Continuum of Care (CoC) – a geographical area designed by HUD to promote communitywide commitment to the goal of ending homelessness by increasing access to and effect utilization of mainstream programs by people experiencing homelessness.
Coordinated Entry (CE) – An approach to coordinating and managing a system's resources that allows users to make consistent decisions from available information to connect people efficiently and effectively to interventions that will rapidly end their homelessness.
Collaborative Applicant or Lead Agency (CA/LA) –Agency that coordinates administrative duties for a continuum of care.
Columbia Homeless Outreach Team (CHOT) – Team of service providers from several COC agencies that connect with individuals experiencing homelessness, meeting them where they are in camps, parks, the street, etc. This work is often called street outreach (SO). CHOT offers services, connections, and coordination.
Community Development Block Gant (CDBG) - Program provides annual grants to states, cities, and counties to develop communities by providing decent housing and a suitable living environment and expanding economic opportunities, principally for low- and moderate-income persons.
Coordinated Entry (CE) Access Points – Agencies that provide a “point of entry” for individuals experiencing homelessness using an assessment tool called the VI-SPDAT to determine the level of vulnerability.
Diversion (DI) – To recommend alternative housing options, i.e., sharing housing with friends or family or relocating outside Boone County, where more vouchers are available.
Domestic Violence Provider (DV) – An organization whose primary mission is to provide direct services to victims of domestic violence.
Low-income Home Emergency Assistance (LIHEAP) or (EA) – A one-time payment for one fuel type for your heating or cooling costs, generally in the fall and distributed through Community Action Agencies.
Emergency Shelter (ES) – a facility, the primary purpose of which is to provide a temporary shelter for people experiencing homelessness.
Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) – An information technology system used to collect client-level data and data on the provision of housing and services to people experiencing homelessness.
Institute for Community Alliances (ICA) - A private corporation that supports the Balance of State with coordinated HMIS technical assistance, reporting, case studies, and data analysis to support programming and efforts to positively affect people experiencing homelessness.
Litmos Training – Annual training for providers administering Prescreening tool and VI-SPDAT assessments to enter into the HMIS database.
Low-income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) - subsidizes the acquisition, construction, and rehabilitation of affordable rental housing for low- and moderate-income tenants.
Missouri Interagency Council on Homelessness (MICH) – formerly the Governor’s Council to End Homelessness, leads Missouri’s efforts to prevent and end homelessness.
Missouri Housing Development Commission (MHDC) –Administers and provides financing for the rehabilitation and construction of affordable housing. The Commission also provides funding for home loans to qualified, first-time buyers through a network of certified private mortgage lenders.
Missouri Housing Trust Fund (MHTF) – provides funding for various housing needs, such as homeless prevention, rehab or new construction of rental housing, rental assistance, and home repair to eligible organizations providing housing assistance to Missourians.
Missouri Housing Innovation Program Funds (MOHIP) - funding stream designed to help communities more quickly identify those experiencing a housing crisis while connecting them with uniquely identified resources to assist in meeting their needs more effectively and efficiently administered through MHDC.
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Notice of Funding Availability (NOFO/A) – Funding opportunity from federal sources, generally HUD.
Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) - housing assistance (e.g., long-term leasing or rental assistance) and supportive services are provided to assist households with at least one member (adult or child) with a disability in achieving housing stability.
Point in Time (PIT) Count – Count of homeless individuals in a given area on a specific date (currently late January) determined by HUD and collected by service providers for reporting.
Public Housing Authority (PHA) – Established to provide decent and safe rental housing for eligible low-income families. Columbia Housing Authority (CHA) is our local PHA/
Prioritization/By-Name List (PL/BNL) – Housing prioritization list that is continuously updated and populated with names of individuals facing literal and chronic homelessness. Jessica Macy at Flourish is the current list holder for Boone County.
Project Homeless Connect (PHC) – Twice yearly event (generally January and July) designed to offer basic services (health screenings, haircuts, food and hygiene items, flu shots, etc.) that will attract literally or chronically homeless individuals and connect them to Columbia services and agencies that can help them move forward.
Release of Information (RoI) – a document or verbal consent obtained to share data with other agencies that participate in HMIS. Only the head of households is required to have an RoI. If clients refuse an RoI, contact ICA.
State Assistance for Housing Relief (SAFHR) – a program administered by MHDC programs, provides rent and utility assistance or mortgage reinstatement services for eligible Missouri residents whom the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted.
Safe Haven (SH) – 24-hour/7-days-a-week, community-based early recovery model of supportive housing that serves hard-to-reach, hard-to-engage homeless individuals with severe mental illness and substance use disorders.
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VI-SPDAT (Vulnerability Index - Service Prioritization Decision Assistance Tool) – An assessment is administered to people who are literally homeless. The score from the assessment is used to identify the most at-risk and vulnerable people. Information from this tool is entered into the HMIS database.
United State Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH) - is the only federal agency with the sole mission of preventing and ending homelessness in America. They coordinate with nineteen federal member agencies, state and local governments, and the private sector to create partnerships, use resources efficiently and effectively, and implement evidence-based best practices.