BoS Coordinated Entry: Level 4 Access Points- Recording Housing Referrals through Coordinated Entry

Level 4 Access Points are responsible for recording referrals in HMIS when referring clients from the PL for a housing opportunity. This is a two-part process in the Head of Household’s client record that includes a Service Transaction and CE Event. This tip sheet provides detailed guidance on completing this process correctly.

Adding a Referral
Recording a Coordinated Entry Event
Non-HMIS Clients Housed in an HMIS PSH/RRH Project

Adding a Referral in HMIS

There are four housing referral types recorded in HMIS for BoS CE, each of which have a designated Service Code and select group for Referral Provider. It is essential that you choose the correct Service Code when recording these referrals to ensure that we can accurately report on the number of referrals made to each housing types.

Permanent Housing Projects

Service Code: “Homeless Permanent Supportive Housing”

Referral Provider: HMIS agency requesting referral, or “Non-HMIS Referral Provider”

Rapid Re-Housing Projects

Service Code: “Rapid Re-Housing Programs”

Referral Provider: HMIS agency requesting referral, or “Non-HMIS Referral Provider”

Emergency Housing Vouchers (EHV)

Service Code: "Emergency Housing Voucher (EHV) Program"

Referral Provider: Select the appropriate Public Housing Authority (PHA). Ensure that you select the correct housing authority from the list.

Foster Youth to Independence Vouchers

Service Code: “At Risk/ Homeless Housing Related Assistance Programs”

Referral Provider: “Non-HMIS Referral Provider”

ServicePoint Workflow

Adding a Housing Referral

On the Service Transactions tab in the HoH’s client record, click Add Referrals. Leave the box unchecked for all other household members since they are not included in housing referrals.
In the Needs Assignment section, complete the following steps.
Service Code Quicklist: Select the appropriate housing referral code, then click Add Terms
Referral Provider Quicklist: Select the appropriate housing provider, then click Add Provider
In the Referrals section, check the box under the referral identified.
In the Need Data section, follow the proper process for “open referral” or “closed referral” as determined at the time the referral is recorded.
“Open referrals” are recorded when the housing provider (typically PSH/RRH) will need to contact the client and determine eligibility after this referral is received. Under these circumstances, the following options should be selected.
Need Status: “In Progress”
Outcome: “Service Pending”
Notes: If referred to “Non-HMIS Referral Provider”, record name of agency

"Closed referrals ”are recorded when the housing provider and client have already connected and outcome is known, typically just needed for documentation purposes. Under these circumstances, the following options should be selected.

Need Status: “Closed”

Outcome: “Fully Met” or “Not Met”, whichever is applicable

If Outcome is “Not Met”, select one of the following allowable reasons: “Client Not Eligible”, “Client Refused”, “Could Not Contact Client”, or “Service Not Accessible”

Notes: If referred to “Non-HMIS Referral Provider”, record name of agency

Finally, Click Save ALL

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Closing an Open Referral

Housing providers thatuse HMIS will close their own open referrals when appropriate to do so, butLevel 4 Access Points will need to close any open referrals made to Non-HMIShousing providers.

1. On the Service Transactions tab in the HoH’s client record,click View Entire Service History

2. Click the pencil icon to edit the “Need” record for the housing referral service transaction

3. Update the Need Data section as previously described for “closed referrals”

4. Click Save & Exit

Coordinated Entry Event

In addition to recording the referral on the Services Transactions tab, you will also need to create a Coordinated Entry Event to document this housing referral.

Date of Event

This should reflect the same date the housing referral was made.

Event

Select the Referral Event assigned to the type of housing referral made.

PSH - “Referral to PSH project resource opening”
RRH - “Referral to RRH project resource opening”
EHV - “Referral to Emergency Housing Voucher”
FYI - “Referral to a Housing Stability Voucher”

Location of Crisis Housing or Permanent Housing Referral

Use the "Lookup" function to search for the specific project to which the client was referred. Enter the Referred-To Provider identified during the housing referral step in the Search field to populate a list of their projects. Click on the green+ button to select the referred to project.

Result

This will not typically be known on the same date that the Referral Event is originally recorded. Leave these fields blank until the housing referral is closed and the outcome is known. You will need to Back date to the date the results became known and record an Interim update, then add the Referral results to the existing CE Event sub-assessment for this Referral Event.

Referral Result:

Successful referral: client accepted - the client accepted by the project and provided with services
Unsuccessful referral: client rejected - the client was accepted by the project but chose not to receive services
Unsuccessful referral: provider rejected - the client was not accepted by project and did not receive services

Date of Result

The date that the agency making the referral determined the outcome of the referral.

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Non-HMIS Clients Housed in an HMIS PSH/RRH Project

Clients who are referred from the non-HMIS Prioritization List to an HMIS-participating RRH or PSH project will need to have a housing referral and a CE Event recorded for them in HMIS. Because the client is not already in HMIS at the time the referral is made, their CE participation cannot be tracked until after the client connects with the housing provider and provides consent to have their information entered into HMIS. At this point, the housing provider must contact the regional list holder to request that the referral be recorded, and the regional list holder will need to record the appropriate HMIS Referral and CE Event according to the guidelines below.

HMIS Referrals

Applicable Service Codes are “Homeless Permanent Supportive Housing” and “Rapid Re-Housing Programs”. The Referral Start Date needs to be the day before the client's Project Start Date for that enrollment, and the Need Status/Outcome will always be "Closed/Fully Met".

CE Events

Applicable Events are “Referral to PSH project resource opening” and “Referral to RRH project resource opening”. The Date of Event and Date of Result needs to be the day before the client's Project Start Date for that enrollment. The Referral Result will always be "Successful referral: client accepted".