No single system – whether education, homeless response, housing, workforce development, or public benefits – is able to meet all the needs of children, youth, and families experiencing homelessness. Identifying and staying in communication with school and community partners is foundational to building effective collaboration that benefits all children, youth, and families they serve.
Purpose of this tool: School and district staff members (e.g. school district homeless liaisons, school social workers, etc.) and community-based organizations (CBOs) may not know where to start to identify partners who are equipped to meet the needs of children, youth, and families experiencing homelessness. This partner inventory tool aims to provide partner networks with a template for locating, gathering, maintaining, and sharing information on partners in an organized manner.
How to use this tool:
Step 1: Search for potential partners in key partner systems below, which include links to contact and summary information.
Step 2: Download the editable spreadsheet and use the tabs at the bottom of the spreadsheet organized by partner system (early childhood, K12 education, higher education, housing and homeless response, etc.). Partner networks can customize Addl System 1 and Addl System 2 tabs to add more partner systems if needed.
Step 3: Add partner information into the relevant tab at the bottom of the spreadsheet and share the spreadsheet during meetings to encourage regular updating. It may be useful to use a document-sharing serving like Google Drive or Dropbox to facilitate a ‘crowd-sourcing’ approach to keeping contact information up-to-date.
➡️ Click Here to Download the Editable Spreadsheet
This resource is part of the ARP-HCY Technical Assistance Center’s school-community partnerships suite of resources. To view other resources, click here.
Search for potential partners in key partner systems:
Possible Early Care and Education (ECE) Partners
Existing or recommended ECE partners by state, county, school district, or local community partner leadership or partners.
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Local child care leadership/providers
|
Childcare.gov | |
| CCR&R Search – Child Care Aware® of America | ||
| Local Departments of Social Services | Directories | ||
| Search for Child Care | Division of Child Care Services | Office of Children and Family Services | ||
| Search for Child Care Services | NYC Health and Mental Hygiene | ||
| Local Head Start leadership/providers | Head Start Center Locator | ECLKC | |
| Regional child care administrators | Regional Offices | Directories | Office of Children and Family Services | |
| State child care administrator | State and Territory Child Care and Development Fund Administrators | |
| State and/or school district preschool/early childhood development leadership |
Google search, state education department or school district website search, recommendation by state or local education or community partner leadership or stakeholder | |
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Child Care Access Means Parents In School Program (CCAMPIS)
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Child Care Access Means Parents in School Program | U.S. Department of Education | |
| Awards — Child Care Access Means Parents in School Program | U.S. Department of Education | ||
| Other early care and education initiatives or partner groups? | Google search, recommendation by state or local education or community partner leadership or stakeholder | |
Possible K12 Education Partners
Existing or recommended Higher Education partners by state, county, school district, or local community partner leadership or partners.
| District Homeless Education Liaisons | NYS-TEACHS Homeless Liaison Contact List | |
|
District Foster Care Points of Contact
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Public School District Points of Contact for Foster Care | |
| Charter School Points of Contact for Foster Care | ||
| District School Counseling Director | Recommendation by local liaison, Google search, school district website search | |
| District Career and Technical Education Director (for K12 CTE programs) | Recommendation by State CTE Director, local liaison, Google search, school district website search | |
| District Career and Technical Education Director (for K12 CTE programs) | Recommendation by State CTE Director, local liaison, Google search, school district website search | |
| Homeless Education School Points of Contact, if applicable | Recommendation by local liaison | |
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Communities in Schools Local Affiliate
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Affiliate Map : – Communities In Schools | |
| Schools & Partners | ||
| NYS Community Schools TAC | ||
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State Coordinator for Homeless Education
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New York State Education Department McKinney-Vento Homeless Education | |
| NCHE State Level Data and Contact Information | ||
| State Foster Care Point of Contact | NYSED Foster Care | |
|
State Career and Technical Education (CTE) Director (for K12 CTE programs)
|
PCRN: State Profile – National Summary | |
| PCRN: State Profile – New York | ||
| State School Counseling Director | Recommendation by State Coordinator, Google search, state education department website search | |
| Other K12 education initiatives or partner groups? | Google search, recommendation by state, county, school district, or local community partner leadership or partners | |
Possible Higher Education Partners
| Existing or recommended higher ed partners by state, county, school district, or local community partner leadership or partners | ||
| District Career and Technical Education Director (for post-secondary CTE programs) | Google search, school district website search, recommendation by state or local education or community partner leadership or stakeholder | |
|
Foster Care Single Points of Contact
|
Google search, institution of higher education website search, recommendation by state or local education or community partner leadership or stakeholder | |
| Participating EOP Campus Contacts | SUNY | ||
| Campus Directory – The City University of New York | ||
|
State Career and Technical Education Director
(for post-secondary CTE programs) |
PCRN: State Profile – National Summary | |
| PCRN: State Profile – New York | ||
| State or local college access and success organizations | Google search, recommendation by state or local education or community partner leadership or stakeholder | |
| TRIO and Student Support Services Programs | TRIO Footprint in 2022-23: Project Sites Throughout the U.S. and Other Jurisdictions | |
|
Campus food programs (food banks, Swipe Out Hunger, etc.)
|
Google search, institution of higher education website search, recommendation by state or local education or community partner leadership or stakeholder | |
| Campus Partners | SwipeOutHunger.org | ||
|
Child Care Access Means Parents In School Program (CCAMPIS)
|
Child Care Access Means Parents in School Program | U.S. Department of Education | |
| Awards — Child Care Access Means Parents in School Program | U.S. Department of Education | ||
| Other higher education initiatives or partner groups? | Google search, institution of higher education website search, recommendation by state or local education or community partner leadership or stakeholder | |
Possible Housing and Homeless Response Partners
Existing or recommended Housing and Homeless Response partners by state, county, school district, or local community partner leadership or partners.
| State or local homeless coalitions | Google search, recommendation by state or local education or community partner leadership or stakeholder | |
| Continuum of Care partners | Grantee Contact Information | HUD Exchange | |
| Emergency Solutions Grant (shelter) partners | Grantee Contact Information | HUD Exchange | |
| Runaway and Homeless Youth Act program partners | Grantees of the Family and Youth Services Bureau | |
| Homeless shelters | Find Shelter | HUD.gov / U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) | |
| Other housing or homeless response initiatives or partner groups? | Google search, recommendation by state or local education or community partner leadership or stakeholder | |
Possible Workforce Development Partners
Existing or recommended Workforce Development partners by state, county, school district, or local community partner leadership or partners.
| Local apprenticeship offices | Apprenticeship Office Finder | CareerOneStop | |
| Local youth employment programs | Youth Program Finder | CareerOneStop | |
| Local Job Corps centers | Job Corps Center Finder | CareerOneStop | |
| State and local workforce development boards | Workforce Development Board Finder | CareerOneStop | |
| Other workforce development initiatives or partner groups? | Google search, recommendation by state or local education or community partner leadership or stakeholder | |
Possible Mental and Behavioral Health Partners
Existing or recommended Mental and Behavioral Health partners by state, county, school district, or local community partner leadership or partners.
| Local mental health programs | Mental Health Program Directory | NY Office of Mental Health | |
| Local mental health agency | Find Your Local NAMI | |
| State mental health agency | New York State Office of Mental Health | |
| National Alliance for Mental Illness state and local programs |
Find Your Local NAMI | |
| Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant (SABG) Contacts |
Substance Use Prevention, Treatment, and Recovery Services Block Grant (SUBG) Contacts | SAMHSA | |
| Other mental and behavioral health initiatives or partner groups? | Google search, recommendation by state or local education or community partner leadership or stakeholder | |