A person seeking housing support should leave their first conversation knowing what happens next. That might be an appointment, a connection to a navigator, help accessing an immediate resource, or a clear explanation of what the local system can offer.
For Continuums of Care and their access-point partners, that requires more than answering calls. It requires an intake process that is accessible, consistent and connected to the people doing the follow-up.
Fortell's interviews and case studies highlight ways to improve that first contact while protecting the human relationships on which housing services depend.
1. Make the first point of contact easier to reach
Associated Ministries' case study describes an intake bottleneck within Pierce County's homelessness response. Its Fortell deployment supports answering calls, initial screening and appointment booking outside normal office hours.
“People just aren't available 9 to 5… this creates access.”
Look at what happens when someone calls during the evening, reaches a busy line or cannot stay on hold. Offer a useful next step through the channels your community can use, with clear arrangements for urgent needs and staff follow-up.
An always-available phone service should complement outreach, accessible in-person options and other local access routes. Someone without a working phone still needs a way to reach the system.
2. Keep the first conversation focused
Review every question asked before a person reaches a navigator or assessor. What information is needed now? What can be collected later? Which sensitive questions belong in a private conversation with a trained person?
“when was the last time you actually walked through what your intake process feels like?”
Try the process from the caller's perspective. Avoid making people understand the organizational chart before they can explain their need. Explain why information is being collected and what will happen with it.
Use approved local questions and routing rules. Treat initial information collection as one stage of the process; decisions about assessment, prioritization and referrals should remain within the CoC's established procedures and human oversight.
3. Reduce the need to repeat difficult stories
In her interview, Shawn Paton describes the strain of navigating disconnected services during a crisis.
“Having to retell your story is retraumatizing for people.”
Her comments point toward a practical goal: give the next worker enough relevant context to continue the conversation.
A useful handoff can include the person's stated need, information already confirmed, the agreed next step and their safe contact preferences. Share only what is necessary through authorized processes, giving people a way to correct misunderstandings. Sensitive information needs particular care.
Plan how information reaches the local HMIS or case-management workflow. A summary only saves effort if the receiving team can find it, trust it and use it.
4. Turn the conversation into a concrete next step
An instruction to call another number can leave the person carrying the entire coordination burden. Where possible, arrange a transfer, book an appointment or agree a callback time with a named team.
United Way of Pierce County's published case study reports 305 hours of phone conversations handled and 3,300 appointments booked through Fortell. Those figures relate to its community-navigation service; they are not counts of coordinated entry assessments or housing placements. They illustrate how initial contact can lead directly to a scheduled next step.
Read the United Way case study →
Define what happens when the receiving team is unavailable. Confirm who owns the callback, when it should happen and how the person can reconnect if it does not. Make appointment confirmations discreet and consistent with the person's contact preferences.
5. Keep people connected while they wait
Emma Beers describes a gap between being assessed and receiving active support:
“They were kind of just left there.”
Build a clear follow-up approach. Agree how to stay in touch, what changes the person should report, and which team will respond. Use reminders and check-ins where appropriate, supported by staff who can act when circumstances change.
Associated Ministries' case study identifies ongoing waitlist check-ins as a future area of exploration. That distinction matters: treat it as a design opportunity, rather than a completed result.
Intake can also connect people with available food, benefits, transportation or prevention resources. Be clear about the difference between receiving navigation support and receiving a housing offer.
6. Protect the work that requires human judgment
Harold Womble describes effective case managers as people who look beneath the presenting problem, anticipate barriers and follow up when a client misses contact. He also discusses using technology to collect basic information so staff have more time for the substantive conversation — around 12:37-15:32 of his interview.
Read Harold's interview transcript →
Design automation around that purpose. Routine questions, scheduling and information capture can support a navigator's work. People should still have a clear route to a person, particularly when a situation is sensitive, urgent or does not fit the standard process.
Measure time to first response, time to assessment, completed handoffs, appointment attendance, successful follow-up and repeat contacts. Review the experience with people who have used the system, including those who struggled to complete intake.
Better intake cannot create housing supply. It can make existing services easier to reach and help staff spend more of their time supporting people through the next stage.
Fortell supports conversational intake and navigation workflows for human services. Talk to Fortell about your coordinated entry access points and identify where clearer information, easier scheduling and better handoffs could make a difference.
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