Coordinated Access

The information and resources here are intended to answer questions and support your community to develop and sustain a strong Coordinated Access system on your journey to ending homelessness.

Keep checking back here as we will be regularly updating materials and adding further resources.

Coordinated Access Information and Overview

Coordinated Access is defined as a way for communities to bring consistency, equity, and efficiency to the process by which people experiencing or at-risk of homelessness access services and housing-related resources within a geographic area. A strong Coordinated Access system includes a Housing First approach, streamlined service delivery across different types of service providers, and quality data. (paraphrased from the Reaching Home Homelessness Glossary for Communities, April 2024, pg. 40).

Included below are a variety of resources to provide you with an overview and further information about Coordinated Access:

Reaching Home:

Other Coordinated Access Overview Resources:

Common Assessment Approaches
sample tools/Approaches/processes
  • PATH (Personalized Assistance to Housing) Process – a page on the National Homelessness Indigenous Council (NHIC) website that explains that Indigenous communities from coast-to-coast-to-coast are leading the development of an Indigenous community-grown process for the homelessness sector. The page explains where they are at in the development process, includes process materials, and offers opportunities to get involved and/or to ask questions.
  • Toronto’s STARS Common Assessment Tool – for the last number of years, Toronto has worked closely with Indigenous and other community partners, people with lived expertise, and front line workers to develop and test a local common assessment tool. 
    • The three part tool includes: STARS Intake and Triage and a STARS Housing Checklist and a STARS Supports Assessment (coming soon)
    • Training modules for the first two components can be found here (see SMIS Training for Improving Housing Outcomes)
    • To learn more about Toronto’s work with their Common Assessment Tool and how it fits in their Coordinated Access System:
  • Australian Homelessness Vulnerability Triage Tool (AHVTT) – The AHVTT was developed by the Australian Alliance to End Homelessness (AAEH) and partners. Front line services, First Nations representatives and people with lived experience provided crucial feedback to ensure the tool accurately represents a person’s presenting experience of homelessness and their immediate needs. Includes a separate survey for individuals, youth, and families.
  • SPDAT (Service Prioritization Decision Assistance Tool) – available through OrgCode, the SPDAT is designed to help program participants and support staff like case managers better understand current strengths and challenges and guide prioritizing which things they want to work on together. Not to be confused with the VI-SPDAT (an entirely different instrument for a different purpose), the SPDAT has been around since 2009. It is used from initial engagement with the system of care through to reducing or exiting people from supports once stabilized in housing. It can be used as part of the assessment process when first engaging with programs and services, but is predominately intended as a case management tool which leads to improved supports and better planning for work on overall health and wellness, day to day living skills, reducing risk factors, and stabilizing in housing. Version 5, released in 2020, is available through on-demand online training, split into 10 distinct videos.  
  • MAP (Matching to Appropriate Placement) – developed in Montana, the MAP assessment and MAP Guide are available free of charge to any community that would like to use them. The MAP assessment, MAP Guide and further information is available on this site.
  • Austin Prioritization Index – website explaining the what, why, and how of this new tool but does not provide access to the tool itself.
Information on Tools
Coordinated Access Scorecard 4.0

The Coordinated Access Scorecard includes 15 key element areas that support communities towards implementing, sustaining and continuously improving a local Coordinated Access (CA) system. The Coordianted Access Scorecard is part of the Scorecards and Tools Workbook. The Scorecards and Tools Workbook 4.0 version was released November 2024. For an overview, see the Scorecards and Tools Workbook 4.0 Launch – to be added after Nov 21 or review the Coordinated Access Scorecard Guide below. 

Coordinated Access Scorecard Guide

Start by reviewing the Coordinated Access Scorecard Guide. The Guide explains what the Coordinated Access Scorecard is and walks you through each question (including a full explanation along with tips and resources).

scorecards & tools workbook 4.0

The Coordinated Access Scorecard is part of the Scorecards & Tools Workbook (a Google Worksheet). This is a view only version – you can make a copy to use for your community. If your community is connected to Built for Zero, you can find your Scorecards and Tools Workbook in your Change Package. The first tab of the Workbook provides an overview of all the tools included in Workbook, including the Coordinated Access Scorecard. Record your answers in the Coordinated Access Scorecard tab to receive your score for Foundations and for Sustain and Continuous Improvement. Use the notes section to explain your answer and identify your next steps. Remember, your score is for improvement, not judgement!

Each question in the Coordinated Access Scorecard has links to the appropriate supporting information in the Coordinated Access Scorecard Guide. Review the CA Scorecard with your community – document your progress and plan your next steps. Here are some ideas for Scorecard Group Exercises.

Coordinated Access Tools and Community Examples

Coordinated Access (sometimes called coordinated entry) materials from a variety of Canadian and US communities are included below:

us Toolkits and Community Examples:
CAEH Tools:
Action Oriented Case Conferencing
Canadian Community Coordinated Access Examples:

Brantford Materials

  • BNL/CA Materials Folder – includes many policies, procedures and videos e.g., Brantford System of Care Client Profile (Intake) and Diversion Screening Form; Procedures for Managing Users on HIFIS – including consent form with scripts and job aid, how to create user accounts, how to handle FOI requests, HIFIS Training checklist; Procedures for Managing the By-Name List – including workflow, policies, HIFIS, prioritization matrix, Inactivity Procedure, Timely and Accurate Data Procedure, How to Develop and Document a Housing Plan; and more.

Chatham-Kent – CK Cares Coordinated Access Materials:

Dufferin Region Materials:

Durham Region Materials:

Fort McMurray Materials:

Halton Region’s Coordinated Access Materials:

Kawartha-Haliburton’s Coordinated Access Materials:

Medicine Hat Materials:

Moncton Materials:

Niagara Region Materials:

Nipissing District:

Peterborough Materials:

Red Deer Materials:

  • Red Deer Coordinated Access webpage including:
    • 2020-2024 Performance Management Guide for Red Deer’s System Framework (pdf)
    • November 2020 Coordinated Access Process (CAP) Guidelines (pdf) (working document)
    • Program Participant Stories

Saint John Materials:

  • Saint John Coordinated Access webpage including:
    • Coordinated Access Process Guide 2.0
    • Saint John By-Name List One-Pager
    • Saint John Coordinated Access One-Pager
    • Defining the Data Series (one-pagers)

Simcoe County Materials:

St. John’s (End Homelessness St. John’s) Materials:

St. Thomas-Elgin

Sudbury

  • Homelessness Initiatives webpage – access to all their programs, initiatives and reports (including the ones highlighted below)
  • Coordinated Access webpage – includes their Coordinated Access Guide outlining all local policies and procedures
  • Homelessness Report Cards – annual 2 page graphic with stats, initiatives, and next steps

Waterloo’s Coordinated Access Prioritized Access to Housing Stability (PATHS) Materials:

Wellington-Guelph’s Coordinated Access System (DOOR) Materials:

Whitehorse Materials:

Windsor’s Coordinated Access (BNPL) Materials:

Coordinated Access/HMIS Sample Job Descriptions

Below you will find a variety of sample job descriptions from communities related to Coordinated Access, Homeless Management Information Systems (HMIS), and By-Name Lists:

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