Bulletin 2016-02: Role of Central Intake & Streets to Homes Assessment & Referral Centre (129 Peter St.)

January 22, 2016

Central Intake (CI) and Streets to Homes Assessment and Referral Centre (SHARC) provide assistance to shelter providers in managing access demand and occupancy capacity when necessary. CI and SHARC staff participates in shelter provider sector meetings to discuss and resolve occupancy and referral pressures.

CI operates as a component of Family Residence and has its roots in Central Family Intake (CFI). CFI originally provided telephone assistance to families requesting access to shelter services at directly operated family shelters and also worked with purchase of service family shelters to ensure smooth and appropriate shelter transfers and referrals. In December 2011, CFI was changed to CI, and its mandate changed to:

• Provide telephone support (through 311 or 416-397-5637) to all individuals seeking access to the shelter system.
• Complete a telephone assessment to determine eligibility for access to the emergency shelter system and facilitate appropriate referrals
• Complete all intakes for the directly operated family shelters and Women’s Residence.

SHARC operates as a component of Streets to Homes, was opened in December 2011 and replaced the role of the Assessment and Referral Centre (ARC). SHARC’s mandate is to work with street involved individuals to:

• Provide in-person supports, housing assistance and shelter referrals.
• Provide on-site respite for street involved individuals who are not able to access the shelter system
• SHARC accepts referrals from shelters when occupancy pressures create referral and admission challenges (when no shelter can be found for someone who is seeking and in-person shelter referral) or when an individual has been discharged from a shelter for reasons of health and safety.