What is the EA Family Shelter Contact List?
Space is limited in the EA Family Shelter System, so you may be placed on the EA Family Shelter Contact List. The Contact List is the order we contact EA Family Shelter-eligible families for placement in an EA Family Shelter if there is no capacity. Your spot on the Contact List will depend on when you were found eligible for EA Family Shelter.
- The Bridge Shelter Track is for families with more challenging needs who may require other types of support before finding permanent housing. Families can stay in shelter for 9 months.
What determines the order of the EA Contact List?
The order of the EA Contact List is based on when your family was found EA eligible and your family’s needs and risks. To determine this, each EA eligible family will complete a Needs/Risk assessment during the application process. This includes a Clinical and Safety Risk Screening. This helps identify the shelter track for families and depending on capacity, the order of the Contact List. More information is below.
Needs/Risk Criteria
Bridge Shelter Track placements and the order of the contact list will be for based on priority score and if you have certain medical needs that meet EA Family Shelter priority criteria as verified by HLC that include:
- Family member aged 0-9 months
- Family member with high-risk pregnancy
- Family member in 3rd trimester of pregnancy
- Family member with immunocompromised condition
- Family member with medical device
- Family member with three or more chronic conditions
- Family member with medications requiring refrigeration
- Family with primary caregiver aged 70 years or more
- Family member who has an intellectual or developmental disability
- Family member who receives SSDI or SSI
- You are at risk of domestic violence,
- You received a DCF Health and Safety Assessment that identified a risk of harm,
- You are homeless because of fire, flood, or other disasters,
- You are homeless from a “no-fault eviction”,
- You have at least one family member who is a veteran, or
- You are leaving a DCF Young Parent Living Program due to age limits
- Families who have similar needs and/or risks will be ranked on the EA Contact List based on when they were found eligible if there is not capacity in the Bridge Shelter Track.
To learn more, read EA Guidance on Contact List and Prioritization Procedures.
What’s next after my family is found eligible for EA Family Shelter?
If your family is found eligible for EA Family Shelter, you will be placed into Bridge Shelter.
*Reminder:* All documents to prove eligibility are needed within 30 days from the date you fully submit your application. If we do not receive all your documents within this time period, you will be denied from the EA Family Shelter program and removed from the EA Contact List.Please continue to work with staff helping you apply to make sure you have given us alldocuments.
If there is not space in EA Family Shelter, your family will be placed on the EA Family Shelter Contact List. You will be placed on the contact list based on priority. You will need to continue working with your Homeless Coordinator (the person helping you with your EA Family Shelter application) while you wait for a space in EA Family Shelter.
We have specific sites where families that meet certain priority criteria may be able to stay while you are on the Contact List and waiting for shelter placement. These are called Clinical and Safety Risk (CSR) Assessment sites. Your Homeless Coordinator will tell you if you meet the priority criteria and can stay at one of these sites if space is available.
Families who are still in the process of completing their EA Family Shelter application and have provided the following eligibility criteria may also be eligible to stay in a CSR site:
- proof of identity,
- proof of familial relationship, and
- completion of a Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) check for those aged 18 and older.
If a family has provided those items and met priority 1 criteria, they can stay in a CRS site wile continuing to complete their application.
Until March 31, 2026, if a family has met priority 2 criteria and provided the eligibility items listed above, they can also stay in a CSR site while continuing the application process.
More information can be found on page 2 of the Emergency Assistance Family Shelter Program Guidance on Contact List and Prioritization Procedures.
How can I confirm I am on the EA Family Shelter Contact List?
To confirm you are on the EA Contact List, call (866) 584-0653 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Monday through Friday (closed on weekends and state holidays).
How long will I need to wait for shelter if I am on the Contact List?
Shelter units are limited, and eligible families are put on the EA Family Shelter Contact List until there is availability in their respective shelter track. Your priority number and shelter track will determine how long you may have to wait. Even once you are placed, please note EA Family Shelter is temporary and not permanent housing and is limited in most cases to either 30 business days on the Rapid Shelter Track or 9 months on the Bridge Shelter Track. Families in EA must be engaged with case management and housing search efforts and follow shelter rules to stay in the program.
Once I'm on the Contact List, how will I know if a unit becomes available?
The state will call, email and text you that shelter is available for you. Please make sure we have your U.S. cell phone number and email.
To accept your space in shelter:
- You have until 12pm the NEXT business day to respond.
- For example: You get a call, email, and text at 11am on Monday. To get placed, you must call OR email OR text back by Tuesday at 12pm
If you do not respond by 12pm the next business day:
- The state will go to the next person on the Contact List.
- You will NOT be removed from the Contact List or lose your spot in line for not responding in time the first time.
- You will NOT be removed from the Contact List or lose your spot in line for not responding in time the first time. HOWEVER, you will be terminated from the program if you are offered a shelter spot three times and do not respond by 12pm the next day each time. You can reapply immediately.
How will I get to the shelter?
Most families will need to arrive at the shelter with their things by 5pm.
You can only bring two bags per person. Each bag can only be about the size of a large suitcase.
If you need help getting to shelter, the state will help you get a ride. You must be ready to be picked up as soon as possible after the ride has been confirmed.
Resources that may help you while you're on the Contact List
Contact
Phone
Open M-F 8am-5pm - Closed on State Holidays