The Committee to End Homelessness King County (CEHKC) has engaged Focus Strategies to assess and make recommendations for refinement of the coordinated entry and assessment process (CEA) for families experiencing homelessness in King County, Washington. This analysis includes a summary of strengths, challenges and gaps in the current Family Housing Connection (FHC) approach, and recommendations for increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of the family CEA system.
Between mid-August and November 2014, Focus Strategies conducted a broad range of information gathering activities including interviewing and observing staff at the 2-1-1 call center and at the Family Housing Connection primary and satellite locations; meeting and interviewing FHC, County and housing provider staff; holding meetings with groups of providers focused on special populations; holding focus groups with consumers; reviewing a large number of documents, reports and data; and reviewing materials from and interviewing representatives of other communities with coordinated entry and assessment systems. Focus Strategies presented initial findings from this research in early November to the CEHKC Funders Group and at a Community Meeting held November 6, 2014 and attended by more than 170 people from 56 agencies. Participants in this meeting were asked to provide feedback in several key areas and this feedback has been considered in the recommendations proposed.