CES - KANSAS STATEWIDE HOMELESS COALITION

COORDINATED ENTRY SYSTEM

The Kansas Balance of State Continuum of Care's (KS BoS CoC) Coordinated Entry System (CES) is the entry way for housing and supportive services for those experiencing homelessness in the KS BoS CoC's 101 county area.

Because housing resources are limited, this process is designed to ensure that individuals and families with the highest vulnerability, service needs, and length of homelessness receive priority in housing placement.

Click here to learn more about our CES Committees.

Access to CES

An access point is a location, either physical or virtual, that a household can use to enter the Coordinated Entry System.

Click here for a List of CES Access Points.

If your agency is not listed as a CES Access Point or if you would like more information about becoming a CES Access Point, please email the Coordinated Entry Program Manager, Shanae Eggert, at seggert@kshomeless.com.

CES Assessments

Our CES process includes an assessment that takes about 10-30 minutes and it helps to identify barriers to housing, homeless history, and vulnerability. This information is used to help determine which supportive housing programs a household may be eligible for.

KS BoS CoC's Coordinated Entry System uses the VI-SPDAT tool to assess those experiencing homelessness. This assessment measures the vulnerability of a person or family to establish the risk to their life if access to housing and supports are not available. The assessment score provides guidance for what type of housing intervention may work best for that person.

The household will then be placed on the Coordinated Entry list based on their needs and barriers, and referred to an appropriate housing program when an opening becomes available.

coordinated entry List

Assessing agencies directly enter the Coordinated Entry System assessment into a client’s record in HMIS. This adds clients to the Coordinated Entry List for housing vacancies.

Each of the eight regions have a Regional Coordinator who manages the list, supports the assessing agencies and coordinates with housing programs for availabilities and referrals.

CES Referrals

The Regional Coordinator will only provide a referral to an agency provider upon hearing that they have the capacity to take on new clients.

When a provider indicates that they have capacity for new clients, they are communicating that they have the ability to immediately follow up with the referred client to begin working with them.

Upon receiving a referral from CES, providers should schedule the client to review program eligibility and the expectation is that the provider will accept or deny the referral within 10 business days and inform the Regional Coordinator of the reason for any denials.
*Reasons for denials are limited to HUD specific eligibility requirements.

The provider will then intake the referred client into their program. All internal paperwork or additional documents (such as S+C application or birth certificates for adults) will be completed as a part of the provider’s intake process.

Housing

What Housing is Part of Coordinated Entry?
Coordinated Entry is has homeless designated programs such as the following:

Rapid Rehousing
Transitional Housing
Permanent Supportive Housing

There are not enough of these units for everyone that needs and deserves housing. Eligibility and availability differs for each program and the Coordinated Entry referral process is used to help determine appropriate placements.

For households who are eligible and have been accessed in the Coordinated Entry System, it is still in their best interest to try and assess general housing resources.

What Housing is Not Part of Coordinated Entry?

Foster Care
Assisted Living Facilities
Behavioral Health Residential Housing
Residential Treatment Settings
Mainstream Housing

Frequently Asked Questions for Clients

Q: Can I call and get a status update on where I am on the list?

No, because the Coordinated Entry list does not work like a waiting list. There is no order of people and we cannot predict upcoming vacancies or potential matches for those vacancies.

Q: How can I update my information once I have already been assessed?

The best thing for someone who has been assessed to do is to keep in touch with the provider that originally conducted your assessment. If your contact information changes, or something significant about your circumstances changes (health, income, or entering mental health or treatment center), notify the person who assessed you and they can make sure your information is updated.

Q: If the parent is staying in an emergency shelter (single adult or domestic violence) but the children are staying with friends/family, do they qualify as a family?

Yes, as long as the parent will get the children back upon entrance into housing.

frequently asked questions for providers

CES Policies

CES Policies & Procedures Version 6.0
File Size:	464 kb
File Type:	pdf

COORDINATED ENTRY SYSTEM

CES Homeless VI-SPDATs

CES Prevention VI-SPDATs

CES Workbooks and Guidance Documents

Shelter Diversion Forms

Training Documents

HUD'S Coordinated Entry Documents

Kansas Statewide Homeless Coalition