Central Louisiana Coalition To Prevent Homelessness Inc

TO IDENTIFY, ADVOCATE, AND MOBILIZE COMMUNITY RESOURCES TO ENSURE ALL PEOPLE IN CENTRAL LOUISIANA HAVE ACCESS TO STABLE HOMES.

LOUISIANA INTEGRATED TREATMENT SERVICES (LITS) IS A PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING PROGRAM THAT PROVIDES HOUSING AND SUPPORTIVE SERVICES FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE CONSIDERED CHRONICALLY HOMELESS WITH A CO-OCCURRING DISABILITY (DIAGNOSIS OF A MENTAL ILLNESS AND A HISTORY OF OR CURRENT SUBSTANCE ABUSE DISORDER.) THE GOAL IS TO ASSIST CHRONICALLY HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES WITH MAINTAINING PERMANENT HOUSING.

THE OUTREACH PROGRAM CONDUCTS STREET OUTREACH ACTIVITIES TO LOCATE AND IDENFITY INDIVIDUALS WHO REGULARLY SLEEP UNSHELTERED OR IN PLACES NOT MEANT FOR HUMAN HABITATION. THE PROGRAM PROVIDES CASE MANAGEMENT AND SUPPORT TO ASSIST INDIVIDUALS WITH LOCATING APPROPRIATE HOUSING AND/OR SHELTER AND ACCESSING SERVICES. THE OUTREACH PROGRAM ALSO PROVIDES A ONE-STEP HOMELESSNESS RESOURCE CENTER ORGANIZED FOR THE PURPOSE OF ASSISTING HOMELESS PERSONS AND FAMILIES WITH OBTAINING AN INCOME, PROVIDING A HYGIENE CENTER FOR PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, AND MEETING SOME BASIC NEEDS FOR HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS TO ASSIST THEM WITH SECURING INCOME AND HOUSING.

CARES IS A SPECIAL ALLOCATION PROGRAM FUNDING AMOUNTS TO PREVENT, PREPARE FOR, AND RESPOND TO THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC (COVID-19) AMOUNG INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES WHO ARE HOMELESS OR RECEIVING HOMELESS ASSISTANCE; AND TO SUPPORT ADDITIONAL HOMELESS ASSISTANCE AND HOMELESSNESS PREVENTION ACTIVITIES TO MITIGATE THE IMPACTS OF COVID-19.

THE HOMELESS MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEM (HMIS) IS A WEB-BASED DATABASE USED TO TRACK AND REPORT HOMELESSNESS SERVICES AND SHELTER STAYS IN AN EFFORT TO REDUCE SERVICE DUPLICATIONS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY AND TO UNDERSTAND LOCAL TRENDS IN HOMELESSNESS. THE CONTINUUM OF CARE (COC) IS A FEDERALLY-RECOGNIZED DESIGNATION FOR A COLLECTIVE IMPACT COLLABORATION WITHIN A COMMUNITY. THE COALITION SERVES AS THE COC COLLABORATIVE APPLICANT FOR THE CENTRAL LOUISIANA REGION, A DESIGNATION BY THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT (HUD). IN THIS ROLE, THE COALITION IS RESPONSIBLE FOR SUBMITTING THE COMMUNITY'S GRANT APPLICATIONS AND HOMELESSNESS REPORTS TO HUD ON BEHALF OF ITS MEMBERS FOR COC AND EMERGENCY SOLUTIONS GRANT PROGRAM (ESGP) FUNDS. DIRECT HOUSING AND SERVICE PROGRAMS UNDER COC INCLUDE THE PLANNING AND HOMELESS PREVENTION PROGRAMS.COORDINATED ENTRY IS AN EFFORT AMONG COC PROVIDERS TO ASSESS EACH HOMELESS INDIVIDUAL AND FAMILY USING A UNIFORM AND STANDARDIZED PROCESS. THE COALITION USES THIS PROCESS TO ENSURE THAT ALL PEOPLE EXPERIENCING A HOUSING CRISIS HAVE FAIR AND EQUAL ACCESS AND ARE QUICKLY IDENTIFIED, ASSESSED FOR, REFERRED, AND CONNECTED TO HOUSING AND ASSISTANCE BASED ON THEIR SEVERITY OF NEEDS, RATHER THAN FIRST COME/FIRST SERVED.