(a) The Department shall implement a Coordinated Entry System designed to assess people experiencing homelessness, so as to prioritize and refer such people to housing programs. People experiencing homelessness with the greatest barriers to housing, the longest histories of homelessness, and/or the highest level of vulnerability shall be prioritized for housing or other appropriate placements. The Department shall be responsible for developing the process and standards used to screen and prioritize homeless persons for housing programs in accordance with the three factors identified in the preceding sentence.
(b) When assessing and assigning single homeless adults to Rapid-Rehousing, or Permanent Supportive Housing (collectively, “Housing”), the Department shall recognize discharge from a Residential Behavioral Health Program of a program participant who was homeless upon entry into the Residential Behavioral Health Program as a vulnerability that will confer upon the program participant a priority, as determined by the Department, for such Housing. An individual’s eligibility for this priority shall be verified by the Department of Public Health.
