ARCH is the HUD-designated lead for Coordinated Entry across the 37-county Alabama Balance of State CoC. This page covers how someone experiencing homelessness gets connected to help, how to file a grievance, and how to request a Street Outreach Team.
If you or someone you know is in immediate danger, call 911 first. RACAS and the resources on this page are not an emergency response service.
RACAS is the referral process that serves as the starting point for anyone experiencing homelessness across our 37 counties. The goal of RACAS is simple: connect people fairly to housing and other resources as they become available, no matter where in rural Alabama they're starting from.
If you're experiencing homelessness and need help, the process begins with a call to RACAS. A team member will ask some basic questions to understand your situation and connect you toward housing and other resources as they're available.
The Alabama Balance of State CoC has established a grievance process so clients and agencies can raise a concern without fear of retaliation — from the party involved or from anyone else in the system. If something about your experience with RACAS, Coordinated Entry, or a partner agency didn't sit right, we want to hear about it.
You're welcome to file a grievance anonymously. Fill out the form and our team will review it and follow up if you've given us a way to reach you.
If you see someone experiencing unsheltered homelessness, you can request a Street Outreach Team to connect them with our homelessness response system — to be assessed for needs and connected to available resources.
Give us as much detail as you can about where you saw them and what you observed. A team member will follow up as soon as possible.