CAM is short for Coordinated Assessment Model. It is an initiative that is changing how homeless and housing services have traditionally been provided in Detroit, Highland Park, and Hamtramck. The goal of CAM is to accurately assess a household’s needs and match that household to the appropriate housing resource and intervention. The CAM is not a “program.” It is the entire network of homeless and housing service providers in the Detroit Continuum of Care (CoC), and it requires the coordination, cooperation and communication of all community partners. Southwest Solutions is the CAM Lead Agency, in partnership with Neighborhood Service Organization (NSO), which operates the Call Center, and Community & Home Supports (CHS), which completes assessments and provides navigation services.
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA The Detroit CAM serves households in Detroit, Highland Park, and Hamtramck that are homeless, as defined by HUD, and:
Need temporary shelter placement.
Currently residing in emergency shelter and transitional housing.
Sleeping in a place not meant for human habitation, such as an abandoned dwelling or a vehicle and have refused shelter or are unable to access shelter because the shelters are at capacity.
At risk of homelessness due to pending eviction or uninhabitable conditions in current housing situation.
In a place with utilities in shut-off status, making them at risk of eviction or their homes becoming uninhabitable.
Contact the CAM if:
You are homeless and seeking a shelter bed. (Family shelter beds, and single women shelter beds are very limited, and may require repeated attempts.)
You are homeless but cannot go to a shelter and need to be connected with homeless services. (You qualify for this assistance only if you are sleeping in a place not meant for living. A Street Outreach team will verify homelessness.)
You are in housing and facing an eviction. (Please note this resource is very limited.)
You are in jeopardy of losing your housing due to a utility shut-off.
SERVICES AVAILABLE
The CAM Call Center provides shelter bed access for single persons and families in need of temporary shelter. (Access is based on shelter bed availability.)
CAM connects households with CAM Homeless Street Outreach teams if the household is living on the streets and either refuses shelter, with just cause, or is unable to access shelter beds. (Note:Staying in someone’s home temporarily would not qualify for a Homeless Street Outreach referral. Homeless Street Outreach team will verify homeless prior to starting the CAM referral process.)
Referrals to Rapid Re-housing (RRH) or Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) community resources, as determined by the Full SPDAT Assessment score. (RRH and PSH assistance is based on current program capacity availability, as well as the household meeting prioritization criteria.) Overview CAM caseworker Ed Cieslak does an assessment for CAM with Sandra at COTS.
Referrals to community programs and partners that provide homeless prevention assistance for households with a pending eviction. (Prevention assistance is provided based on current availability, as well as the household meeting eligibility and prioritization criteria.)
Referrals to community programs and partners that provide utility assistance to prevent shut-off or to reinstate utility service.
