Nowhere to sleep tonight: do this now

A shelter bed tonight

Louisville shelter beds are reserved by phone. Call Coordinated Shelter Access at 502-637-2337, every day from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., except some holidays (see below).
Source
Coordinated Shelter Access (run by the Coalition for the Homeless) provides emergency shelter bed reservations and referrals to other social services. Call: (502) 637-2337, daily* 10am-1pm
Coalition for the Homeless (Louisville) — Get Help, checked Oct 6, 2026
You can also email csa@louhomeless.org, or go in person to 1300 S. 4th Street, Suite 250, Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Source
Email: csa@louhomeless.org Visit: 1300 S. 4th Street #250; open M-F* 10am-1pm
Coalition for the Homeless (Louisville) — Get Help, checked Oct 6, 2026
On some holidays the line is closed. Then go straight to a single-adult emergency shelter. Family shelters do not take walk-ins.
Source
CSA is closed on the following holidays, so go directly to single emergency shelters (no walk-ins accepted in family shelters): New Year’s Day, MLK Day, Easter, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Fourth of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, day after Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day
Coalition for the Homeless (Louisville) — Get Help, checked Oct 6, 2026
Outside those hours, or outside Louisville, call 211 for help any time.
Source
You can also dial 2-1-1 for help 24/7.
Coalition for the Homeless (Louisville) — Get Help, checked Oct 6, 2026

See Louisville’s shelter list

Source, checked Oct 6, 2026

Operation White Flag (Louisville)

When the wind chill is below 35°F or the heat index is over 95°F, shelters taking part fly a white flag. You can stay inside while the flag is flying.
Source
During a wind chill of below 35 degrees or a heat index over 95 degree, participating shelters will fly a white flag outside of their doors to indicate that White Flag is occurring. You may remain inside of the shelter as long as the flag is flying outside.
Louisville Metro — Operation White Flag, checked Oct 6, 2026
White Flag also starts on ozone alert days.
Source
In addition to wind chill and heat index guidelines, White Flag will also go into effect when an ozone alert occurs.
Louisville Metro — Operation White Flag, checked Oct 6, 2026
To find out whether White Flag is on today, call 502-637-2337.
Source
Call the Coordinated Shelter Access (CSA) line at 502-637-BEDS to find out if White Flag is in effect on any given day.
Louisville Metro — Operation White Flag, checked Oct 6, 2026
White Flag does not promise a bed. If you have been barred from a shelter, its staff decide whether you can come in.
Source
If you are ineligible or banned from any particular shelter, it is up to the staff on whether or not you are allowed in. White Flag also does not guarantee that a shelter bed will be available.
Louisville Metro — Operation White Flag, checked Oct 6, 2026

Numbers to call

Shelter bed in Louisville: Coordinated Shelter Access
502-637-2337
Every day, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., except some holidays. Run by the Coalition for the Homeless.
Source, checked Oct 6, 2026
211
211
Help any time, day or night, including outside Louisville.
Source, checked Oct 6, 2026

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Full guide and fine print

Step-by-step plans, what to bring, the rules behind each step, and their sources.

Safety action

Start with tonight’s live routes

Call 911 for immediate danger Call Coordinated Shelter Access (Jefferson County)Call Kentucky 211

Shelter and 211 routes do not replace 911, Crisis 988, or Never Use Alone, and they do not confirm a bed. Those crisis routes and Quick Exit remain available above.

Source checked 2026-08-01. Confirm the current route before travelling.

Shelter and housing routes for your county

Kentucky county (optional)

County selection needs JavaScript. You can call 211 and use the safety routes without selecting a county.

Your selection stays on this page. No account, address or location access is needed.

Kentucky / county not selected

For shelter tonight, start here:

Call Kentucky 211 (dial 211)

Choose a Kentucky county if you want more specific navigation. You can use 211 and emergency contacts now.

Local beds, admission, accessibility and transportation: UNKNOWN until the receiving service confirms them.

Source-listed navigation · checked 2026-10-02. Source effective date not stated; confirm the current route.

Read the source

Your plan

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

Do this first. Get out of immediate danger. More info.
Step 1 of 5. Contact shelter access for tonight. More info.
Step 2 of 5. Confirm the intake details. More info.
Step 3 of 5. Arrange a ride and return contact. More info.
Step 4 of 5. Keep another option for tonight. More info.
Step 5 of 5. Start the longer housing work. 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.

Is travel to intake arranged?

Do you have another option for tonight?

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

Start here

Your first action

Packet

Do this now

Choose every statement about tonight that applies. The page will keep dangerous weather, shelter, household, and outside-safety plans separate.

Next: Choose what is true tonight

Select every applicable situation below

Ask: Do not infer a route from no selection. Immediate danger or a medical emergency still belongs with 911.

Not in Louisville? Outside Louisville tonight: Kentucky 211

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

Coordinated Shelter Access only covers Jefferson County. Ask 211 for the shelter route serving your county tonight — 211 can route and inform but does not reserve a bed. For longer-term housing in the 118 Balance of State counties, Any Door KY lists the regional coordinated-entry contact. 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: Separate immediate danger or medical need, dangerous weather, shelter for tonight, household needs, and a plan for staying outside. More than one can be true.

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

Have ready if available

Who is together, including children, a partner, pet, or support person
The immediate weather, health, medication, mobility, communication, or transportation need
A safe callback method or another safe way to receive a confirmed next step
What a shelter, outreach contact, or crisis route already said and when

Start without every item. If transportation is the blocker, keep that plan separate and ask what is actually available; do not assume a fare waiver.

If the first route fails

The shelter line is closed, the first route cannot confirm a next step, or there is no working phone: Kentucky 211 can route and inform but does not reserve a bed. Without a phone, ask outreach, a public service desk, or another safe contact to help confirm the next route. Keep the next shelter-access call active.

Call Kentucky 211 (Dial 211)

Keep the next shelter-access or outreach follow-up active

Last checked 2026-08-08 · Kentucky · official source: Kentucky 211

What remains uncertain: No One Left Outside does not confirm a bed, mat, seat, opening, admission, referral acceptance, transportation, fare waiver, household or pet accommodation, accessibility, eligibility, or placement. The organization controlling the route must confirm its current status.

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

Programs under one organization can differ. Provider information · Methodology

Choose what needs attention

What is true about tonight?

Pick everything that applies — more than one can be true. 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.

Do firstGet out of immediate danger
Private plan · nothing is sent
Do this
Use emergency help for immediate danger or serious illness before making shelter calls.
- Use the emergency panel above. If possible, move to a safer place while help is arranged.
- For dangerous weather: in Jefferson County, ask Coordinated Shelter Access whether Operation White Flag is in effect today. Anywhere else in Kentucky, ask 211 whether a severe-weather shelter or outreach route is active in your county tonight. Do not wait for paperwork.
Ways to get help for this step
- 911 — immediate danger or a medical emergency
  Immediate danger or a medical emergency, anywhere in Kentucky. A shelter line does not replace emergency help.
  Call 911
- Kentucky 211 — any Kentucky county
  Outside Jefferson County, ask whether your county has a severe-weather shelter or outreach route tonight and confirm it with the receiving service. 211 does not reserve a bed.
  Call 211
- Coordinated Shelter Access — Jefferson County only
  Jefferson County only, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.: ask whether Operation White Flag is in effect today. Activation does not confirm a site, a bed or transport.
  Call (502) 637-2337
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.
- Jefferson County's protocol only. A trigger does not confirm activation, a site, a bed or transportation, and it establishes nothing about another county.
- Today's severe-weather activation in any county, site capacity, transport, and admission are UNKNOWN here.
Why this step is here
Weather and medical safety come before intake and housing applications.
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
- 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
- Louisville Metro Office of Social ServicesOperation White Flag
  Establishes: Louisville Metro publishes White Flag triggers (wind chill below 35°F, heat index above 95°F, or an ozone alert) and names Coordinated Shelter Access as the line for asking whether the protocol is active.
  Practical limit: Jefferson County's protocol only. A trigger does not confirm activation, a site, a bed or transportation, and it establishes nothing about another county.
  Checked on 2026-08-05
Still unknown
- Today's severe-weather activation in any county, site capacity, transport, and admission are UNKNOWN here.
Back to your plan
Step 1Contact shelter access for tonight of 5
Private plan · nothing is sent
Do this
Ask the shelter access route for your county for a place that fits your household tonight.
- In Jefferson County, call Coordinated Shelter Access at 502-637-2337 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.; the contact page says seven days a week, but confirm today's intake. Anywhere else in Kentucky — or when that line is unanswered — call 211 and ask for the shelter or outreach route serving your county. In Fayette County, Lexington's housing navigation page also sends immediate housing help to 211.
- Tell the service about children, mobility, medications, pets, or a safe-contact concern privately; ask what it can actually accommodate.
Move on when: you have intake instructions or a specific next contact to try.
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 and its current intake. 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. Ask what route applies today and confirm before travelling.
  Call (502) 637-2337
- Lex End Housing Triage — Fayette County only (KY-502)
  Fayette County only. Its page directs immediate housing help to 211; no local vacancy is established.
  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 provides resource navigation and referrals only; it does not distribute direct financial aid.
- 211 routes and informs. A referral does not reserve a bed, confirm transport or establish admission; confirm with the receiving service.
- Fayette County only. Screening does not establish eligibility, a waitlist place, referral, admission, vacancy or placement.
- A referral is not a bed reservation unless the receiving shelter confirms it. No One Left Outside has no verified shelter intake line for any county other than Jefferson.
What was checked, and what is still unknown (4)
Official sources checked (4)
- 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
- 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
- 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
- Lex End Homelessness; linked by Kentucky Housing Corporation for Fayette CountyGet Help
  Establishes: KY-502 Lexington/Fayette directs immediate housing help to 211 and describes Housing Triage screening through participating access points.
  Practical limit: Fayette County only. Screening does not establish eligibility, a waitlist place, referral, admission, vacancy or placement.
  Checked on 2026-10-02
Still unknown
- A referral is not a bed reservation unless the receiving shelter confirms it. No One Left Outside has no verified shelter intake line for any county other than Jefferson.
Back to your plan
Step 2Confirm the intake details of 5
Private plan · nothing is sent
Do this
Confirm where and when to arrive, who can enter, and what you need to bring.
- Ask about accessible entry, household rules, belongings, and documents you do not have.
- Keep a confidential destination private and ask whether the place is held while you travel.
Ways to get help for this step
- Kentucky 211 — any Kentucky county
  If the receiving service's details are unclear or conflict, ask 211 for its current contact before travelling.
  Call 211
- Coordinated Shelter Access — Jefferson County only
  Jefferson County only: re-check a Coordinated Shelter Access referral's arrival time and requirements during its 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. window.
  Call (502) 637-2337
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.
- Provider-specific requirements and any reserved place remain UNKNOWN until confirmed.
Why this step is here
Confirm the destination before making the trip.
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
- Provider-specific requirements and any reserved place remain UNKNOWN until confirmed.
Back to your plan
Step 3Arrange a ride and return contact of 5
Private plan · nothing is sent
Do this
Work out how to reach the confirmed intake and receive changes.
- Ask the shelter or 211 about general-public transportation leads to the confirmed intake and confirm the fare, route, and last service. A trip to shelter intake is not a medical appointment, so do not plan around a medical-transport benefit for it.
- If you have no working phone, ask the referring helper for a safe way to receive the answer.
Ways to get help for this step
- Kentucky 211 — any Kentucky county
  Ask for general-public transportation leads to the confirmed intake and how to receive a callback. No ride, fare waiver or pickup is established.
  Call 211
- Transportation guide
  Use this when reaching the confirmed site is the blocker rather than finding one.
  View details →
Limits and what to confirm
- 211 provides resource navigation and referrals only; it does not distribute direct financial aid.
- 211 routes and informs. A referral does not reserve a bed, confirm transport or establish admission; confirm with the receiving service.
- A free ride, transit fare waiver, pickup, or device access is not established here.
What was checked, and what is still unknown (2)
Official sources checked (2)
- 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
- 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
- A free ride, transit fare waiver, pickup, or device access is not established here.
Back to your plan
Step 4Keep another option for tonight of 5
Private plan · nothing is sent
Do this
Ask what to try next if the first shelter cannot admit you.
- Request another intake or outreach contact and verify it before travelling.
- Recheck weather and urgent health needs when plans change.
Ways to get help for this step
- Kentucky 211 — any Kentucky county
  Ask for a second shelter or outreach contact serving your county, and keep the first request open. A fallback lead is not a bed.
  Call 211
Limits and what to confirm
- 211 provides resource navigation and referrals only; it does not distribute direct financial aid.
- 211 routes and informs. A referral does not reserve a bed, confirm transport or establish admission; confirm with the receiving service.
- A fallback lead is not confirmed accommodation.
What was checked, and what is still unknown (2)
Official sources checked (2)
- 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
- 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
- A fallback lead is not confirmed accommodation.
Back to your plan
Step 5Start the longer housing work of 5
Private plan · nothing is sent
Do this
Once tonight's route is underway, ask the housing route for your county about the next assessment or application.
- In the 118 counties outside Jefferson and Fayette, Any Door KY lists the regional coordinated-entry contact. In Jefferson County, Common Assessment runs the housing survey. In Fayette County, Lexington's housing navigation page describes housing triage. Then use the housing guide for public housing agency and program-specific routes.
- Record who owns the referral, when to check it, and how to update your contact details.
- 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: the housing contact for your county is named with who owns the referral and when to check it, or 211 is recorded as the active contact where No One Left Outside has no verified housing route for your county.
Ways to get help for this step
- Any Door KY regional housing contact — 118 counties outside Jefferson and Fayette
  Regional coordinated entry for the 118 Balance of State counties. An assessment is not a waitlist, a housing referral or shelter tonight.
  Open official route →
- Common Assessment housing survey — Jefferson County only
  Jefferson County only, Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. A survey is not a housing offer or a waiting-list place.
  Call (502) 637-2080
- Lex End Housing Triage — Fayette County only (KY-502)
  Fayette County only: confirm the housing-triage access point and its requirements.
  Open official route →
- Housing guide
  Public housing agency, voucher and program-specific routes for after the first assessment contact.
  View details →
Limits and what to confirm
- 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.
- Jefferson County only. It does not confirm a bed, a walk-in admission or any other county's practice.
- Fayette County only. Screening does not establish eligibility, a waitlist place, referral, admission, vacancy or placement.
- Assessment outcomes, housing eligibility, and wait times are UNKNOWN. A regional contact does not establish a local housing program in your county.
Why this step is here
Run this separately from tonight's shelter request.
What was checked, and what is still unknown (4)
Official sources checked (4)
- 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
- Coalition for the Homeless (Louisville)Get Help
  Establishes: The Coalition publishes Coordinated Shelter Access holiday closures, states that on those days a person should go directly to a single-adult emergency shelter, that family shelters do not accept walk-ins, and lists Common Assessment for housing assessment.
  Practical limit: Jefferson County only. It does not confirm a bed, a walk-in admission or any other county's practice.
  Checked on 2026-08-05
- Lex End Homelessness; linked by Kentucky Housing Corporation for Fayette CountyGet Help
  Establishes: KY-502 Lexington/Fayette directs immediate housing help to 211 and describes Housing Triage screening through participating access points.
  Practical limit: Fayette County only. Screening does not establish eligibility, a waitlist place, referral, admission, vacancy or placement.
  Checked on 2026-10-02
Still unknown
- Assessment outcomes, housing eligibility, and wait times are UNKNOWN. A regional contact does not establish a local housing program in your county.
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 (2)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.

Identification, if available

Some later intake or benefits processes may request identity information.

If it is missing

Use the document-recovery journey and ask each provider what can begin while replacement is pending.

Possibilities to ask about

Ask the specific provider what it can review; no substitute is represented as accepted.

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

Health, medication, or accommodation information

A receiving service may need enough information to discuss safe access and continuity.

If it is missing

Ask the issuing clinic or provider how records can be recovered or shared safely.

Possibilities to ask about

Ask what information is needed for an initial conversation.

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

If something is blocking you (5)What commonly stops people here, and what has worked around it.

If something is blocking you

The first shelter or service has no confirmed opening.

Things to try

Ask for another current contact and preserve a safe fallback before traveling.

There is no working phone or transportation.

Things to try

Use the phone and transportation journeys to search for parallel support.

Coordinated Shelter Access is closed right now.

Things to try

Its published window is 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., and the Coalition publishes eleven holidays on which it does not open at all.
Kentucky 211 answers 24 hours a day, and Seven Counties Services publishes four crisis lines it states are staffed 24/7, 365.
The Coalition publishes that on its holiday closures a person should go directly to a single-adult emergency shelter, and that family shelters do not accept walk-ins.

A shelter has previously barred or turned away this person.

Things to try

Metro publishes that even during Operation White Flag, whether someone banned from a shelter is admitted "is up to the staff." Ask the Coordinated Shelter Access line which other sites are taking referrals rather than arriving and being turned away twice in one night.

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 (7)Named offices and services, each with its own source, check date, and published limits.

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

Louisville Metro publishes Operation White Flag, a severe-weather protocol. It states that during "a wind chill of below 35 degrees or a heat index over 95 degree, participating shelters will fly a white flag outside of their doors to indicate that White Flag is occurring," that "You may remain inside of the shelter as long as the flag is flying outside," and that White Flag also goes into effect when an ozone alert occurs. It says to call the Coordinated Shelter Access line at 502-637-BEDS — the same number as (502) 637-2337 — to find out whether White Flag is in effect on a given day. It names Wayside Christian Mission, 432 East Jefferson St., 502-742-7019, and Salvation Army Center of Hope, 911 South Brook St., 502-671-4904, as participating shelters — the Coalition for the Homeless publishes the Coordinated Shelter Access line as open daily from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., while No One Left Outside has not verified when the two shelter numbers above are answered. Metro publishes two limits of its own: it states "If you are ineligible or banned from any particular shelter, it is up to the staff on whether or not you are allowed in," and it states that White Flag does not establish that a bed will be available. Metro states this information was compiled from the Coalition for the Homeless' Street Tips book. No One Left Outside could not fetch louisvilleky.gov directly — it returns 403 to an automated request — so confirm the current protocol by calling.

Open the verified official source

Last checked 2026-08-05 · Kentucky · official source: Louisville Metro Office of Social Services — Operation White Flag

Verified official route

Seven Counties Services, the regional community mental-health provider for the Louisville area, publishes four crisis lines it states are available 24/7, 365: an adult crisis line at (502) 589-4313, a child crisis line at (502) 589-8070, an addiction recovery hotline at (502) 583-3951, and a developmental-disability crisis line at (502) 459-5292. It publishes a Crisis Prevention and Response Program for people with intellectual or developmental disabilities, intended to help someone stay in their home and community. Whether a specific service is offered, what it costs, and who is eligible are Seven Counties' to answer.

Open the verified official source

Last checked 2026-08-05 · Kentucky · official source: Seven Counties Services — Crisis Number Directory

Verified official route

The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline publishes that it supports people in mental-health distress, emotional distress, and substance-use crisis, that it is available 24/7/365, and that it is free and confidential. It can be reached by calling 988, texting 988, or chatting at chat.988lifeline.org, and it publishes a Deaf and Hard of Hearing access route. It states that text and chat services are available in Spanish. 988 does not dispatch on No One Left Outside's behalf and No One Left Outside does not monitor it.

Open the verified official source

Last checked 2026-08-05 · Jurisdiction-neutral · official source: 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline

Verified official route

Louisville Metro identifies Coordinated Shelter Access as the Jefferson County starting route for emergency shelter questions: 502-637-2337, with the current page listing phone hours and an in-person location. Call or recheck the live page before traveling; contact does not confirm a bed, reservation, acceptance, transportation, or placement.

Open the verified official source

Last checked 2026-08-05 · Kentucky · official source: Louisville Metro — Emergency Shelter Options

Verified official route

Louisville Metro’s Operation White Flag page is the official severe-weather recheck point and directs people to Coordinated Shelter Access to ask whether White Flag is active. Weather status and participating locations can change; this route does not confirm space or admission.

Open the verified official source

Last checked 2026-08-05 · Kentucky · official source: Louisville Metro — Operation White Flag

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

Emergency overdose safety · 24/7 toll-free

Never Use Alone

Overdose-response spotting when using alone.

“One of our volunteer operators will take your location information, and alert EMS to that location if you stop responding after using.”
Never Use Alone, https://neverusealone.com/, checked 2026-10-07

Call 800-484-3731

Toll-free 24/7: 800-484-3731 or 877-696-1996

If an overdose is already happening right now, call 911 immediately.

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 Sleeping Outside or Newly Homeless handoff

[aria-labelledby='packet-builder-heading'] fieldset,[aria-labelledby='packet-builder-heading'] button,[aria-labelledby='packet-builder-heading'] label,[aria-labelledby='packet-builder-heading'] [aria-live]{display:none}Choosing packet sections needs JavaScript. You can open the full printable packet and use your browser's Print menu.

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

Use emergency services for immediate danger or a medical emergency.
Ask outreach, a public service desk, or another safe contact to help confirm the next available route.

Related resources

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

24-hour shelter for men
St. Benedict's Homeless Shelter
Possibly active
Private plan in this tab. Nothing is sent.
Emergency Shelter, Transitional and Permanent Supportive Housing
Daniel Pitino Shelter, Inc.
Possibly active
Private plan in this tab. Nothing is sent.
Campbell County Cold Shelter
Emergency Shelter of Northern Kentucky (ESNKY)
Needs verification
Private plan in this tab. Nothing is sent.
Christy's Place
Bethany Haven, Inc.
Needs verification
Private plan in this tab. Nothing is sent.

Adds: 24-hour shelter for men, Emergency Shelter, Transitional and Permanent Supportive Housing, Campbell County Cold Shelter. 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

Missing: Identification, if available
- Use the document-recovery journey and ask each provider what can begin while replacement is pending.
- Ask first whether these are accepted (not confirmed): Ask the specific provider what it can review; no substitute is represented as accepted.
Missing: Health, medication, or accommodation information
- Ask the issuing clinic or provider how records can be recovered or shared safely.
- Ask first whether these are accepted (not confirmed): Ask what information is needed for an initial conversation.