Action 3: Collect and Share Homelessness Data

Objective

Consistently gather, share across systems and accurately interpret data to improve municipal and regional responses to and proactively prevent homelessness.

Complementary Actions

  • Strengthen Municipal Workforce Capacity to Address Homelessness
  • Participate in Equity Training

What to do

Step 1

The goal of this action is to collect information on all individuals and families in your municipality who meet this definition of homelessness so that the Coordinated Access Networks can support municipalities in connecting residents experiencing homelessness with services.  Share information on clients experiencing homelessness in your town using data collection form provided by the Connecticut Coalition to End Homelessness.  As part of this process, according to a specific timeline to be published by CCEH, submit a list of locations where you plan to identify individuals who may be experiencing homelessness and identify individuals at those locations during two different time periods. 

 
 
 

Note: The United Stated Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) defines literal homelessness as follows:

Individuals and families who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence and includes a subset for an individual who is exiting an institution where he or she resided for 90 days or less and who resided in an emergency shelter or a place not meant for human habitation immediately before entering that institution;

Unsheltered refers to individuals and families who meet this definition and are not currently residing in a shelter. For more background on how HUD defines different categories of homelessness, click here.

Submit: Screenshots of the email sent to CCEH, listing locations to survey, and the confirmation from CCEH of surveys received.

Timeframe for Credit

Engaging Partners

Sustainable CT encourages regional collaboration and other forms of partnership. For every action, please complete the “Partners” box in your submission, indicating the name(s) of any municipalities and/or organizations you partnered with (if any) and a brief description of your municipality’s role. For additional information, please see the “Partners Guidance Document”.

Potential Municipal and Community Collaborators

Key collaborators to implement this action include Health and Human Services staff, police, EMS, fire departments, library staff, schools, youth services staff, and municipally-employed outreach staff.

Funding

Resources

Toolkits, Calculators, Guidance Documents

Organizations and Relevant Programs

Benefits

Systemic data collection will provide your local Coordinated Access Network with a comprehensive snapshot of individuals in your community in need of services. CANs will use this data to identify residents in need of services not currently connected with resources, allowing your municipality and CAN to develop a coordinated approach to meeting the needs of people experiencing homelessness within your community. Comprehensive state-wide data also allows Connecticut to advocate for resources to meet the needs of individuals experiencing homelessness in all 169 municipalities.

CT Success Stories