History

The DuPage County Continuum of Care began in 1994. The DuPage County Need Cluster process was a precursor to the Continuum of Care. The Homeless Needs Cluster evolved into the Continuum of Care in 1997.

There was an initial DuPage Continuum of Care workshop - "A PLACE TO CALL HOME"- in1998. Two Task Groups were established at the end of the workshop - Gaps, Resources, and Priorities and Organizational Goals and Strategies. These two Task Groups established four committees - Needs Assessment Committee, Resources Committee, Organizational Structure Committee, and the Information Systems Committee. Later in 1998, an initial Continuum of Care structure was approved which consisted of a Leadership Committee, a Chairpersons Forum, and seven Continuum of Care committees. The seven Continuum committees were divided into two groups - Management and Needs Assessment. The Management Committees consist of Community Outreach, Grants/Funding, and Information Systems. The four Needs Assessment committees included Housing/Shelter, Medical & Related, Independence, and Other Support.

The structure of the DuPage County Continuum was revised in October 1999. The new organizational structure for the DuPage County Continuum of Care model consisted of a Leadership Committee, a Chairperson's Forum, and four Continuum of Care committees - Community Outreach, Grants/Funding, Needs Assessment, and Information Systems.

The DuPage Continuum of Care Planning Structure was modified on March 11, 2003. The CDC Executive Committee was eliminated because it was a duplicative planning process and that group did not represent members of the Continuum. The Leadership Committee of the Continuum now consists of the lead agency which is the DuPage Community Services Department, representatives from the Continuum membership at large, the 3 committee chairpersons, and the Continuum Consultant. The DuPage Homeless Continuum structure now consists of a Leadership Committee and three standing committees - Community Outreach, Grants/Funding, Needs Assessment. The Needs Assessment Committee has an active HMIS Users Group and 3 Homeless Count Task Forces.