Program Spotlight: Coordinated Intake
Photo via FluxFactory from Getty Images. To honor the privacy and dignity of those we serve, FrontLine Service does not share client photos or identifying details.
parents are always thinking of their children: how to feed, clothe, teach, and comfort them. That pressure exponentially increases when you are also fleeing from an abusive partner with no support system.
Jess needs somewhere to stay after living out of her car with her three children. The seats make uncomfortable beds, and she can only keep the heat running for so long before her battery runs out. It’s difficult to feel safe in a parking lot or garage, but it feels much safer to her than living another night with her abusive partner.
Once Jess feels ready to ask for support, she calls Coordinated Intake’s number and reaches Nikki Fugett-Dobens, FrontLine Service’s Family Coordinator. In making that call, Jess connects with a network of housing and domestic violence support services fully equipped to aid her and her family.
“I am so grateful that we are the first step in their housing journey, and when they have a place to sleep and a place to be, it’s that glimmer of hope that I love to see at the end of the day,” says Nikki.
When anyone experiencing homelessness requests shelter in Cuyahoga County, they enter through Coordinated Intake. It serves as a gateway to housing resources and ensures that shelter beds are easily accessed and available to individuals and families with the greatest needs. In 2023, Coordinated Intake served 5,535 individuals who called for assistance.
Jess requests an intake assessment to explore her options and make an informed approach to identifying housing services. The assessment gathers demographic information, housing history, crisis screenings, and background checks to determine eligibility for shelters and housing support programs. Nikki learns that Jess recently came to Cleveland and doesn’t know many people who could let her stay in their home with three kids.
After her assessment—with Nikki’s help—Jess accesses emergency overflow housing in a local hotel, and her name is added to a waitlist for housing support programs. Though only temporary, a secure hotel room, indoor plumbing, and a warm bed is a welcome change.
After three weeks in the hotel, Nikki links Jess and her children with Rapid Re-Housing for Survivors of Domestic Violence, a partnership with EDEN Inc., FrontLine, The Journey Center, Jewish Family Services, and The Cleveland Rape Crisis Center. The program provides emergency housing assistance for individuals or families fleeing domestic violence.
Rapid Re-Housing then links Jess and her children to the Journey Center for Safety and Healing, a local organization that provides services to those affected by child abuse and domestic violence. After a month, Jess and her family finally find their permanent home through Journey Center, where they live more comfortably than they have in years.
If you need shelter, contact Coordinated Intake at 216-674-6700. If you require shelter after 8 p.m. or on weekends, call 211.