Keep up to date with the latest health news:

​US CDC News Room
VA Dept of Health News Room

Regional Continuums of Care

A Continuum of Care (CoC) is a regional or local planning body that coordinates housing and services funding for households experiencing a housing crisis. Each Continuum of Care has a designated CoC Lead Agency and an HMIS Lead Agency.

The Planning Council serves as the CoC Lead Agency for the Southeastern Virginia Homeless Coalition and is also contracted to provide the administrative support functions of the CoC Lead Agency for the Greater Virginia Peninsula Homelessness Consortium.

Homeless Management Information System

A Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) is a local information technology system used to collect client-level data and data on the provision of housing and services to individuals and families experiencing and at risk of homelessness. All agencies utilizing government funding for homeless services provision are required to utilize the HMIS. The Planning Council serves as the HMIS Lead Agency for several Continuums of Care and provides technical assistance and training for over 250 users located within service provider agencies, private, faith-based and governmental organizations.

The CoC Lead Agency is responsible for completing and submitting all CoC-based applications for funding, implementing a collaborative process for the CoC, evaluating performance outcomes of programs funded under CoC and ESG applications, ensuring CoC compliance with the CoC Interim Program Rule and HUD Notices, and coordinates and reports outcomes of the annual Point in Time Count, Housing Inventory Count, Grant Inventory Worksheet, and System Performance Measures.

Aggregate and specific data from the HMIS are used by local, state, and federal policymakers to inform decisions around homeless service provision. Local design and implementation of the HMIS is important as there are many benefits, including streamlined services for clients, the ability to track outcomes and identify service gaps, as well as guide communities to address homelessness based on the true picture of those experiencing, and at risk of, homelessness around them.

The Hampton Roads area in Southeastern Virginia is home to four Continuums of Care. Each CoC serves a specific geographic area.

• BEACH Community Partnership
  • City of Virginia Beach
• Greater Virginia Peninsula Homelessness Consortium
  • Cities of Hampton, Newport News, Poquoson, & Williamsburg
  • Counties of James City & York 

• Portsmouth Homeless Action Consortium​
  • City of Portsmouth
• Southeastern Virginia Homeless Coalition
  • Cities of Norfolk, Chesapeake, Suffolk, & Franklin
  • Counties of Isle of Wight & Southampton

The Planning Council serves as HMIS Lead Agency for the Greater Virginia Peninsula Homeless Consortium, Portsmouth Homeless Action Consortium, Southeastern Virginia Homeless Coalition, and the Virginia Beach Continuum of Care. The Planning Council also provides HMIS System Administration support to the Central Virginia Continuum of Care. 
​​
​The Hampton Roads Homeless Management Information System serves the cities and counties in Virginia below:

• Cities - Chesapeake, Franklin, Hampton, Lynchburg, Newport News, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Poquoson, Suffolk, Williamsburg, and Virginia Beach
• Counties - Amherst, Appomattox, Bedford, Campbell, Isle of Wight, Southampton, James City, and York

WE BELIEVE HOMELESSNESS SHOULD BE RARE, BRIEF,​ AND NON-RECURRING.

​​The Planning Council has the knowledge and experience to help homeless service providers maximize funding from federal, state and local governments and foundations to best meet the needs of the most vulnerable households.

Established in 1941

The Planning Council is a not-for-profit, community-based, planning corporation created in 1941 to provide planning, development, and management of those human service that improve the livability of our communities.
​
We have succeeded in addressing some of the most critical problems in the human services arena in the region using a three-faceted approach: professional analysis and research, development of community coalitions, and effective evaluation processes. 

Our Goal

The Planning Council plans, develops, and manages human services to improve the quality of life. We bring together partners across jurisdictional boundaries to offer homeless solutions regionally by:

• Managing the Hampton Roads HMIS for over 60 agencies.
• Facilitating state and annual federal funding of over $10 million for 68 homeless programs.
• Coordinating local and regional planning strategies for agencies serving the homeless.

Our Teams

The Planning Council's Continuum of Care (CoC) Team leads local and regional homeless initiatives to promote a systematic approach for preventing and ending homelessness.

The Continuum of Care (CoC) Coordination Team brings together agencies, government leaders, and advocacy groups to create innovative, data-driven solutions that prevent and end homelessness. We lead collaboration across the community to put proven best practices into action.
​
​​Each year, our team secures over $10 million in state and federal funding through CoC applications, supporting vital housing and service programs for people experiencing homelessness.

The Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) Administration Team helps local agencies use the HMIS correctly and efficiently and reports to federal, state, and local partners. These reports show the results of each CoC's work and help secure ongoing or increased funding for our communities. 
​
Our team turns data into useful information by creating reports that support strategic, evidence-based decisions. We encourage new and effective ways to use data and technology to improve services, strengthen operations, and better support people in need.