Coordinated Entry Services
Gateway Center serves as one of the coordinated access points for both the City of Atlanta and Fulton County’s Continuum of Care. Coordinated Entry is the process through which individuals and families experiencing homelessness in the City of Atlanta and Fulton County can access housing assessments; emergency shelter placement; and linkage to long-term housing placement options available through the Housing Queue.
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has required all Continuums of Care (CoCs) nationally to develop and implement a Coordinated Access System for all CoC and ESG (Emergency Solutions Grant) funded programs. Research has shown that coordinated access systems is an effective model to aid communities to quickly and efficiently make homelessness rare, brief and non-recurring.
Although Coordinated Entry Teams provide assessments from 8 am – 4 pm Monday – Friday, sign up for these assessments begins when Gateway Center opens at 7am. The number of available assessments is based on the number of assessors available to complete these assessments daily. On average, our team completes assessments for approximately 10 individuals or families daily. While the length of time it takes to complete each assessment varies, it takes an average of 45 minutes to complete an assessment. On the 4th Friday of each month, The Coordinated Entry Sites are closed for training.
*For individuals and families seeking assistance within Atlanta, signups for daily assessments begin at 7am. Individuals and families are welcome to check back at 1pm to determine if there are any anticipated assessment openings for the afternoon.
Coordinated Entry Assessors utilize the Vulnerability Index-Service Prioritization and Decision Assistance Tool (VI-SPDAT). The VI-SPDAT is an assessment tool that allows individuals experiencing homelessness to be prioritized based on the severity of needs and ensures they are linked quickly to the best housing options available. Gateway Center recognizes that though the VI-SPDAT provides scoring to allow for prioritization of services, all individuals experiencing homeless seeking a housing a solution are a priority. Some individuals and families served by our Coordinated Entry Team may not be eligible for housing solutions from the Housing Queue. Our team will connect them with emergency shelter housing and services that may support them in self-resolving.
Gateway Center believes that is important to begin aggressively addressing the re-housing barriers as the Housing First model suggests. Gateway Center’s Housing Navigators work with guests to improve their ability to identify placement options by reducing and eliminating barriers to housing.
If you are interested in receiving in person Coordinated Entry Services, sign up begins at 7am at Gateway Center. In person services are offered Monday through Friday from 9am-4pm. If you are interested in receiving a phone assessment, please fill out the form here. Calls will be returned within a minimum of 72 hours.
City of Atlanta Assessment Center
275 Pryor Street SW
Atlanta, GA 30303
404-215-6600
Monday – Friday 9am – 4pm
In Person Sign Up Begins At 7am
Assistance – Click Here For Assistance & You Will Be Contacted Within in a Minimum of 72 Hours
North Fulton Assessment Center
7741 Roswell Rd NE
Atlanta, GA 30350
404-612-0720
Monday – Friday 9am – 4pm
Walk-Ins 9am – Noon
Appointments 1pm – 4pm
South Fulton Assessment Center
5600 Stonewall Tell Rd
College Park, GA 30349
404-612-0137
Monday – Friday 9am – 4pm
Walk-Ins 9am – Noon
Appointments 1pm – 4pm