What is the Continuum of Care?

The Continuum of Care (CoC), as mandated by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), was established under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act and later modified by the Homeless Emergency Assistance and Rapid Transition to Housing (HEARTH) Act of 2009. It is designed to promote community-wide planning and strategic use of resources to address homelessness; improve coordination and integration with mainstream resources and other programs targeted to people experiencing homelessness; improve data collection and performance measurement; and allow each community to tailor its programs to the strengths and challenges in assisting homeless individuals and families within that community.

The CoC identifies a Lead Agency, Collaborative Applicant, and Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) Lead to conduct the following:
  • Establishing the CoC
  • Operating the CoC
    • CoC Governance and Management
    • System and Project-Level Performance
    • Coordinated Assessment System
    • Written Standards
  • Designating a Homeless Management Information System for the CoC
  • Planning for the CoCs Geographic Area
    • Coordinated System of Care

Lead Agency

The CoC Lead Agency is designated to carry out the activities of the CoC or grant including fiscal and compliance activities. Regular administrative tasks may include, but are not limited to, management of the annual HUD application, coordination of other funding opportunities, project and system monitoring, meeting management, etc. For purposes of the CoC Check-up, this excludes staff/staff time related to fiscal or HMIS-related duties.

​Currently, the designated CoC Lead Agency is the Butte County Department of Employment and Social Services, Housing and Homeless.


Collaborative Applicant

​Currently, the designated CoC Collaborative Applicant is the Butte County Department of Employment and Social Services, Housing and Homeless.

HMIS Lead

The HMIS Lead ​Agency is an organization or government department designated by CoC to administer and manage the HMIS. 

Currently, the designated HMIS Lead Agency is the Butte County Department of Employment and Social Services, Housing and Homeless.