The Coordinated Entry System is a process that assesses and matches eligible households to housing opportunities.
Housing opportunities include rapid re-housing, transitional housing, permanent supportive housing. Some programs are site-based, while others offer a subsidy to be used in market-rate housing (scattered site).
Housing resources are limited. Coordinated Enty is designed to prioritize individuals and families with the highest vulnerability, service needs, and length of homelessness receive top priority in housing placement.
Introduction to the Hennepin County Coordinated Entry System (YouTube)
To be eligible for coordinated entry you must meet the following conditions:
The Coordinated Entry System is an access point to homeless dedicated housing. If you are not sleeping in an emergency homeless shelter, outside or in vehicle, or fleeing or attempting to flee domestic violence you are not eligible for a Coordinated Entry System (CES) assessment and should seek alternative housing solutions.
Households that meet eligibility criteria, can access the Coordinated Entry System by contacting an access point to set up an appointment or by visiting a drop-in site.
If you are an unsheltered household or staying in a non-Hennepin run shelter with at least one adult and one minor child or pregnant person, please contact Agate Housing and Services:
Coordinated Entry 101 is a training designed for service providers and advocates. You will learn the following about Hennepin County Coordinated Entry:
Date: Tuesday, September 28th
Time: 11:00 am - Noon
Location: Log into the webinar
University of Minnesota: "Missed Opportunities" in the pathway from referral to housing (PDF)
Hennepin County’s Coordinated Entry System assessment includes questions in the following categories:
Assessment are used to determine eligibility for housing programs and establish priority for housing referrals.
Hennepin County’s approach to organizing and providing services and assistance to people experiencing a housing crisis in Hennepin County.
The process in which families (16 years old or older, who is pregnant and/or has custody of minor children) who have been assessed as experiencing literal homelessness are matched with the vacancies of Hennepin County's homeless-dedicated housing units.
The process in which single adults (16 years old or older without dependents) who have been assessed as experiencing literal homelessness are matched with the vacancies of Hennepin County's homeless-dedicated housing units.
Two family assessors complete assessments for families residing in shelters or places not meant for human habitation. They are located at the Human Services Building in downtown Minneapolis and at St. Stephens Human Services. Both locations are by appointment only.
Human Services Building
525 Portland Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN 55415
Human Services Building map
St. Stephens Human Services
2309 Nicollet Avenue, Minneapolis, MN 55404
St. Stephens Human Services map
A state funding source for housing and some services for people with disabling conditions.
Provides housing-based rent subsidies and housing support services that follow clients over time and across housing choices, providing maximum financial and emotional continuity.
This approach minimizes the demands on clients of forming new relationships with different service providers if the client graduates or fails at a specific or site-based program. The purpose of the Housing First program is to house individuals who have experienced long periods of homelessness and to expand tenant-based permanent supportive housing opportunities in integrated housing.
Some clients will need intensive, highly professionalized services while others will want a more supportive approach. Many will have needs and preferences that change significantly over time. Families and community both benefit from the Housing First approach.
This is when the housing referral coordinator refers someone from the priority list to a vacancy in a homeless dedicated unit.
A staff person within Hennepin County HSPHD/Office to End Homelessness who matches an individual’s assessment with vacancies in the limited number of homeless-dedicated housing units in Hennepin County. The referral coordinator then refers the person to that vacancy using the following information: VI-SPDAT score, supplemental information (i.e., homeless history, disabling conditions, housing preferences, barriers), time spent in shelter, and eligibility criteria for the homeless dedicated unit. There is one housing referral coordinator for families and one for singles.
An individual or family that lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence. This means that individuals or families are in one of the following situations:
People fleeing or attempting to flee domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking and who lack resources and support networks to obtain other permanent housing may be considered homeless, but do not meet the definition of HUD literal homelessness. (Please note that Hennepin County’s singles Coordinated Entry has not yet finalized a process for assessing individuals that meet this definition. For families — please see below for process of accessing Front Door.)
A database of information that is managed by the housing referral coordinators. The list tracks and organizes assessment scores and supplemental questionnaire information. The housing referral coordinators use this database to make referrals.
An intervention designed to help individuals and families quickly exit homelessness and return to permanent housing. This assistance is offered without preconditions (such as employment, income, absence of criminal record, or sobriety) and the resources and services provided are tailored to the unique needs of the household. The core components of a rapid rehousing program are listed below. While a rapid rehousing program must have all three essential elements available, it is not required that a single entity provide all three elements nor that a household utilize all of them.
Essential elements of rapid rehousing include:
Professional who is trained on administering the VI-SPDAT and collecting supplemental information needed to determine prioritization and eligibility for homeless-dedicated housing programs. Assessments are submitted to the housing referral coordinator.
Single adult and youth assessors are front-line advocates. They are staff in shelters, outreach teams, and youth drop-in centers who can complete assessments as part of their regular job duties. Assessors also ensure any updates to an individual's circumstances get communicated to the housing referral coordinator. Finally, single and youth assessors are notified when the assessed person has been referred to a housing program. They then work with the housing provider to notify the assessed person and connect them to the housing opportunity.
This is a form used to assess the person's housing preferences. The results are used during the referral decision. However, this assessment may not be given to all people assessed using the VI-SPDAT.
The family assessors complete the full VI-FSPDAT and supplemental questions for every family who is assessed.
No, because the priority 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.
If information is missing from the assessment, the housing referral coordinator will notify the assessor, who will reach out to the person experiencing homelessness to ensure all the necessary info is gathered.
The best thing for someone who has been assessed to do is to keep in touch with the provide / assessor 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.
Not immediately. However, before a housing referral is made, the housing referral coordinator will check to see if the person has engaged with street outreach or been in shelter within the past few weeks. If the person has not been accessing the homeless response system for several weeks and is unable to be reached, they will be skipped, and ultimately removed from the priority list.
It is critical for people to stay in touch with their assessor. We don’t want to skip anyone, but we also want to make sure that referrals are being given to people currently in need of these housing resources.
No, because the priority 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.
Yes, their county of financial responsibility does not change because they are staying in a shelter in a different county. Shelter is a time-excluded facility, so it does not change residency. They are still Hennepin County residents and should access Hennepin CES.
Yes, as long as the parent who is trying to access family CES still has custody of the children and will get them back upon entrance into housing.
Yes. Eligibility for a housing referral is partially based on being literally homeless, so being in shelter or in a place not meant for human habitation qualifies.
If a family has received a housing referral to a rapid rehousing program and has completed intake with the housing provider, the provider will continue working with the family to find housing if they leave shelter. However:
If a family was not referred to housing, they lose eligibility for Coordinated Entry if they move out of shelter.
There simply are not enough homeless-dedicated units for all the people who want and are eligible for them. That is why it's critical that the assessment be universally administered to determine who is most vulnerable.
One of your options is to encourage some people to self-resolve. This means the person is likely to be able to access mainstream housing resources (see above) to solve their homelessness without much engagement or intervention from our homeless response system.
As an assessor, the best thing you can do is to communicate clearly with the person that they will not be referred to housing through Coordinated Entry, but that there are housing resources outside of CES that they may be eligible for. See the housing section of this site for resources and how to access them.
Anyone who is receiving an assessment for Coordinated Entry needs and deserves housing. This assessment is for the limited amount of housing resources that go through CES and only those units.
Timelines vary for everyone depending on their VI-SPDAT score, their housing preferences, the housing and criminal history, program eligibility criteria, etc. The best thing you can do is tell the person not to wait for a referral through CES and instead continue to try to access other housing options.
If someone finds housing before they are referred to housing through CES, please make sure to follow-up with the housing referral coordinator immediately so they can update the priority list.
You can check HMIS to identify where the family is staying.
If they are staying at one of the county contracted shelters (People Serving People or St. Anne’s), you can email HSPH shelter team at hsph.ews.shelter.team@hennepin.us to help locate the client. PSP clients are assigned an advocate who is in a good position to help find the client. Please refer to the cover sheet for the advocate's contact information.
If they are staying out in the community and/or a domestic violence shelter, please call the specific shelter and ask to leave a message for the client to call you back.
If they are staying in a place not meant for human habitation, the St. Stephen’s human services street outreach team may be able to help locate the client. Call 612-879-7624.
There are many ways you can and should attempt to find the person. These include, but are not limited to:
Hennepin County's two housing referral coordinators take great care and consideration before making a referral. Both the preferences of the person experiencing homelessness and the housing provider's eligibility criteria are taken into consideration.