Background
The Los Angeles County Coordinated Entry System (LA County CES) facilitates the coordination and management of resources and services throughout the crisis response system. LA County CES works to equitably connect people experiencing homelessness in the community to available housing and supportive services. The CES Policy Council is the governing body that ensures consistency and quality by guiding strategic policy development, supporting implementation through alignment of practice and resources, and monitoring the effectiveness and efficiency of the system.
The CES Policy Council was established in response to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) mandate that Continuums of Care (CoC) document standard policies and procedures for their Coordinated Entry System. Additionally, the CES Policy Council was established based on local recognition that, for the large and complex Los Angeles region, truly moving the needle on ending homelessness requires proactive alignment of principles across the entire region which includes many jurisdictions (four CoCs and 88 cities) and funders (federal, state, local, and philanthropic).
Membership and Meetings
The CES Policy Council is comprised of members who have knowledge of resources and system decision points, including service providers across all populations (families with children, adults, and youth), County health agencies, City and County housing authorities, persons with lived experience of homelessness, and the philanthropy community (click here for the full membership roster). The CES Policy Council typically meets on the fourth Wednesday at 9:30 a.m. at LAHSA's downtown Los Angeles office (707 Wilshire Blvd.). However, in response to COVID-19 concerns and in accordance with AB 361, these meetings are currently conducted via telephone/videoconference. Materials are available electronically. For further information, the public may call 213-683-3333.
Scope of Policy Development
The broad topics for priority policy development include the Core Elements of Coordinated Entry, as defined by HUD: Access, Assessment, Prioritization, and Referral (Matching).
The CES Policy Council receives and responds to community input to refine policy and recommend system improvements as needed. As a standard practice, the CES Policy Council only reviews policies and procedures that the public has had an opportunity to review through public comment.
Policy Status
See below for a complete list of CES policies that have been approved, are out for public comment, or are still in development.
| Interim Policies |
Summary |
Status |
Date Approved |
| Interim Coordinated Entry System Policy: Emergency Housing Voucher |
Establishes interim standards and principles for the referral of a household to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Emergency Housing Vouchers (EHV) Program. |
Approved |
June 23 & September 29, 2021; January 26, April 5, June 8, 2022 |
| Interim Coordinated Entry System Policy: COVID-19 CES Prioritization – Revised |
Establishes an interim policy for matching and prioritization which takes COVID-19 vulnerability into account. |
Approved |
May 27 & August 26, 2020; February 24 & July 28, 2021; January 26, 2022
|
| Planning Policies |
Summary |
Status |
Date Approved |
| CES Guiding Principles |
Establishes a set of guiding principles and practices for the Coordinated Entry System (CES) service providers and system partners centered around respect, accountability, consistency, and integration. |
Approved |
August 23, 2017 |
|
Affirmative Marketing Policy
|
Requires LA County CES to affirmatively market housing and supportive services to all eligible persons. |
Approved |
August 23, 2017 |
| Nondiscrimination Policy |
Establishes that CES shall market to and serve all eligible persons to promote every individual's full and complete participation in CES. |
Approved |
August 23, 2017 |
| Data Management Policy |
|
In Development |
|
| Evaluation Policy |
Requires quarterly reviews and an annual full evaluation of the Coordinated Entry System. |
Approved |
September 26, 2018 |
| Access Policies |
Summary |
Status |
Date Approved |
| CES Permanent Housing Transfer Policy |
Establishes standards and principles for the transfer of a participating household from one permanent housing program to another permanent housing program via referral or Coordinated Entry System (“CES”) matching.
|
Approved |
July 28, 2021 |
| CES Youth Transitional Housing Transfer Policy |
Establishes standards and principles for the transfer of a participating household from one Youth Transitional Housing (TH) program to a comparable Youth TH or Permanent Housing (PH) program via referral or Coordinated Entry System (CES) matching.
|
Approved |
December 15, 2021 |
| CES Access Policy |
Requires that the LA County CES will operate in a manner that promotes fair and open access to all available housing and services within CES. |
Approved |
November 1, 29 & December 19, 2017 |
| Assessment Policies |
Summary |
Status |
Date Approved |
| CES Assessment Policy |
Requires all LA County CES service providers follow a standardized assessment process. |
Approved |
February 28, 2018 |
| Prioritization and Matching Policies |
Summary |
Status |
Date Approved |
| (NEW) CES Prioritization and Matching Policy |
Establishes basic principles for the prioritization and matching of households experiencing homelessness to relevant and available housing resources and services in the Los Angeles Coordinated Entry System (LA CES). The principles set forth in this policy will serve as the basis for all prioritization and matching activities, as elaborated in subsequent guidance. |
Approved |
May 25, 2022 |