Where to Get Help

The City of Boulder, Boulder County and area agencies offer services for individuals and families experiencing homelessness or trying to stay housed.

Services Overview

Resources and services for adults, youth and families are listed below.

COVID-19 Recovery Center

About

The COVID-19 Recovery Center (CRC) is located at 3485 Stanford Court in Boulder and serves unhoused individuals in Boulder County. The CRC operates under a partnership between Boulder County, the City of Boulder and the City of Longmont, in close collaboration with Boulder County Public Health.

Purpose

At the CRC, individuals who are positive with COVID-19 or have symptoms can isolate while they recover.

Access

The CRC is not a walk-up service, and individuals are screened through a shelter or health providers to utilize this service. The CRC works with area shelters and health providers to transport individuals needing isolation and respite to the CRC, where they are provided with space for distancing, beds, meals, showers, laundry service and internet access. Individuals requiring medical care and supervision will be referred to hospitals.

Volunteer

The CRC is run by staff from Boulder County and the City of Boulder with additional support from community volunteers. Volunteers assist staff in running the 24 hour, seven days a week facility. All volunteers receive training and Personal Protective Equipment.

Community members who would like to support this initiative by acting as screeners and providing on-site support, can learn more and sign-up to volunteer at Count Me in Boulder.

Background

The original CRC opened in March 2020 as one of the first programs in the nation to create a non-medical space for individuals experiencing homelessness with a distanced space to recover from COVID-19. In its 15 months of operation the facility served 306 people. During this time, Boulder County shelters saw significantly lower rates of COVID-19 than other communities and had no reported COVID-19-related deaths in its unhoused population.

When the original CRC closed in June 2021, the county and its partners developed an interim plan to isolate symptomatic or positive individuals at a hotel. This plan included a threshold to reopen the CRC if needed based on the evolving course of the pandemic. Because of a recent increase in COVID-19 cases among unhoused individuals, primarily due to the Delta variant, the CRC is now reopening.

Adult Homeless Services

Coordinated Entry

Coordinated Entry is a required step for anyone seeking homeless-related services in Boulder County.

  • Services include shelter; help identifying housing options, basic-needs services, case management and more.
  • Talk with a staff person and go through a short assessment to help connect you with the best resources.
  • Coordinated Entry is available by phone or in person. Call 303-579-4404 or visit 909 Arapahoe Ave. from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays; noon-4 p.m. Tuesdays.
  • After hours, you may go to the Boulder Shelter from 5 to 7 p.m. and complete the assessment at the next available time to access future services.

Navigation

Once Coordinated Entry is completed, qualified individuals can access Navigation Services at Boulder Shelter for the Homeless.

In the Navigation Program, clients will participate in housing-focused case management. Navigation Services are intended to eliminate or reduce time in homeless services for adults who may be able to resolve their housing crisis with limited, short-term assistance including access to employment, benefits and basic needs, coupled with an overnight shelter.

Diversion Services

Diversion Services are provided through the Coordinated Entry process. These services provide light assistance for such things as reunification to families or support systems or assistance with landlord communication. The goal of the Diversion Services program is to keep people from entering long-term homelessness or the sheltering system. While all people who are screened through Coordinated Entry are eligible for Diversion Services, it is the primary resource for people who are not Boulder County residents.

Family Services

Emergency Family Assistance Association

The Emergency Family Assistance Association (EFAA) provides services for families in need, including:

  • Housing
  • Food
  • Support with critical expenses such as rent and minor medical costs
  • Guidance by case managers

EFAA's Housing Program provides both short-term and transitional housing.

  • Call EFAA at 303-442-3042 to make an appointment with a case manager.

Youth and Young Adult Services

TGTHR (formerly Attention Homes) 

TGTHR provides safe housing, food, clothing, counseling, employment help, health care, transportation assistance and other support services to individuals ages 12 to 24.

  • Drop-in Center: Open every day, 12:30 to 5:30 p.m.
  • Overnight emergency shelter: Open every night, 5 to 8 p.m.
  • Appointments: Can be scheduled every day between 8 a.m. and noon.

More information

Safe Shelter

Domestic Violence

Safehouse Progressive Alliance for Nonviolence (SPAN) provides services including crisis intervention, shelter, legal advocacy and counseling for adults, youth and children who have been impacted by domestic or dating violence or are questioning unhealthy aspects of their relationship.

  • If you or someone you know needs help, call SPAN's 24-hour hotline at 303-444-2424 or email hotline@safehousealliance.org. You can also contact SPAN by phone at 303-449-8623 or by mail at:
    SPAN
    835 North Street
    Boulder, CO 80304

Pregnant Women

Mother House provides safe shelter for pregnant women and women choosing adoption who are in need. Residents can participate in birthing, pregnancy and parenting classes at Boulder Foothills Hospital, paid for by Mother House, and receive information on how to connect with community services, many of which require a legal residence, including pre-natal and birthing health care, Medicaid and Food Stamps, Woman and Infant Children (WIC) program, and Colorado Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP).

Critical Weather Nights

What are Critical Weather Nights?

Critical weather nights are when temperatures fall below 10°F and/or the City of Boulder experiences 6” or more of snow.

Location

More Information

We recognize that critical weather nights are likely during Colorado winters and can be especially impactful to those who are unhoused. On these nights, a limited amount of increased shelter space will be made available.

This expansion of services is contingent upon hotel bed availability. While this system provides extra shelter beds during critical weather, beds are limited and there is no guarantee of bed availability.

  • People are encouraged to make other arrangements where possible or to engage with year-round programming.
  • Individuals seeking shelter and services are strongly encouraged to contact Coordinated Entry at 303-579-4404 to be assessed for available services. Walk-up, in-person Coordinated Entry is available at 909 Arapahoe Monday-Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Tuesdays noon to 4 p.m.).
  • The Boulder Shelter for the Homeless (BSH) facility can hold up to 160 beds. Due to COVID-19 safety guidelines, there are currently 140 beds available. During the height of the winter season, BSH will continue its commitment to managing an additional 20 hotel rooms for the most vulnerable shelter residents and an additional 20 beds for critical weather nights. This brings total capacity to 180 nights during the coldest nights.

To access this service, people must meet certain requirements

  • Be screened through Coordinated Entry (CE). CE provides information as to a person’s needs and is an important engagement tool when assisting people in their efforts to exit homelessness. One grace night will be provided for persons who were not able to access CE, but they will be asked to go through CE the next day.
  • Arrive before 7 p.m.
  • Be in good standing at BSH and follow the shelter’s health and safety requirements
  • Utilize shelter services no more than 90 nights per year if not enrolled in programming
  • Successfully complete a COVID-19 health screening

Morning Services

Boulder Shelter for the Homeless (BSH) provides morning services each day for people who wish to get showers or meals. BSH is open all day when the following weather conditions are met:

  • Forecasted high temperature is 20° or less, or
  • If there is 6" of snow expected

Resource Summary

Service

Description

Population Served

Coordinated Entry (CE)

Initial screening for access to shelter and programs.

All single adults experiencing homelessness.

Diversion Services

Addresses immediate crises through problem-solving, financial assistance, connection to mediation resources, family reunification, mental health and transportation to help people avoid entering the shelter system or homelessness.

Open to all Boulder County residents.

Navigation Services

Designed to quickly resolve a person’s homelessness with short-term case management and sheltering.

For individuals who do not have disabling conditions and do not have significant barriers to housing.

Housing Focused Shelter (HFS)

Sheltering with significant case management and services to support basic needs, health and exiting homelessness into housing. Access to reserved beds until housed.

For individuals with disabling conditions with significant barriers to housing stability.

Critical Weather Nights

Life-safety shelter during inclement weather. Must go through CE (with grace night provided) and can use for 90 nights.

All people experiencing homelessness who have been screened through CE but are not currently engaged with a program

Non-Congregate Shelter (NCS)

Protective hotel stay shelter during the COVID-19 pandemic.

People experiencing homelessness who are at high risk of COVID-19.

Guide to Homelessness

Stay Connected

Community Partner

Related Documents

Homeless Services Flyer pdf