MONTANA CONTINUUM OF CARE COALITION

A CONTINUUM OF CARE (COC) IS AN ORGANIZATION RESPONSIBLE FOR LOCAL, REGIONAL, OR, IN THE CASE OF MONTANA, STATEWIDE COORDINATION OF HOUSING AND SERVICES FOR INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS. THE PURPOSE OF THE MONTANA COC IS TO END HOMELESSNESS IN MONTANA THROUGH EFFECTIVE LEADERSHIP AND COLLABORATION BETWEEN ACTIVE AND ENGAGED PARTICIPANTS WHO INCLUDE: NON-PROFIT HOMELESS ASSISTANCE AND VICTIM SERVICE PROVIDERS, FAITH-BASED GROUPS, CITY, COUNTY, AND STATE GOVERNMENT AGENCIES, BUSINESS, PUBLIC HOUSING AGENCIES, SCHOOL DISTRICTS, MENTAL HEALTH AGENCIES AND HOSPITALS, UNIVERSITIES, AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPERS, LAW ENFORCEMENT, ORGANIZATIONS SERVING VETERANS, AND CURRENTLY AN FORMERLY HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS. THE MONTANA STATEWIDE CONTINUUM OF CARE IS MAKE UP OF 12 LOCAL DISTRICTS. PRIMARY FUNCTIONS OF THE MT COC COALITION INCLUDE 1)COORDINATING IMPLEMENTATION OF A STATEWIDE HOUSING AND SERVICE SYSTEM, 2) OUTREACH, ENGAGEMENT, ASSESSMENT AND PREVENTION STRATEGIES, 3) CONDUCTING ANNUAL ANALYSIS OF NEEDS AND SERVICES AVAILABLE IN MONTANA, 4) PARTICPATING IN THE CONSOLIDATED PLAN WITHIN THE COC GEOGRAPHIC AREA AND 5)CONSULTING, REPORTING AND EVALUATION FOR THE EMERGENCY SOLUTIONS GRANT. THE MONTANA COC ALSO ADMINISTERS AND FACILITATES A COLLBORATIVE PROCESS FOR HUD GRANT APPLICATIONS, ESTABLISHES PRIORITIES FOR FUNDING PROJECTS AND MEASURES OVERALL PERFORMANCE OF THE SYSTEM. MT COC COALITION ALSO MAINTAINS THE HOMELESS MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEM (HMIS)REQUIRED BY THE US DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT TO COLLECT AND REPORT DATA ON INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS. PRIMARY RESPONSIBLITIES ARE THE DESIGNATING THE HMIS LEAD, APPROVING HMIS PRIVACY POLICIES, SECURITY AND DATA QUALITY PLANS, FACILITATING CONSISTENT PARTICIPATION OF GRANT RECIPIENTS AND SUBRECIPIENTS IN HMIS AND ENSURING HMIS COMPLIANCE.