The Continuum of Care (CoC Program) is designed to promote communitywide commitment of ending homelessness and provide funding for efforts by nonprofit providers and State and local governments to quickly re-house homeless individuals and families while minimizing the trauma and dislocation caused by homelessness, as well as to improve access to and effectiveness of services that promote the goal of long-term stability.

The Trenton/Mercer CoC strives to:

• Identify the gaps and needs of Mercer County's homeless households and assist in the process of prioritizing local and state resources to address these needs
• Coordinate citywide applications for homeless housing and service funds, including the Trenton/Mercer County annual application for HUD McKinney-Vento funding
• Advocate for additional federal funding to meet the needs of people experiencing or at risk of suffering homelessness in Mercer County and elsewhere.
  

• Permanent housing 
• Supportive serviced
• Rapid re-housing 
• Homelessness prevention

The Trenton/Mercer Continuum of Care Program provides homeless assistance by leveraging funding needed through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Consolidated Application. The program promotes collaboration among housing providers and community partners, seeks to improve and expand the collection of data countywide, develops performance measurements, and allows for each community to tailor its program to the particular strengths and challenges within that community. In Mercer County, the City of Trenton is the lead entity for the Trenton/Mercer Continuum of Care Program.

The Trenton/Mercer Continuum of Care conducts a gaps analysis annually to determine unmet needs within Mercer County. As a part of the effort, the Continuum of Care conducts an annual Point-in-Time (PIT) count of sheltered (emergency shelter, transitional housing, and Safe Havens) and unsheltered people experiencing homelessness on a single night in January to collect vital demographic and statistical information. This data assists stakeholders in understanding how to effectively deploy housing resources and services to prevent and end homelessness. In addition, the Continuum of Care examines the number of people experiencing homelessness to determine an increase or decrease in the homeless population over time. Monthly housing placements are reviewed, and targeted goals are measured to ensure the rate of housing exceeds the rate of homelessness in the Point in Time data. Each count is planned, coordinated, and carried out locally.

Coordinated entry is a requirement for all Continuum of Care programs nationwide to streamline the way people move from homelessness into permanent housing, ensuring the most vulnerable are prioritized for scarce resources. It requires each Continuum of Care to look at their system as a whole, rather than program by program. The Trenton/Mercer Continuum of Care is committed to ensuring those with the longest history of homelessness and highest service needs are prioritized first for housing

Residents seeking services can view this map to understand the screening, assessment, and housing pathway.  

If your organization is interested in joining the Continuum of Care, please complete this membership form. Staff will respond shortly. 

For more information, contact Alexa McCullough at 609-989-6982 or homelessservices@mercercounty.org and/or review this document.

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