Homeless Solutions for Boulder County Data

Terms:

Coordinated Entry (CE)

Entry Diversion (Rapid Resolution)

Entry Navigation

Entry Housing-Focused Shelter

Exits

Housed

Reunification

Other

Homeless Management Information System (HMIS)

Exit by Program Type

Exit Diversion

Exit Navigation

Exit Housing Focused Shelter

Exit Other

Terms and Definitions

Coordinated Entry (CE) provides single-entry access into the countywide homelessness service system for individuals (ages 18 and over) experiencing homelessness. Individuals go to locations in Boulder or Longmont where they are assessed with a common and standard screening tool and match with appropriate services and housing pathways. After meeting with staff, and completing a short assessment, individuals are referred to the most appropriate service depending on need – Diversion, Navigation, or Housing-Focused Shelter. Data collected through CE is used to understand the people we serve, improve system performance, and identify resource gaps.

Individuals receiving CE screenings are typically either new to homelessness or new to Boulder County, although Boulder County began tracking individuals who have been rescreened starting in 2022.

Entry Diversion (Rapid Resolution): Diversion Services provide light assistance for activities such as reunification to families or support systems, assistance with landlord communication, support for car repairs, or any support needed to lead to rapid resolution of their housing crisis. The goal of the Diversion Services is to keep people from entering long-term homelessness. All individuals are assessed for Diversion at Coordinated Entry and are provided those supports where deemed appropriate.

Entry Navigation: Navigation Services provide short-term support for individuals who require limited assistance to get back into permanent housing. These services are intended to eliminate or reduce time in local homelessness services for lower-need persons that may be able to resolve their housing crisis with limited short-term assistance. Individuals work with a case manager to develop a housing plan and can receive mediation support, financial assistance, legal assistance, assistance reunifying with support networks, and links to county and other community programs as needed. Overnight sleeping space is available to navigation participants who need a place to stay in the short term. The most common housing exit from these services are to market rate housing, rapid rehousing, or reunification.

Entry Housing-Focused Shelter: Housing-focused Shelter (HFS) provide long-term supports for individuals experiencing homelessness with moderate and high-needs by providing overnight sheltering and wrap-around services on an extended basis. Those participating in HFS access services that support in developing a housing plan, provide on-going case management, and wrap-around services until they have been successfully, permanently housed. The most common housing exit from these services are to Permanent Supportive Housing.

Exits from the homelessness services system can be difficult to track for several reasons – for example, individuals may self-resolve, meaning they are no longer homeless. Data in this dashboard generally is limited to verified exits out of homelessness (doesn’t include self-resolved or unknown outcomes). Additionally, some individuals may remain homeless but may stop accessing services or have left the Boulder County service area.

Our partners track exit outcomes by primarily relying on verified and known exits of individuals accessing homeless services. Exits from homelessness capture outcomes in which an individual has left the homelessness services system into a situation which will lead to a sustainable housing solution.

Housed: The individual has entered a sustainable housing situation; this might include permanent supportive housing, transitional housing, market-rate housing, etc.

Reunification: The individual has been reunified with family, friends, or other supports.

Other: The individual has been connected to other services that are connected to housing resolution. These include transitional housing, treatment programming, etc.

Homeless Management Information System (HMIS). HMIS incorporates exits through Mental Health Partners, TGTHR, and Boulder County Rapid Rehousing programs. These exits are prioritized through the OneHome prioritization process governed by Metro Denver Homeless Initiative and reflect all housing exits for single adults ages 18 and older. To comply with confidentiality standards, the municipality the individual accessed services can not be reported. However, the individual successfully exited homelessness because of service access in Boulder County.

Exit by Program Type

Exit Diversion: The person has been successfully diverted from homelessness services.

Exit Navigation: The individual has been successfully exited from homelessness because of receiving Navigation wraparound services.

Exit Housing Focused Shelter: The individual has been successfully exited from homelessness because of receiving Housing Focused Shelter wraparound services.

Exit Other: The individual has been successfully exited from homelessness because of receiving other homeless services that are not connected to Diversion, Navigation, or Housing Focused Shelter. These programs include Veterans Community Project and The Lodge.