Louisville.

Increase awareness of the magnitude of homelessness in the community.

Increase ability to target limited resources to the homeless populations most in need

Increase community involvement in homeless issues and projects.

    

Who can be involved in the Continuum of Care?

   

According to HUD requirements, the membership of the Continuum of Care must be inclusive of the many facets of the community which it represents.  The Louisville Metro Continuum of Care membership consists of over 80 entities representing:

   

The Public Sector

   

State government agencies

Local government agencies

Public housing agencies

School systems and universities

Law enforcement and corrections

Local Workforce Investment Act boards

Other state and national level groups and persons

   

The Private Sector

   

Non-Profit organizations

Faith-Based organizations

Funders and advocacy groups

Businesses including banks, developers and business associations

Hospitals and medical representatives

Homeless persons

   

How do I get more information about this process?

   

All Continuum of Care (CoC) community meetings are open to the public.  The CoC community meets from 3:30 to 5:00 p.m. the first Monday of each month unless there is a change in the date due to a holiday.

   

Meetings are usually held at Metro United Way at 334 East Broadway in the community room on the 2nd Floor.  If you have other questions about becoming involved in the process, please contact Mary Frances Schafer, Director of Community Coordination, at the Coalition.  You can reach her at (502) 589-0190 Ext. 14 or mfschafer@louhomeless.org.

   

Meeting dates are subject to change or may include additional meetings once the HUD grant application is released.