Types of Assistance

The Homeless Crisis Response System in Clark County is designed to quickly connect people who experience homelessness to housing assistance and/or services tailored to the unique strengths and needs of households and which enable them to achieve and maintain permanent housing.

Services may include emergency transitional and permanent housing supports, access to school or early childhood care and learning, public benefit programs, employment services, reunification services, and/or health care, including substance use and mental health services.

For survivors fleeing domestic violence a specialized shelter is also available. The continuum represents a spectrum of need from relatively light need to much more complex needs.

Council for the Homeless operates the Housing Solutions Center (HSC). The HSC is the coordinated entry to access housing programs and services both at CFTH and many partner agencies including Share and Impact NW. People in need contact the Housing Hotline at (360) 695-9677 to begin the process of identifying their best-fit housing solution.

The types of assistance (and the programs they are delivered through) offered locally are based upon the local action plan, community and client feedback, research and best practices in the field of homelessness response. Services are tracked in the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS), administered by CFTH. Service providers gather regularly to review outcomes and evaluate programs and gaps in services.

Outreach

Some people experiencing homelessness may be reluctant to seek out services. Outreach staff are trained to engage with people who experience high barriers to accessing assistance. This includes people living in encampments or shelters. Outreach work emphasizes trust building and using creative solutions to reduce barriers to housing. Chances of success (defined for each individual) are higher when outreach functions within a coordinated system.

Coordinated Entry

A coordinated response means people in need of housing assistance access help through a holistic and accessible system. Known as Coordinated Entry, at the system level this includes a process of system-wide planning, data collection and evaluation, and common performance measures. At the personal level it means that people seeking help benefit from service providers who are working together to improve access to assistance, evaluate the quality of programs provided and address needs across the spectrum of homelessness. In Clark County, the Housing Solutions Center is the hub of Coordinated Entry.

Diversion

This approach is designed to help people experiencing homelessness find a stable home using their own strengths and resources. By doing this, they are diverted from needing homeless system resources and long-term program support. At the Housing Solutions Center, staff talk with people to identify if Diversion is a good fit for that person or family. Staff and client then work together using coaching, conversations, goal setting, and creative solutions to help the client secure a stable home. People with relatively low barriers to housing are typically a good fit for diversion.

Interim Housing

Interim Housing can be a necessary intervention for an individual or family experiencing homelessness. Interim Housing encompasses emergency shelter, motel voucher stays, and healthcare respite beds. The role of interim housing is to provide a safe and decent place to go that is immediately available and serves as a place to stay while other solutions are identified. The key determination for interim housing is that residents need to leave the housing and cannot stay permanently based on a lease or rental agreement.

Rapid Rehousing

When a households doesn’t need intensive and ongoing supports to find and maintain housing, a Rapid Rehousing program may be the best solution. RRH is designed to help individuals and families exit homelessness and return to permanent housing. RRH includes assistance in identifying housing and with move-in costs, rent support, and case management. The amount of assistance and length of time of time a household is tailored to individual needs.

Permanent Supportive Housing

Ideal for people who are experiencing homelessness and have the greatest vulnerability which likely leads them to utilize jails, hospitals, law enforcement inpatient treatment and other systems of care often. Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) combines affordable housing with intensive staff supports, behavioral and physical healthcare, caregivers and other essential services. This approach is typically a good fit for people who are chronically homeless. In addition to the human benefits, PSH is shown to reduce costs associated with hospitals and law enforcement.