How to Get Referred
Continuum of Care Program
Qualifying for the Program
To be eligible for the COC Program, a person must be both homeless and currently receiving services from IC. The primary target population is those considered chronically homeless, meaning a person who has experienced multiple, ongoing episodes of homelessness.
Once identified, IC refers qualified applicants to HATC for the issuance of a housing voucher.
If you are currently experiencing homelessness, you may be referred to the CoC Program by Integral Care through a coordinated assessment system that the Ending Community Homelessness Coalition (ECHO) oversees. For more information, please visit ECHO’s website by clicking below.
Homeless Definition
The HEARTH Act, passed in May 2009, amended the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, and included a revised definition of homeless that applied to HUD’s Homeless Assistance Programs. On December 5, 2011 HUD commenced its rulemaking process by publishing the Final Rule Defining Homeless (76 FR 75994). Subsequently, HUD adopted the same definition in its Continuum of Care Program (24 CFR S78).
As described in the preamble of the Final Rule Defining Homeless, the final rule establishes four categories of homelessness. These categories are:
- Individuals and families who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence and includes a subset for an individual who is exiting an institution where he or she resided for 90 days or less and who resided in an emergency shelter or a place not meant for human habitation immediately before entering that institution;
- Individuals and families who will imminently lose their primary nighttime residence;
- Unaccompanied youth and families with children and youth who are defined as homeless
under other federal statutes who do not otherwise qualify as homeless under this
definition; or - Individuals and families who are fleeing, or are attempting to flee, domestic violence,
dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, or other dangerous or life-threatening
conditions that relate to violence against the individual or a family member.
Applying for the Program
Referrals for the Continuum of Care program may only be made by case managers of IC on behalf of consumers receiving services by Integral Care.
The Continuum of Care (COC) is authorized under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act. Administrating authorities of the program are bound by non-discrimination laws for protected classes within its target group (under Title 24 CFR 582.330, and discrimination laws for the disabled in Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.
For questions regarding this program contact HATC, at (512) 854-8245.
