Mr. D*’s story, both his long period of homelessness and its quick resolution, underline the critical role the Coordinated Access System (CAS) plays in ending homelessness in Dallas and Collin Counties. CAS is the process through which people experiencing or at risk of experiencing homelessness can quickly and efficiently access the homeless rehousing system.
Mr. D was an extremely vulnerable client, suffering from alcohol abuse, drug abuse, chronic health conditions, and even HIV. He spent several years in prison, and having lost his family ties, when he was released from prison, he ended up spending a year on the streets.
Mr. D had been in and out of Austin Street Center since September of 2020, and while he was grateful to no longer be on the streets, he had a hard time adjusting to shelter life. This made it difficult for a case manager to work with him, because he would stay for a short period of time and then leave shelter only to come back several months later.
Mr. D grew tired of this transience and committed to sticking with his case manager, Maryssa, earlier this year. In late May, Maryssa completed Mr. D’s CAS assessment and started working with him on finding employment to supplement his monthly disability income.
The CAS assessment helped Maryssa and the system determine Mr. D’s needs and strengths and identify the best intervention that would end his homelessness. The system indicated that, if possible, the best match would be with a program that specialized in helping persons with HIV. Based on the results of the assessment, the system was also able to determine his priority for service, which based on his extreme vulnerability was high.
In just three short weeks, Mr. D was connected to a housing provider, who specializes in helping persons with HIV, for a Rapid Re-Housing program. In just three more weeks, he was able to take this picture with Maryssa in front of his new home!
Mr. D’s vulnerabilities made it impossible for him to navigate homeless services and self-resolve his homelessness, and the longer he was homeless, the worse his physical condition became. Thanks to Maryssa’s encouragement and motivating attitude, coupled with CAS, Mr. D was able to accomplish what would have been unthinkable without this system, and end his homelessness in six weeks.
Mr. D.’s healing has not ended. It has just begun. However, now that with the help of Austin Street Center and CAS he is stably housed and receiving wrap around services and specialized care from his housing program, he can begin rebuilding his life. We are excited to see where his life takes him.
* Mr. D’s full name has been abbreviated to protect his privacy. His picture is shared with his permission.
This thought piece accompanies the third video of our new Learning Series: Understanding Homelessness: Understanding the Coordinated Access System. Don’t miss it!
Additional Resources:
Coordinated Entry (USICH)
Resource Roundup: Implementing Coordinated Entry (USICH)
CoC Program Toolkit – CoC Responsibilities and Duties – Coordinated Entry (HUD)
Coordinated Entry Community Samples Resource Library (NAEH)
CAS Transition into HMIS (MDHA)
Coordinated Assessment System Processes, Documents, and Related Tools for Providers (MDHA)
