Section 7: Collaboration

Just as people experiencing or at risk of homelessness can benefit from a support network, so, too, can PATH providers. The relationships PATH providers establish with other agencies and initiatives are key to the success of the PATH program.

Continuum of care

A continuum of care (CoC) is a community-wide planning approach to promote the goal of ending homelessness.

State PATH contacts and PATH providers are strongly encouraged to participate in the CoC Program, through which all U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) competitive homeless assistance program funding flows. Since 1995, HUD has required communities to submit a single application for homeless assistance funding through a coordinated system and an entity known as the CoC Program, which was an organizing strategy to coordinate homeless assistance programs. In 2009, the Homeless Emergency Assistance and Rapid Transition to Housing (HEARTH) Act consolidated and revised HUD’s homeless assistance programs under the McKinney-Vento Act and officially established the CoC Program to:

• Foster a community-wide commitment to ending homelessness.
• Provide funding for efforts by nonprofit providers, states, and local governments to quickly rehouse individuals while minimizing the trauma and dislocation caused by homelessness.
• Promote access to and effective use of mainstream programs by individuals and families experiencing homelessness.
• Optimize self-sufficiency among those experiencing homelessness.

CoC programs coordinate the implementation of a housing and service system within their geographic area that meets the needs of the individuals and families who experience homelessness there, designate and operate Homeless Management Information System, and design and implement the process associated with applying for CoC Program funds. The CoC Program extracts information from PATH programs for its annual report to HUD. It also extracts street outreach data for its yearly application, reporting on overall data quality (beginning at date of enrollment).

CoC programs are typically made up of people who are currently experiencing (or have experienced) homelessness and representatives from the following local organizations:

Wisconsin CoC programs

Landlords

Landlords serve a significant role in ending homelessness. It is important to cultivate a shared understanding of fair housing between landlords and tenants. The Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) is Wisconsin’s primary consumer protection agency. Wisconsin law provides a legal framework for the relationship between landlords and tenants. Many disputes between landlords and tenants can be avoided if both parties understand their legal rights and responsibilities. DATCP's website provides resources to educate the public on these issues.

Homeless and Housing Resource Center

SAMHSA's Homeless and Housing Resource Center provides comprehensive toolkits, webinars, and self-paced online trainings on evidence-based housing and treatment models.

The Homeless and Housing Resource Center also supports the State PATH Contact Network, a collaborative leadership group of state PATH contacts that meets bimonthly, by facilitating peer-to-peer information sharing, troubleshooting, and networking.

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