Journey guide

Leaving Shelter or Transitional Housing

This guide helps organize a transition plan without representing an assessment, referral, subsidy, or unit as certain.

Your plan

6 steps, in the order that works. Select any step for the full instructions.

Step 1 of 6. Check where you can go on exit day. More info.
Step 2 of 6. Confirm the housing handoff. More info.
Step 3 of 6. Set up mail and phone before leaving. More info.
Step 4 of 6. Plan medicines and travel with staff. More info.
Step 5 of 6. Prepare an exit-day fallback. More info.
Step 6 of 6. Keep each application moving. More info.

Answer these to shorten your plan

[data-journey-question]{display:none}Choosing answers needs JavaScript. Follow the full plan above, choose another Journey guide, or call 211 for local help.

Optional. Answers stay in this browser tab; they are not placed in the address, sent to No One Left Outside or used to decide eligibility. Skipping every question gives you the full plan above.

Will mail and calls still reach you?

Is an exit-day fallback confirmed?

Progress stays in this browser tab and is never sent to No One Left Outside.

Start here

Your first action

Packet

Do this now

Talk with the shelter case manager or housing navigator about a transition plan before your stay ends. Confirm any upcoming deadlines.

Next: Shelter case manager or housing navigator

Use the case manager or navigator contact from the shelter, if one was assigned.

Ask: Ask about a written transition plan, current housing availability, any referrals already in progress, and the timeline for your departure.

Not in Louisville? Outside Louisville: Any Door KY

Find your region's Any Door KY contact Call Kentucky 211 (Dial 211)

In the 118 Balance of State counties, Kentucky Housing Corporation's Any Door KY lists the regional coordinated-entry contact. An assessment is not a waitlist and does not confirm a referral. Any Door KY does not cover Fayette County. In Fayette, use Lex End's Get Help page for Housing Triage access guidance; for immediate housing help call 211. Screening does not confirm eligibility, a referral, admission, vacancy or placement.

Situation: Leaving a shelter and need to transition to more stable housing, employment, or independent living.

What you need to startUse what you have. Missing items do not block the first call.

Have ready if available

Transition plan or housing plan documents from the shelter
Any pending housing applications or referral numbers
ID, benefit cards, and important records
Safe contact method after leaving

Missing something? Ask what can be reviewed; do not wait to call.

If the first route fails

If no transition plan is in place or coordinated entry has not been used: Contact the Louisville Coalition for the Homeless for a common assessment and coordinated access to housing resources. Dial 211 for additional support services.

Dial 211

Keep any existing referrals and case manager contacts active during the transition.

Universal preparation guidance · checked 2026-08-01 · Jurisdiction-neutral

What remains uncertain: Housing availability, waitlist status, eligibility for transitional or permanent housing, and benefit portability must all be confirmed with the specific organization.

Universal preparation guidance · checked 2026-08-06 · Kentucky

Programs under one organization can differ. Provider information · Methodology

Choose what needs attention

What is at risk when you leave?

Pick everything that applies — an exit usually breaks more than one thing at once. Your choices only change what this page shows you, and nothing is sent anywhere.

Select a card to add it. Select it again to remove it.

Keep the plan moving

If the first route is closed or you cannot use it

A closed office, unanswered call, or unavailable device does not prove that you are denied or that a service is unavailable. This guide lists some options, not every possible route. If it is safe to do so, ask for another appropriate contact and keep the original task open.

The office or line is closed

Record what failed and when. Use a listed same-day alternative if one exists, and keep the original call or application as a separate follow-up.

See things that may help today

You cannot use the phone or website

Check for another published channel or ask a trusted helper to open the route with you. Share only the minimum information needed. If no workable channel is listed, that gap remains unknown.

Check the official routes

Related resources can offer another path, but a listing does not confirm current hours, capacity, eligibility, or acceptance. Review related resources.

What this guide cannot promise

Reviewed guidance only. Fees, timelines, eligibility, document substitutes, capacity, and provider practices are not published unless supported by a named source. Confirm current requirements directly.

How to read checked, listed, and unknown informationA listing can stay useful without being provider confirmed.

Checked fact or route: No One Left Outside matched the fact to the named source on the date shown. This is not proof of current availability or provider confirmation.
Directory lead: A listing that may still help remains visible with an honest status such as Possibly active or Needs verification.
PROVIDER CONFIRMED: Only named fields backed by linked first-party provider evidence, integrity checks, and attributed human approval may carry this state. No One Left Outside never infers it from a website, import, likely fit, or contact attempt.
UNKNOWN / Needs verification: No One Left Outside does not know the answer yet. Confirm it directly; this is not a claim that the resource or option does not exist.

Each step in full

The same steps as the plan above, with the instructions for each one.

Step 1Check where you can go on exit day of 6
Private plan · nothing is sent
Do this
Confirm the exit date with the current program and whether the next place has accepted you.
- Ask staff to distinguish a completed placement from a referral still awaiting an answer.
- If you have nowhere safe, ask for shelter access help now: in Jefferson County, 502-637-2337 takes calls daily, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.; anywhere else in Kentucky, call 211 and ask for the shelter or outreach route serving your county.
Ways to get help for this step
- Kentucky 211 — any Kentucky county
  Any county, any hour: ask for the shelter or outreach route serving your county on exit day. A referral does not reserve a bed.
  Call 211
- Coordinated Shelter Access — Jefferson County only
  Jefferson County only, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
  Call (502) 637-2337
- Lex End Housing Triage — Fayette County only (KY-502)
  Fayette County only; its page sends immediate housing help to 211.
  Open official route →
Limits and what to confirm
- Louisville referral only. Confirm today's intake and household/access requirements. A call, referral or listed office never confirms a bed or walk-in shelter admission.
- 211 routes and informs. A referral does not reserve a bed, confirm transport or establish admission; confirm with the receiving service.
- An exit date does not prove a destination, bed, or extension is available.
Why this step is here
Resolve the first-night gap before relying on a longer housing application.
What was checked, and what is still unknown (2)
Official sources checked (2)
- Coalition for the HomelessContact Us
  Establishes: For emergency-shelter beds or help preventing homelessness, call Coordinated Shelter Access at 502-637-2337. It takes calls seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
  Practical limit: Louisville referral only. Confirm today's intake and household/access requirements. A call, referral or listed office never confirms a bed or walk-in shelter admission.
  Checked on 2026-09-30
- Kentucky 211 / United WayKentucky 211
  Establishes: Kentucky 211 takes resource-navigation and referral questions from every Kentucky county, including local shelter routes.
  Practical limit: 211 routes and informs. A referral does not reserve a bed, confirm transport or establish admission; confirm with the receiving service.
  Checked on 2026-10-02
Still unknown
- An exit date does not prove a destination, bed, or extension is available.
Back to your plan
Step 2Confirm the housing handoff of 6
Private plan · nothing is sent
Do this
Ask the sending and receiving programs what referral or application is actually complete.
- Write the receiving contact, last confirmed status, missing items, and next check date.
- Ask separately about emergency shelter and longer-term housing assessment; one does not establish the other.
Move on when: someone is responsible for the next receiving-program response.
Ways to get help for this step
- Any Door KY regional housing contact — 118 counties outside Jefferson and Fayette
  118 counties outside Jefferson and Fayette: the regional coordinated-entry contact. An assessment is not a waitlist or a placement.
  Open official route →
- Common Assessment housing survey — Jefferson County only
  Jefferson County only, Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
  Call (502) 637-2080
- Lex End Housing Triage — Fayette County only (KY-502)
  Fayette County only: confirm the housing-triage access point.
  Open official route →
Limits and what to confirm
- Louisville referral only. Confirm today's intake and household/access requirements. A call, referral or listed office never confirms a bed or walk-in shelter admission.
- Many Public Housing Agency voucher waitlists are closed; open waitlists can take years.
- Regional navigation, not proof of a local program. Assessment concerns literal homelessness and housing referrals; it is not a waitlist and does not confirm a referral or shelter tonight.
- Assessment status, program acceptance, and waitlist position are UNKNOWN without direct confirmation.
What was checked, and what is still unknown (3)
Official sources checked (3)
- Coalition for the HomelessContact Us
  Establishes: For emergency-shelter beds or help preventing homelessness, call Coordinated Shelter Access at 502-637-2337. It takes calls seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
  Practical limit: Louisville referral only. Confirm today's intake and household/access requirements. A call, referral or listed office never confirms a bed or walk-in shelter admission.
  Checked on 2026-09-30
- U.S. Department of Housing and Urban DevelopmentHCV Applicant and Tenant Resources
  Establishes: Apply for vouchers through a public housing agency; documents vary, waitlists can be long, and applicants must keep contact and household information current.
  Practical limit: Many Public Housing Agency voucher waitlists are closed; open waitlists can take years.
  Checked on 2026-09-07
- Kentucky Housing CorporationHomelessness Resources — Any Door KY
  Establishes: Outside Jefferson and Fayette counties, Any Door KY lists the regional coordinated-entry contact for the 118-county Balance of State.
  Practical limit: Regional navigation, not proof of a local program. Assessment concerns literal homelessness and housing referrals; it is not a waitlist and does not confirm a referral or shelter tonight.
  Checked on 2026-10-02
Still unknown
- Assessment status, program acceptance, and waitlist position are UNKNOWN without direct confirmation.
Back to your plan
Step 3Set up mail and phone before leaving of 6
Private plan · nothing is sent
Do this
Choose a reachable contact method and update each active housing application.
- Ask the current shelter whether mail can still be collected and for how long.
- Confirm another mail arrangement directly before using it; give each agency the change through its own process.
Ways to get help for this step
- USPS General Delivery rules — national
  Confirm the facility, ZIP code and accepted ID with the destination Post Office first; items are held no more than 30 days.
  Open official route →
- Lifeline phone or internet discount — national
  A federal phone or internet discount for eligible households; recertification and usage rules apply.
  Open official route →
Limits and what to confirm
- Many Public Housing Agency voucher waitlists are closed; open waitlists can take years.
- Mail acceptance and retention at a particular shelter or post office are UNKNOWN.
What was checked, and what is still unknown (1)
Official sources checked (1)
- U.S. Department of Housing and Urban DevelopmentHCV Applicant and Tenant Resources
  Establishes: Apply for vouchers through a public housing agency; documents vary, waitlists can be long, and applicants must keep contact and household information current.
  Practical limit: Many Public Housing Agency voucher waitlists are closed; open waitlists can take years.
  Checked on 2026-09-07
Still unknown
- Mail acceptance and retention at a particular shelter or post office are UNKNOWN.
Back to your plan
Step 4Plan medicines and travel with staff of 6
Private plan · nothing is sent
Do this
Before departure, confirm how essential medicines, appointments, and travel continue.
- Ask the prescriber or pharmacist about a supply gap; do not change medicine use based on this guide.
- Confirm the first trip, return trip, belongings, and any mobility support with the receiving program.
Ways to get help for this step
- Kentucky 211 — any Kentucky county
  If no prescriber or clinic is lined up after exit, ask for medication assistance or a community clinic serving your county. Nothing is confirmed until the clinic answers.
  Call 211
Limits and what to confirm
- Medication supply, ride coverage, and storage are UNKNOWN until the responsible service confirms them.
Why this step is here
Ask while the current program can still help arrange the handoff.
What was checked, and what is still unknown
Still unknown
- Medication supply, ride coverage, and storage are UNKNOWN until the responsible service confirms them.
Back to your plan
Step 5Prepare an exit-day fallback of 6
Private plan · nothing is sent
Do this
Ask staff for another safe route if the expected placement falls through.
- Use 211 for shelter and support leads serving your county if no destination is confirmed.
- Keep the fallback contact accessible and recheck it before the exit date.
Ways to get help for this step
- Kentucky 211 — any Kentucky county
  Any county: ask for a fallback shelter or outreach contact for exit day.
  Call 211
- If exit day comes with nowhere to go
  The shelter-tonight guide, with county-specific routes.
  View details →
Limits and what to confirm
- 211 provides resource navigation and referrals only; it does not distribute direct financial aid.
- Admission and transportation remain UNKNOWN until confirmed by the receiving service.
What was checked, and what is still unknown (1)
Official sources checked (1)
- United Way 211Call 211 for Essential Community Services
  Establishes: 211 connects callers to local housing, food, utility, and other resource referrals.
  Practical limit: 211 provides resource navigation and referrals only; it does not distribute direct financial aid.
  Checked on 2026-09-07
Still unknown
- Admission and transportation remain UNKNOWN until confirmed by the receiving service.
Back to your plan
Step 6Keep each application moving of 6
Private plan · nothing is sent
Do this
Check every open application after the move and keep your copies and next check dates.
- Report changed contact and household information to each housing agency.
- Ask who replaces the current helper after exit and who to call if a response is missed.
- Choose a safe contact method, name who owns the next action, and write down when to check again.
- Keep a safe copy or reference number for each notice, submission, referral, and instruction so the work can resume without starting over.
Move on when: each open item has a reachable contact, responsible person, and next check date.
Limits and what to confirm
- Many Public Housing Agency voucher waitlists are closed; open waitlists can take years.
- No placement or benefit continues automatically merely because it was discussed at discharge.
What was checked, and what is still unknown (1)
Official sources checked (1)
- U.S. Department of Housing and Urban DevelopmentHCV Applicant and Tenant Resources
  Establishes: Apply for vouchers through a public housing agency; documents vary, waitlists can be long, and applicants must keep contact and household information current.
  Practical limit: Many Public Housing Agency voucher waitlists are closed; open waitlists can take years.
  Checked on 2026-09-07
Still unknown
- No placement or benefit continues automatically merely because it was discussed at discharge.
Back to your plan

Everything this journey covers is below: the documents involved, what commonly blocks people, and the official routes. Pick whichever situations above match yours to narrow this to an ordered plan for each one, with what to bring, what to ask, and what to do if it does not work. You can pick more than one, and you can change your mind.

Documents and what replaces them (4)Every document this journey covers, what each one proves, and the accepted substitutes.

Documents and recovery questions

Anything marked “confirmed” below has a named source and a check date. Everything else is a question worth asking, not a rule — ask before relying on it.

Housing and identity records

A later application may request identity, household, income, or housing-history information.

If it is missing

List missing items and ask each destination what can begin while recovery is pending.

Possibilities to ask about

Ask the current program what records it can provide and what the receiving program accepts.

Official details not yet verified — ask the agency for current instructions · checked 2026-08-01 · Kentucky

Referral and application confirmations

Written status helps distinguish a completed referral from a possible route.

If it is missing

Ask the referring organization for a copy or a clear contact and reference method.

Possibilities to ask about

Ask the receiving program how it confirms a referral or active application.

Official details not yet verified — ask the agency for current instructions · checked 2026-08-01 · Kentucky

Current medication list and prescriber contact

A prescription that runs out during a move is one of the fastest ways an otherwise workable transition collapses, and the next provider cannot continue what it cannot see.

If it is missing

Ask the discharging clinician or programme for a written current medication list and the prescriber's contact before the exit date, and ask how a refill is obtained in the gap.

The route No One Left Outside checked

Phoenix Healthcare for the Homeless serves adults experiencing homelessness near downtown Louisville. It provides services at its downtown clinic and through street outreach.

Family Health Centers (Louisville) — Services for the Homeless — checked 2026-08-06. https://www.fhclouisville.org/health_services/services-for-the-homeless/

Possibilities to ask about

Ask the pharmacy that last filled it what it holds on record; it may be reachable when the programme is not.

Official details not yet verified — ask the agency for current instructions · checked 2026-08-01 · Kentucky

Benefit case information and the address on file

Benefits are administered to an address and a phone number. When those change and the agency is not told, notices with deadlines on them keep going to the old one.

If it is missing

Ask DCBS what address and phone are currently on the case and how to change them; ask what notices are expected in the next sixty days.

The route No One Left Outside checked

Tell DCBS at filing that food may run out and ask for current expedited-service screening. The state page describes qualifying benefits within seven days and ordinary decision notice within thirty days; shortened examples do not establish the complete federal resource test or individual entitlement. Call 855-306-8959, use kynect, visit the county-serving Family Support office or mail its printable application. Ask for free language or disability help, a received-date confirmation and an interview route. The page publishes conflicting TTY numbers, so confirm the current accessible contact. Keep an immediate food route open.

kentuckySnapExpeditedRoute — checked 2026-09-30. https://www.chfs.ky.gov/agencies/dcbs/dfs/nab/Pages/snap.aspx

Possibilities to ask about

Ask what account or case information the agency accepts when the card and paperwork are gone.

Official details not yet verified — ask the agency for current instructions · checked 2026-08-01 · Kentucky

If something is blocking you (6)What commonly stops people here, and what has worked around it.

If something is blocking you

A referral was discussed but no destination is confirmed.

Things to try

Ask who received it, when it was sent, and how status can be checked.

Phone, mail, storage, benefits, or medication continuity may break at exit.

Things to try

Create separate owners and fallback contacts for each continuity risk.

There will be no address for mail after the exit date.

Things to try

Ask the destination Post Office about General Delivery — the Postal Service publishes it as intended for "transients and customers not permanently located", at one authorised facility per Post Office.
Ask before relying on it: a postmaster may refuse it to someone unable to present suitable identification, and each piece is held no more than 30 days.
Ask the current programme whether it accepts mail for former residents, and for how long.

The assessment and shelter lines are closed by the time this is being read.

Things to try

Common Assessment is published as Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.; Coordinated Shelter Access as daily 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Neither is an evening or weekend route.
Kentucky 211 answers 24 hours a day and can name options, though it does not reserve anything or perform an assessment.
Plan the morning call the night before: who calls, from what phone, and what they will say.

The exit date has arrived and nothing is confirmed.

Things to try

Treat tonight and the housing plan as two separate problems, and use the sleeping-outside guide for tonight.
Ask the current programme, in writing if possible, what its discharge policy says happens when no placement exists.

The normal route stalls, gives conflicting instructions, or cannot confirm the next step.

Things to try

Record who said what, when, and through which channel.
Ask what escalation or alternate channel exists, then keep a separate fallback route open.

Where to go — official routes (8)Named offices and services, each with its own source, check date, and published limits.

Verified official route

Louisville publishes a housing assessment route that is separate from its emergency-shelter reservation line. The Coalition for the Homeless publishes that "Common Assessment (run by Family Health Centers Phoenix) identifies the needs of people experiencing homelessness through a short survey, and then connects you to the best resources to serve you, including housing or case management," and lists it at (502) 637-2080, Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Family Health Centers publishes the same number for the same team, at 1300 S. 4th Street, Suite 200, Louisville, KY 40208, and states that "The Common Assessment team offers homeless outreach, assessment, and support to Louisville's homeless." Keep the two numbers apart: (502) 637-2337 is Coordinated Shelter Access, for a bed, open 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.; (502) 637-2080 is Common Assessment, for a housing assessment, open 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Neither source states whether walk-ins are accepted, what documents to bring, how results are prioritised, or which housing programmes require an assessment first — ask when you call. A survey is not a housing offer, a waiting-list place, or a determination of eligibility.

Open the verified official source

Last checked 2026-08-06 · Kentucky · official source: Coalition for the Homeless (Louisville) — Get Help

Verified official route

Coordinated Shelter Access (Louisville)

In Louisville, the Coalition for the Homeless publishes Coordinated Shelter Access at 502-637-2337, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Its directly opened contact page says seven days a week. Confirm today's intake; if unanswered, ask 211 for another local public intake contact. Do not travel to an office as if it were shelter admission. A contact or referral does not confirm a bed, accessible space, household acceptance or a ride.

Open the verified official source

Last checked 2026-09-30 · Kentucky · official source: Coalition for the Homeless — Coordinated Shelter Access contact

Verified official route

Phoenix Healthcare for the Homeless serves adults experiencing homelessness near downtown Louisville. It provides services at its downtown clinic and through street outreach.

Open the verified official source

Last checked 2026-08-06 · Kentucky · official source: Family Health Centers (Louisville) — Services for the Homeless

Verified official route

The Postal Service publishes General Delivery as a way to receive mail without a permanent address. Its FAQ states: "General Delivery is a mail service for those without a permanent address, often used as a temporary mailing address." The Domestic Mail Manual sets the rules. Section 508.6.1 states general delivery "is intended primarily as a temporary means of delivery: For transients and customers not permanently located" and for customers wanting Post Office box service when boxes are unavailable. Section 508.6.3 states a "general delivery customer can be required to present suitable identification before mail is given to the customer," and that "Prior to mailing, customers should contact the destination Post Office to determine the authorized facility or facilities and their applicable ZIP Code(s)." Section 508.6.2 states general delivery is normally available at only one facility per Post Office, that "A customer may use only one such location," and that a postmaster may refuse or restrict it "To a customer who is unable to present suitable identification" or where mail volume or accumulation cannot reasonably be accommodated. Section 508.6.4 states "Each general delivery mailpiece is held for no more than 30 days, although a shorter time period may be requested by the sender." Two consequences worth planning around: identification can be required, so this may not solve an address problem for someone who is also missing ID; and a notice with a deadline further out than 30 days can be returned to the sender before it is collected. Call the specific Post Office first — which facility offers it, and what identification that postmaster accepts, are decided locally.

Open the verified official source

Last checked 2026-08-06 · Jurisdiction-neutral · official source: United States Postal Service — Domestic Mail Manual 508.6, General Delivery

Verified official route

Louisville Free Public Library publishes a card intended for people who only need to get online: "The Library offers Internet Access Cards for any individual, 18 or older, who only needs to use the library's desktop computers to access the internet." The Internet Access Card sentence does not establish an ID or proof-of-address waiver; ask the branch what it currently requires. The ordinary free card has residency conditions — LFPL states a free card requires that "you must live, work, attend school, or own property in Jefferson County," and that collecting it means presenting a photo ID, plus "a piece of mail, tax return, property deed, lease agreement, or other proof of address" if the ID is from outside Jefferson County. It publishes a two-step route for a full card: complete the online application form, then visit a branch to collect the card. It states you "may also visit any location to register for a new card in person." For residents of listed nearby Kentucky and Indiana counties who do not qualify for a free card, it publishes a paid card at $35 per year. Questions go to (502) 574-1611. The published age floor for the Internet Access Card is 18 — No One Left Outside has not verified what is available to someone younger. What each branch requires in practice, its opening hours, session limits, and printing are not established here.

Open the verified official source

Last checked 2026-08-06 · Kentucky · official source: Louisville Free Public Library — How do I

Verified official route

USAC distinguishes a monthly Lifeline discount of up to $5.25 for phone service from up to $9.25 for internet or a bundle. One benefit is allowed per household sharing income and expenses. If asked to recertify, respond within sixty days; a service with no monthly out-of-pocket payment must be used at least every thirty days. Keep contact details current. Apply by mail if needed and ask 800-234-9473 for application or disability assistance; a temporary or descriptive physical address may be used. Approval, a free device, local carrier coverage and plan cost remain unconfirmed. Ask the provider before changing service.

Open the verified official source

Last checked 2026-09-30 · Jurisdiction-neutral · official source: USAC — Lifeline FAQs and keeping the benefit

Verified official route

Kentucky SNAP Expedited Application

Open the verified official source

Last checked 2026-09-30 · Kentucky · official source: kentuckySnapExpeditedRoute

Official details not yet verified

The routes above are the ones No One Left Outside has checked against a named source. Other Kentucky and Louisville routes for this situation have not been checked yet — confirm them with the responsible agency or provider.

No official link is published until it is verified. Ask the agency for current instructions.

Official details not yet verified — ask the agency for current instructions · checked 2026-08-01 · Kentucky

Build a handoff packet for a case managerFor a worker, advocate, or outreach team preparing a referral on someone's behalf.

Case manager packet

Build a Leaving Shelter or Transitional Housing handoff

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Choose the sections you can review together in under five minutes. The handoff starts with the first action and ends with a fallback. No One Left Outside does not ask for or store a client name, answers, case notes, or checklist progress.

Include in the packet

What to bring or gatherDocument prompts and recovery optionsOfficial sources and formsOwning agencies, source links, and check datesQuestions to confirmUNKNOWN details to ask an agency or providerIf the first route failsBlockers, alternatives, and recovery actions

First action plus 4 selected sections

Document prompts are preparation—not a verified agency checklist. UNKNOWN means “confirm this,” not “no.” A source link does not confirm eligibility or current availability.

Before the appointment ends

1. Name the next official contact.
2. Choose one UNKNOWN to confirm.
3. Agree on a fallback if the first route fails.

Routes whose sources publish 24/7 access

These sources describe the route as available around the clock. A route may be a staffed phone, text, or chat line, a self-service form, or a local process. This is not a live check that someone will answer or that a service has capacity. Read each availability note and confirm the current route when you can.

988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
Mental-health distress, emotional distress, suicide, or substance-use crisis — for you or for someone you are worried about.
Call or text 988 988lifeline.org
Chat at chat.988lifeline.org. Text and chat are published in Spanish, and there is a Deaf and hard-of-hearing route.
988 publishes that it is available 24/7/365, free, and confidential.
Source: 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline — checked 2026-08-05.
Kentucky 211
Housing, food, utilities, transportation, and community services — when you need to know what exists near you tonight.
Dial 211
Or text your ZIP code to 898211.
Kentucky 211 answers 24 hours a day.
Source: No One Left Outside emergency contact policy (SOURCE_OF_TRUTH §11) — checked 2026-08-05.
VA National Call Center for Homeless Veterans
Any veteran who is homeless or at risk of it. Family, friends, and case managers may call on a veteran's behalf.
Call 1-877-4AID-VET (1-877-424-3838)va.gov/homeless
VA publishes a free, confidential online chat with a trained counselor, any time of day or night.
VA publishes that this line is available 24/7.
Source: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs — National Call Center for Homeless Veterans — checked 2026-10-18.

4 more routes whose sources publish 24/7 access

National Domestic Violence Hotline
Confidential support if someone is hurting you or you are helping someone who is being hurt.
Call 1-800-799-7233 thehotline.org/get-help
Text START to 88788, or use the live chat. There are Spanish, StrongHearts, and video-phone routes.
The Hotline publishes phone, text, and chat routes to an advocate. It also warns that internet use can be monitored and is impossible to erase completely — if this device may be watched, use a different one.
Source: National Domestic Violence Hotline — Get Help — checked 2026-10-18.
Seven Counties Services crisis lines
Local crisis support for the Louisville area, staffed at any hour. Separate lines for adults, children, addiction recovery, and developmental-disability crisis.
Adult crisis (502) 589-4313 sevencounties.org
Child crisis (502) 589-8070. Addiction recovery (502) 583-3951. Developmental-disability crisis (502) 459-5292.
Seven Counties Services publishes all four lines as available 24/7, 365.
Source: Seven Counties Services — Crisis Number Directory — checked 2026-10-19.
Kentucky protective order
Filing a petition for an emergency protective order, if someone is hurting you or threatening you.
How protective orders work (Kentucky Court of Justice)
Petitions are filed with an Office of Circuit Court Clerk; the court publishes contact details for all 120 counties.
Kentucky courts are required to provide a 24-hour access process for orders of protection in every county. The after-hours location or procedure can vary by county. Contact the local circuit court clerk, law enforcement, or a domestic-violence program to confirm the local process. The Kentucky Court of Justice also states that there are no fees or costs for filing a petition. Whether to seek an order is your decision, and an advocate can help you think it through.
Source: Kentucky Court of Justice — How to Obtain a Protective Order — checked 2026-08-05.
Legal Aid Society online application
Eviction, housing conditions, benefits, and other civil legal problems in Jefferson County and fourteen surrounding counties.
yourlegalaid.org/application
Legal Aid Society publishes an online intake application available twenty-four hours a day. Its phone intake is Monday to Thursday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and closed on Fridays — so at night the form is the way in.
Source: Legal Aid Society — Frequently Asked Questions — checked 2026-08-05.

If someone is in immediate danger or having a medical emergency, call 911.

Things that may help today

If an exit puts someone in immediate danger, or a medical or mental-health crisis is happening, use the Emergency help panel first — No One Left Outside does not monitor or dispatch help.
Use the sleeping-outside journey if there is no safe confirmed destination.
Continue broad housing search while preserving any active application or referral.

Forms, portals, and instructions by step (6)Official routes with preparation and assistance steps, source dates, and material restrictions.

Documents inside the process

Forms, portals, and instructions by step

Open the route that matches your stage and situation. No One Left Outside preparation guidance explains the connected barriers; the official instructions control submission. This section does not collect answers or submit an application.

Address continuity — confirm the local Post Office first
Set up a mail-receiving fallback
Choose this route only when its stage and purpose match your situation. Follow its maintained official instructions and any notice sent to you.
Read the connected journey step
No One Left Outside preparation guidance
1. No stable mailing address
  Ask destination Post Office about authorized General Delivery facility, ZIP and acceptable identification before directing mail there. Check pickup/hold restrictions and document-delivery acceptability with the issuing agency. For TC94-199, obtain organization-approved mail arrangements rather than assuming USPS address proves Kentucky residency.
  Official help for this step
2. USPS General Delivery rules
  Confirm authorized facility, correct ZIP, identification and pickup rules before addressing mail. Use official rules when asking destination Post Office about service.
  Official help for this step
- Official instructionsOptionalOfficial destination checked Sep 30, 2026
  USPS General Delivery instructions
  Temporary mail-receiving route for people without a permanent address, subject to the destination Post Office's instructions.
  Jurisdiction: United States; Post Office availability must be confirmed. Revision / edition: Unknown.
  Who completes it
  Mail recipient arranging service with the destination Post Office.
  Gather before opening
  Suitable identification may be required; exact local accepted documents UNKNOWN.
  Access or submission
  Ask destination Post Office which General Delivery facility and ZIP to use before sending mail
  Signature
  UNKNOWN — local identification and collection procedures control.
  Application mode
  Local Post Office arrangement
  Stage
  Arrange temporary mail receipt
  Fees and waiver route
  UNKNOWN — checked DMM section does not establish charges for every arrangement.
  Account or appointment
  No online account requirement stated in checked section. UNKNOWN — local office pickup arrangements control.
  Before starting
  - Confirm authorized facility, correct ZIP, identification and pickup rules before addressing mail.
  Application help
  - USPS General Delivery rules
    Use official rules when asking destination Post Office about service.
  Material restrictions
  - Postmaster may refuse service where identity is insufficient or volume cannot reasonably be handled.
  - General Delivery is not durable housing or universal residency proof.
  After submitting
  - Collect mail within the local hold period; DMM ordinarily limits hold to30 days unless sender directs less.
  What this does not prove: Official instructions and the person's notice control; an application is not an eligibility or approval decision.
  Official owner: United States Postal Service. External source conformance was not evaluated; request agency assistance for an inaccessible process. English source read; other versions UNKNOWN.
  Open official destination Full record
  Adds to a private plan in this browser tab. Nothing is sent to the provider, and nothing is applied for.
  Include in packet
Local free-access instructions
If internet access is a barrier
Choose this route only when its stage and purpose match your situation. Follow its maintained official instructions and any notice sent to you.
Read the connected journey step
No One Left Outside preparation guidance
1. LFPL card questions: 502-574-1611
  LFPL publishes Internet Access Cards for individuals age 18 or older. Ask about the limited Internet Access Card and branch requirements.
  Official help for this step
2. LFPL computer and printing services
  LFPL publishes Internet Access Cards for individuals age 18 or older. Staff can provide limited basic instructional help; they do not promise to complete or certify outside forms.
  Official help for this step No One Left Outside help record
- Official instructionsInstructionsOfficial destination checked Sep 30, 2026
  Internet Access Card
  LFPL publishes Internet Access Cards for individuals age 18 or older who only need to use public computers. Ask the branch about requirements for this limited card.
  Jurisdiction: Louisville/Jefferson County, Kentucky. Revision / edition: Unknown.
  Who completes it
  The person needing computer access asks at an LFPL location. The online full-card application is a separate route.
  Gather before opening
  Identification requirements for the limited Internet Access Card are UNKNOWN; ask LFPL before travelling. Do not substitute the full library-card proof-of-address requirements for this limited-card route.
  Access or submission
  Ask in person at an LFPL location for the Internet Access Card.
  Signature
  Not published on the source page; ask at the branch.
  Application mode
  Ask in person at an LFPL location for an Internet Access Card; Ask about public-computer use and available instruction
  Stage
  Obtain computer access before using an outside agency's form or portal.
  Fees and waiver route
  LFPL publishes free Internet access at its locations. Printing is separately priced.
  Account or appointment
  An Internet Access Card is distinct from the full library-card online application and from any outside agency's account. Computer sessions may require advance signup and have time limits. Many locations offer technology-help appointments; confirm locally.
  Before starting
  - LFPL publishes Internet Access Cards for individuals age 18 or older.
  - Ask what identification is required for this limited card; no no-ID promise was verified.
  Application help
  - LFPL card questions: 502-574-1611
    Ask about the limited Internet Access Card and branch requirements.
  - LFPL computer and printing services
    Staff can provide limited basic instructional help; they do not promise to complete or certify outside forms.
  Material restrictions
  - An available workstation, scanner, notarization, or specialized application-assistance appointment was not verified.
  - The full library-card eligibility and address-proof process is different.
  What this does not prove: The published age floor is 18. Workstation availability and the limited-card identification requirements must be confirmed with LFPL.
  Official owner: Louisville Free Public Library. Not evaluated by No One Left Outside. Branch opening hours and computer session limits are unverified. Not verified by No One Left Outside; ask LFPL what language assistance is available.
  Open official destination Full record
  Adds to a private plan in this browser tab. Nothing is sent to the provider, and nothing is applied for.
  Include in packet
Conditional route — use the purpose and restrictions below
Resolve residency evidence for eligible standard credential task
Agency attestation and approved mailing-address support for specified standard ID/license tasks.
Read the connected journey step
No One Left Outside preparation guidance
1. No ID and missing birth/Social Security evidence
  Identify which originals/certified documents already exist and the actual credential type. If Kentucky-born and qualifying homeless, locate an authorized VS-41 attester and prepare mailed VS-37/requester-ID packet. Ask SSA about allowable identity alternatives if standard photo ID cannot be replaced promptly; birth certificate alone is not identity for SS-5. Arrange KYTC qualifying residency/service attestation and remaining identity evidence before office visit.
  Official help for this step
2. KYTC ID instructions
  Find an organization official with authority to attest services/residency. Check other documents and credential eligibility.
  Official help for this step
- Official formConditionalOfficial destination checked Sep 30, 2026
  Kentucky adult applicant without an established nighttime residence (TC94-199)
  Agency attestation and approved mailing-address support for specified standard ID/license tasks.
  Jurisdiction: Kentucky. Revision / edition: Jul 2026.
  Who completes it
  Applicant and attesting shelter/treatment/service organization official.
  Gather before opening
  Birth/identity and Social Security evidence still required. Agency service/residency attestation and organization-approved mailing address.
  Access or submission
  Present required packet at KYTC regional office
  Signature
  Attester signature and date; other applicant application signatures are office-specific.
  Application mode
  Agency-attested paper; In-person credential visit
  Stage
  Resolve residency evidence for eligible standard credential task
  Fees and waiver route
  Qualifying homeless state ID:$0. Nonhomeless temporary-shelter ID:$11.50; license renewal:$21.50; duplicate:$15. Form states 1.5% debit fee on paid items; confirm office payment rules.
  Account or appointment
  No account requirement stated on this form. UNKNOWN — arrange provider/office assistance.
  Before starting
  - Find an organization official with authority to attest services/residency.
  - Arrange approved mail receipt and remaining identity documents.
  Application help
  - KYTC ID instructions
    Check other documents and credential eligibility.
  Material restrictions
  - Not valid for initial operator license, initial instruction permit or REAL ID.
  - A listed organization is not proven willing or authorized to attest for a particular person.
  After submitting
  - Keep attestation and office receipt; collect credential at approved address.
  What this does not prove: Official instructions and the person's notice control; an application is not an eligibility or approval decision.
  Official owner: Kentucky Transportation Cabinet. External source conformance was not evaluated; request agency assistance for an inaccessible process. English source read; other versions UNKNOWN.
  Open official destination Full record
  Adds to a private plan in this browser tab. Nothing is sent to the provider, and nothing is applied for.
  Include in packet
Conditional route — use the purpose and restrictions below
Request birth-record fee exemption
Provider-assisted affidavit and mailed packet requesting one fee-exempt certified birth record for a qualified Kentucky-born person.
Read the connected journey step
No One Left Outside preparation guidance
1. Authorized attester requirements
  Registrant born in Kentucky and qualifies under form's homeless definitions. Use reverse-side list to identify an eligible provider/education official; willingness is UNKNOWN.
  Official help for this step
2. OVS birth instructions
  Registrant born in Kentucky and qualifies under form's homeless definitions. Confirm remaining birth-event request requirements.
  Official help for this step
- Supporting documentConditionalOfficial destination checked Sep 30, 2026
  Kentucky homeless-status affidavit for a fee-exempt birth record (VS-41)
  Provider-assisted affidavit and mailed packet requesting one fee-exempt certified birth record for a qualified Kentucky-born person.
  Jurisdiction: Kentucky. Revision / edition: Dec 2025.
  Who completes it
  Authorized homeless-services provider or designated education/college financial-aid official with knowledge of status; requester must be lawfully entitled.
  Gather before opening
  Printed VS-37 birth application. Requester agency photo ID or state driver license plus business card/organization name-tag evidence as prescribed.
  Access or submission
  Mail affidavit, printed VS-37 and requester ID to OVS,275 E Main Street1E-A,Frankfort KY40621-0001
  Signature
  Qualified provider's agent signs and dates sworn/affirmed verification; no independent notary requirement is stated.
  Application mode
  Provider-completed affidavit; Print and mail packet
  Stage
  Request birth-record fee exemption
  Fees and waiver route
  One qualifying fee-exempt birth record per application; other order requirements remain.
  Account or appointment
  No online account requirement stated. UNKNOWN — provider's availability/authority must be established.
  Before starting
  - Registrant born in Kentucky and qualifies under form's homeless definitions.
  - Find a lawful authorized requester/attester with personal knowledge.
  Application help
  - Authorized attester requirements
    Use reverse-side list to identify an eligible provider/education official; willingness is UNKNOWN.
  - OVS birth instructions
    Confirm remaining birth-event request requirements.
  Material restrictions
  - No exemption for out-of-state birth through Kentucky OVS.
  - Does not waive other VS-37 requirements.
  - A directory entry does not prove a particular provider will attest.
  After submitting
  - Keep packet copy and follow OVS questions/order instructions.
  What this does not prove: Official instructions and the person's notice control; an application is not an eligibility or approval decision.
  Official owner: Kentucky Office of Vital Statistics. External source conformance was not evaluated; request agency assistance for an inaccessible process. English source read; other versions UNKNOWN.
  Open official destination Full record
  Adds to a private plan in this browser tab. Nothing is sent to the provider, and nothing is applied for.
  Include in packet
Conditional route — use the purpose and restrictions below
Respond to a written VAWA documentation request.
HUD's optional self-certification is one permitted response when a covered housing provider makes a written request for documentation of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking.
Read the connected journey step
No One Left Outside preparation guidance
1. Ask the covered housing provider for language and disability assistance
  Confirm the housing program is covered. The HUD form states covered providers must offer language assistance and reasonable accommodations; request a safe way to communicate.
  Official help for this step
- Official formConditionalOfficial destination checked Sep 30, 2026
  VAWA self-certification and alternate documentation (HUD-5382)
  HUD's optional self-certification is one permitted response when a covered housing provider makes a written request for documentation of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking.
  Jurisdiction: Covered housing programs; confirm the provider and program. Revision / edition: Unknown.
  Who completes it
  The applicant or tenant seeking VAWA protections in a covered housing program; a helper may assist.
  Gather before opening
  The form describes self-certification and permitted alternate documentation; a police report is not universally required. Read the provider's written request for the applicable response deadline and any extension.
  Access or submission
  Respond to the covered provider's written documentation request using its safe submission instructions.
  Signature
  The applicant or tenant certifies, signs, and dates the official form.
  Application mode
  Paper self-certification or permitted alternate documentation to the covered provider
  Stage
  Respond to a written VAWA documentation request.
  Fees and waiver route
  UNKNOWN; ask the receiving agency.
  Account or appointment
  No universal online-account requirement is stated. UNKNOWN; ask the covered provider for a safe route.
  Before starting
  - Confirm the housing program is covered.
  - Read the provider's written request and deadline.
  - Choose safe contact and submission arrangements.
  Application help
  - Ask the covered housing provider for language and disability assistance
    The HUD form states covered providers must offer language assistance and reasonable accommodations; request a safe way to communicate.
  Material restrictions
  - The form is optional and alternate documentation is permitted.
  - The provider controls the case-specific written request; No One Left Outside does not determine eligibility or deadlines.
  After submitting
  - Keep a safe copy and confirmation of receipt.
  - Read the provider's decision and any next housing step.
  What this does not prove: The form describes at least 14 business days to respond to a provider's written request, subject to the request and any extension. Keep victim information private and use a safe submission route.
  Official owner: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The form explains language assistance and reasonable accommodations, including additional time and help completing the form. Ask the covered provider. English source observed; other versions UNKNOWN.
  Open official destination Full record
  Adds to a private plan in this browser tab. Nothing is sent to the provider, and nothing is applied for.
  Include in packet
Conditional route — use the purpose and restrictions below
Check program jurisdiction and current waiting-list status before applying.
KHC explains its voucher program, county coverage, applicant portal, and current waiting-list notices.
Read the connected journey step
No One Left Outside preparation guidance
1. KHC HCV FAQ and account-access help
  Confirm that KHC administers the program in the relevant county. For an inaccessible KHC Rent Café account, the FAQ publishes hcvrentcafe@kyhousing.org.
  Official help for this step
- Official instructionsConditionalOfficial destination checked Sep 30, 2026
  KHC Housing Choice Voucher instructions
  KHC explains its voucher program, county coverage, applicant portal, and current waiting-list notices.
  Jurisdiction: KHC-administered counties listed on the official page; other housing authorities have separate jurisdictions. Revision / edition: Unknown.
  Who completes it
  The person seeking the service or a helper acting with that person's permission.
  Gather before opening
  UNKNOWN — confirm with the official owner.
  Access or submission
  UNKNOWN — confirm with the official owner.
  Signature
  No signature is represented by this instructions record; the receiving agency controls later attestations.
  Application mode
  Read the maintained county and waiting-list notice; Existing applicants: follow the agency's applicant-management instructions
  Stage
  Check program jurisdiction and current waiting-list status before applying.
  Fees and waiver route
  UNKNOWN; ask the receiving agency.
  Account or appointment
  Portal requirements depend on the applicant or participant task; confirm in KHC's official system. UNKNOWN; confirm with KHC.
  Before starting
  - Confirm that KHC administers the program in the relevant county.
  - Check the current waiting-list notice.
  Application help
  - KHC HCV FAQ and account-access help
    For an inaccessible KHC Rent Café account, the FAQ publishes hcvrentcafe@kyhousing.org.
  Material restrictions
  - The list was closed in the dated September 30, 2026 source.
  - KHC says this program does not provide immediate or emergency assistance.
  - Coverage and application rules differ among housing authorities.
  What this does not prove: The September 30, 2026 page said the KHC waiting list was closed. Next intake is UNKNOWN; this is not an emergency-housing route.
  Official owner: Kentucky Housing Corporation. External accessibility conformance was not evaluated by No One Left Outside. English source observed; other versions UNKNOWN.
  Open official destination Full record
  Adds to a private plan in this browser tab. Nothing is sent to the provider, and nothing is applied for.
  Include in packet

Related resources

These are directory leads, not endorsements or proof of eligibility. Confidential addresses are never shown in this strip.

Affordable 55+ senior apartments
Sparrow Ridge (Woda Cooper Companies)
Needs verification
Private plan in this tab. Nothing is sent.
Affordable apartment homes
Brookview Townhouses (MLP Management Co.)
Needs verification
Private plan in this tab. Nothing is sent.
Adult Education, GED and English Language Learning
Kentucky Adult Education (KYAE)
Possibly active
Private plan in this tab. Nothing is sent.
Adult education
Northern Kentucky Adult Education
Needs verification
Private plan in this tab. Nothing is sent.

Adds: Affordable 55+ senior apartments, Affordable apartment homes, Adult Education, GED and English Language Learning. Private to this tab; nothing is sent.

View all resources for this journey

If something goes wrong

What to do when a step does not work

A closed office, a failed website or a “no” does not end the plan. Guidance written for this guide comes first. Where this guide has none, No One Left Outside’s general guidance is shown and labelled.

Show the seven situations, deadlines, county differences and what No One Left Outside does not know

If a document is missing

From this guide

General Delivery needs identification and there is none
- Ask the specific Post Office what it accepts — the rule says a postmaster "may" refuse without suitable identification, and what counts is decided locally.
- Ask the current programme, a clinic, or a day shelter whether it will receive post for someone who is no longer a resident, and for how long.
- Start the identification journey in parallel, because the same missing document is about to block other routes too.
Missing: Housing and identity records
- List missing items and ask each destination what can begin while recovery is pending.
- Ask first whether these are accepted (not confirmed): Ask the current program what records it can provide and what the receiving program accepts.
Missing: Referral and application confirmations
- Ask the referring organization for a copy or a clear contact and reference method.
- Ask first whether these are accepted (not confirmed): Ask the receiving program how it confirms a referral or active application.
Missing: Current medication list and prescriber contact
- Ask the discharging clinician or programme for a written current medication list and the prescriber's contact before the exit date, and ask how a refill is obtained in the gap.
- Ask first whether these are accepted (not confirmed): Ask the pharmacy that last filled it what it holds on record; it may be reachable when the programme is not.