Coordinated Entry.
No matter which door someone walks through, they get the same assessment, the same access, and the same path to housing. Coordinated Entry ensures the most vulnerable people are served first — and that no one slips through the cracks.
One system. Every door.
Before Coordinated Entry, someone experiencing homelessness would call multiple agencies, get assessed multiple times, and often fall through the gaps. Under CE, every access point uses the same standardized assessment. Every person is added to the same By-Name List. Housing is matched to the most vulnerable person first — regardless of which agency they first contacted.
Someone reaches out
A person experiencing homelessness contacts any CE access point — in person, by phone, or through outreach. No referral required. No barriers to entry. For immediate help: call 211 or visit any partner agency.
Standardized assessment
Every person is assessed using the VI-SPDAT (Vulnerability Index — Service Prioritization Decision Assistance Tool). The score measures risk and barriers to housing. No one is assessed more than once within 90 days unless circumstances change.
By-Name List
Assessment results are entered into HMIS and the person is added to the By-Name List in the appropriate priority tier. The BNL is reviewed at Coordinated Case Management meetings at least monthly.
Housing match
When a housing resource becomes available, it is matched to the most appropriate and most vulnerable person on the BNL. Priority: chronically homeless first, then high-vulnerability unsheltered, then veterans, then youth, then families with children.
Housing placement
The person is connected to the appropriate program — Emergency Shelter, Rapid Re-Housing, or Permanent Supportive Housing. Housing First means no sobriety, employment, or treatment compliance required as a condition of entry.
Who gets housed first.
HUD requires every CoC to have a transparent, written prioritization policy. The most vulnerable people — those most likely to die without intervention — are matched to housing first.
Chronically Homeless
Homeless 12+ months with a disabling condition. 109 people in Cleveland County — January 2024.
High-Vulnerability Unsheltered
Living outside with high VI-SPDAT scores. 91 people living unsheltered — January 2024.
Veterans
Coordinated with VA HUD-VASH. Contact: Christine Cleary, VA OKC — Christine.Cleary@va.gov · (405) 250-7344.
Unaccompanied Youth (18–24)
Youth homelessness rose 120% between 2023 and 2024. 11 youth counted — an emerging critical priority.
Families with Children
14 families with children counted in 2024, including 27 children under 18.
Other Sheltered — High Vulnerability
Remaining sheltered individuals with high VI-SPDAT scores, matched as resources become available.
Where to enter the system.
Any of the following organizations can begin your Coordinated Entry assessment. If you are in immediate need of shelter, call 211 first.
Food & Shelter Inc.
201 Reed Ave, Norman. Emergency Shelter, PSH, RRH. Primary CE physical hub.
The Salvation Army
318 E. Hayes, Norman · (405) 364-9910. Emergency Shelter for individuals and families.
Women's Resource Center
Norman. Emergency Shelter for women and children fleeing domestic violence.
Thunderbird Clubhouse
1251 Triad Village Dr · (405) 321-7331. PSH and ESG shelter for adults with serious mental illness.
The Mission Norman
Transitional Housing for individuals and families.
Norman Care-A-Vans
Mobile outreach to people living unsheltered. Brings CE access directly to encampments.