Coordinated Entry System (CES) Overview
Coordinated Entry is a system that seeks to ensure that anyone experiencing homelessness is identified, assessed for housing needs, provided resources and guidance, and prioritized for and referred to permanent housing resources in the same way.
There are four key components of Coordinated Entry:
On Long Island, there are two different agencies that you can reach out to, to get connected to Coordinated Entry:
Long Island Coalition for the Homeless:
For Households Living on the Street- LICH and other partners have community outreach teams. To have a team outreach someone on the street, call 631-464-4314 x 118.
For Households Living in Shelter- LICH reaches out to households in order of length of time homeless and provides housing focused case management to those homeless longest in the shelter system (1-5+ years). For households in shelter that are not long-term homeless, there is a Need Help? page and can work with shelter staff and other supports to explore housing options. LICH can also do shelter visits to speak with willing groups of residences to talk through housing barriers and housing options, and/or train shelter staff teams on the process that LICH case managers use. Many people residing in shelter also use peer support networks and social media groups to ask questions and get additional support from those that have lived expertise and are now looking to help others.
For households actively fleeing violence with nowhere to go and no resources, call 516-542-0404.
LICH refers about 250 households each year through this process to permanent supportive housing and rapid rehousing, all of which have been homeless one year or more, some in shelter as many as six years or more, or on the street for ten years or more. The Coordinated Entry team includes street outreach workers, case manager working with people in shelter, and housing locators and problem-solving support staff.
The Safe Center LI refers about 30 households each year to domestic violence permanent housing programs. The DV team includes assessment staff, staff that help with safety planning, and staff that help with housing location and connections to other supports.
CE in the News
Community Solutions highlighted the work of the Long Island Coalition for the Homeless CE team to advance racial equity. Read the article here!