Memorandum
Date: March 7, 2023
To: The Honorable Lake County Board of Supervisors
From: Todd Metcalf, Director of Behavioral Health Services Department as the lead administrative entity for the Lake County Continuum of Care
Subject: Review of the Lake County Continuum of Care Coordinated Entry System Policy.
Executive Summary:
In 2021, Lake County Behavioral Health Services Department, as the lead administrative entity for the Lake County Continuum of Care, led a community-wide strategic planning and implementation process to transform the homeless housing and service system. Through an analysis of data regarding homeless housing and service interventions and the individuals and families they serve, the Continuum of Care (CoC) Executive Committee has identified goals and strategies to prevent and end homelessness, including the county-wide implementation of a Coordinated Entry (CE) process for residents experiencing a housing crisis. CE is a process for individuals and families in Lake County who are experiencing homelessness or are at imminent risk of homelessness to access needed homelessness prevention, housing, and other services. CE incorporates uniform screening and assessment, prioritization and program matching, and connections to mainstream services to help those in need obtain housing stability more effectively and efficiently. The CE system will be implemented comprehensively across the county. CE enrollment and access to services will be led by Adventist Health.
Alternative locations throughout the county and physical sites, including peer support centers operated by LCBHS, provide standardized CE enrollment, assessments, and referral to services, including specialized services. In addition to established CE sites, partner agencies also provide services where individuals and families experiencing homelessness are known to live, ensuring that unsheltered individuals and families are enrolled in CE and have support from to access needed services...
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