Coordinated Entry homeless assistance

To be eligible for coordinated entry you must meet the following conditions:

• 16 years of age or older
• Currently sleeping in a homeless shelter, outside or in vehicle or fleeing or attempting to flee domestic violence
• A resident of Hennepin County or have strong ties to Hennepin County
• Household income does not exceed 30% of the Area Median Income (AMI) for the household’s size. See HUD's area median income limits.

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. 

Families (including youth head of household families)

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:

• Call 612-361-4751.
• Monday – Friday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Or fill out the Families Coordinated Entry referral form to set up a CES assessment appointment.

If you are currently in emergency shelter, request a case manager from the shelter you’re staying in and mention your interest in a CES assessment. If you need emergency shelter, please contact the Hennepin Shelter Hotline at 612-204-8200.

Single adults (age 18+)

• If you are currently in emergency shelter, request a case manager from the shelter you’re staying in and mention your interest in a CES assessment.
• If you are currently sleeping outside, in a vehicle, or in a tent, etc., contact Hennepin County's Streets to Housing at streets.to.housing@hennepin.us

Youth

• If you are 16-24 years old, contact the YMCA Youth Resource Line, 763-493-3052 8 a.m. – 8 p.m.

Domestic Violence:

• If you are experiencing Domestic Violence or attempting to flee Domestic Violence situation, contact the Domestic Abuse Project at 612-874-7063 (ext. 232) or by email at firstcall@mndap.org.

HIV or AIDS+:

• If you are living with HIV or AIDS+, contact Clare Housing by calling 612-248-2970 or by emailing amber.poppe@clarehousing.org

Veterans:

• If you are a veteran, contact MACV Veteran Outreach by calling 1-833-222-6228.

Referrals and the HMIS blackout period

There is currently limited access to HMIS due to the transition to ClienTrack.

CES Referrals During the HMIS Blackout

The CES team will continue to make referrals. Providers can continue to utilize the referral request form during the HMIS blackout.

• The CES team will continue to send referrals via email with additional client contact information.
• Due to the blackout, referral information will be added once the new HMIS is online. The CES team’s goal is to have all data entry updated within 3 business days of the new system coming online.
• Housing providers will not have access to HMIS during the blackout period.
• Housing providers will need to enter referral acknowledgement data within 10 days of the new HMIS coming online.
• Please be patient, as referrals made during the blackout may take longer than usual. We are cognizant of the fact that site-based units may be especially concerned about delays in referrals. We will work with providers to fill openings as quickly as possible.

CES Assessments

• Singles: Assessments will be paused and will not be able to be added to HMIS during the blackout.
• Families: Agate family assessors will continue to schedule assessments and conducted limited assessments using a paper form during the blackout.

Coordinated Entry training

HMIS training for housing providers: Getting ready for ClientTrack, the new HMIS

• Thursday, June 20
• 11 – 11:30 a.m.
• HMIS training for housing providers registration

HMIS training for assessors: Getting ready for ClientTrack, the new HMIS

• Thursday, June 20
• Noon – 12:30 p.m.
• HMIS training for assessors registration

Coordinated Entry 101

• Tuesday, September 17
• 11 a.m. – noon
• Coordinated Entry 101 registration

Best practices for housing providers

• Tuesday, September 10
• 10 – 11:30 a.m.
• Best practices for housing providers registration

View past training

CES 101 training and other training videos

Policies and forms

Policy and procedure manuals

• Families policy and procedure manual (DOCX)
• Single adult and youth policy and procedure manual (DOCX)

Coordinated Entry assessor forms

• Assessor request form (DOCX)
• Release of information - Coordinated Entry System (ROI) (PDF)
• Fleeing violence statement (PDF)

Coordinated Entry housing provider forms

• Transfer policy - Coordinated Entry System (DOCX)
• Transfer request form 
• Referral request form
• Referral outcome form (DOCX)
• Expectations after CES referral for housing providers (PDF)

General Coordinated Entry provider forms

• Grievance form (PDF)
• Grievance procedure (PDF)

Hennepin coordinated entry leadership committee

• Informs policy and procedure development and revisions for the family Coordinated Entry System
• Provides guidance to help ensure consistent application of Coordinated Entry System policies and procedures

Meetings

• First Tuesday of the month, 10 – noon
• Attend virtually through Microsoft Teams 

Contact

Email Susannah at susannah.king@hennepin.us 

Meeting Minutes: Coordinated Entry Leadership Committee

Meeting minutes: April 2024 (DOCX)

Workplan

2023 CES Leadership Committee Work Plan (DOXC)

CES Scoop

Subscribe to receive updates.

Previous editions

• June CES Scoop - HMIS Outage Dates Changing (govdelivery.com)
• May CES Scoop - DV 101 Training, New Transfer Policy, and Dates HMIS Won't be Available (govdelivery.com)
• April CES Scoop - New CES ROI (govdelivery.com)
• March CES Scoop - New Referral Policy for Housing Providers (govdelivery.com)
• February CES Scoop - Important HMIS Update (new system coming soon) (govdelivery.com)
• January CES Scoop - Coordinated Entry access changing for families on February 1 (govdelivery.com)
• December CES Scoop - Housing Provider Scorecard (and upcoming training) (govdelivery.com)
• November CES Scoop - CES 101 Training this Wednesday (the 29th) (govdelivery.com)
• October CES Scoop - Your Feedback Needed on Medical Fragility Questions (govdelivery.com)

Dashboards

• Health of the Coordinated Entry System – Length of Time Dashboard

System data

Health of the Coordinated Entry System Reports

• Health of the Coordinated Entry System: July 2018 – March 2020 (PPTX)
• Health of the Coordinated Entry System: outcomes (PDF)

Monthly Coordinated Entry assessor report

• Coordinated Entry assessor report 

Annual point in time

• Minneapolis/Hennepin County PIT Count reports from 2005 to 2023 (HUDExchange.info)

Evaluations

• Hennepin County Coordinated Entry Evaluation Report - December 2022 (DOCX)
• University of Minnesota: "Missed Opportunities" in the pathway from referral to housing (PDF)