What is the Point in Time Count?

The Point in Time Count 2025: A literal count of all the people who experience homelessness in our community on a single night (i.e. at a point in time). This count is conducted by every community nationwide in the last 10 days of January at least every other year. This provides communities, the federal government, and agencies with a “snapshot” of the situation of the most dire homeless in the community. Join the count today!

Unsheltered PIT Count Resources:

The Unsheltered Point in Time Count includes all individuals who are staying in places not meant for habitation on the night of the count. Please use these resources to collect the required data. If you have any questions, reach out to your County Coordinator, Regional Coordinator, or the PIT Committee Chair.

Unsheltered PIT Survey Link 2025
Unsheltered PIT Paper Version 2025

The Unsheltered PIT Survey is available early for training purposes. To ensure the validity of all final submissions, the portal will be disabled at noon on January 22th, 2025 and will re-open when the Point in Time Count officially begins at 5 pm on January 22th, 2025.

Training Resources

Media Resources

Regional Coordinators for Point in Time Count

Sheltered Point in Time Count and Housing Inventory Count Resources

The Sheltered Point In Time Count includes all individuals who are experiencing sheltered homelessness on the night of the count. Emergency Shelter, Transitional Housing, and Safe Haven projects must report data for this count. This includes overnight cold weather shelters that are open on the night of the count, and clients who are staying in a hotel paid for by a non-profit or church. To be included in the count, homelessness must be a criteria for services. Regardless of HMIS participation status, these project must report the necessary Sheltered PIT information to the HMIS Lead, Institute for Community Alliances.

The Housing Inventory Count is an inventory of all of the beds and units in a CoC that are dedicated to persons who are homeless. This includes Emergency Shelter, Transitional Housing, Safe Haven, Rapid ReHousing, Permanent Supportive Housing, and Other Permanent Housing projects. Again, to be included in the count, homelessness must be a criteria for services. Regardless of HMIS participation status, these projects must report information about inventory and persons served to the to the HMIS Lead, Institute for Community Alliances.

Training materials for the 2025 Sheltered PIT and the HIC can be found here on the ICA Missouri Knowledge Base, and questions can be directed to the System Administrator for your region:
Regions 1, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10: Georgie Reedy, georgie.reedy@icalliances.org 
Regions 2, 3, and 5: Ben Cohen, ben.cohen@icalliances.org
Region 4: Diana Kilguss, diana.kilguss@icalliances.org

Severe Weather and the Point in Time Count

The Point in Time Count will not be postponed due to weather. The Lead Agency encourages organizations to create their own protocol for severe weather in the area. All organizations should operate in a fashion that is the safest for all involved.

Suggestions for executing a Point in Time Count During severe weather:

  • Create a severe weather protocol that is safest for your area and keep an eye on developing weather changes.
  • If your organization does go out, make sure to target known locations first.
  • Stay in contact with all teams that go out and have teams check in often.
  • Focus on identifying other shelters or groups that provide hotel stays & follow up with service-providing organizations – i.e. warming shelters, churches, hospitals, law enforcement, any 24-hour businesses, etc)

Reminder- Individuals who are in hotels or temporary housing due to extreme weather are considered Sheltered. Please reach out to the ICA contact for your region to get more information on the Sheltered Count.

Warming Shelters
Homeless Shelter Directory
DMH Coordinated Entry Directory
United way 211 Directory

FAQs:

I am a new regional coordinator,  what methods should I be using to encourage volunteers for county coordinator positions? Should I request volunteers during the regional business meeting?

Places such as churches, libraries, resource agencies, hospitals, the Salvation Army, health departments, and mental health care facilities are highly recommended options to explore when seeking volunteers. While business meetings can be useful for collaboration, it is generally advisable to directly contact these organizations for optimal results. Be sure to explain the importance of the count and the value it can be to many organizations to participate. Not only does it highlight local needs and state needs, but many funding sources request agencies participate in the PIT.

Can a minor participate if they are accompanied by a parent?

Yes. The minor should still sign the volunteer release and confidentiality agreement, but the parent would be liable for any violation of confidentiality by the minor or anything that may happen to the minor during the count. If a minor is a qualified minor under the Missouri Statute, they could sign the volunteer agreement for themselves (qualified minor resources are at the bottom of our CES tools page).

What is the safest way to collect PIT data with a minor?

The recommendation is to keep teams in pairs. Consider if the parent and the minor would like to have another person accompany them for additional safety.

Point in Time Count 2023 Updates:

update 08.03.2023

Review data from the 2023 PIT/HIC Count that was presented at the Full CoC Membership Meeting June 20th

2023 PIT/HIC BoS 2023

01.03.23

Thank you to all that participated in the Point in Time Count for 2023! If you need any support in data input or PITC follow up, please reach out to PIT@moboscoc.org!

If you have not done so, please complete the Post Point in Time Count Survey! This survey has two purposes, first it provides additional record for organization participation with the Point in Time Count for the CoC. If your organization receives funding from: ESG, MOhip, MHTF, NOFO or more, it is imperative that you (or someone from your organization) completes this survey for our record keeping purposes. Second, we are always seeking to improve year to year. The feedback provided here will speak directly into how the next year’s Count will be executed. All feedback is welcome. Click on the image below to access the survey. Survey should take approximately 3 minutes to complete.

Click on this image to access the Post PITC Survey for 2023

Helpful Resources for Severe Weather

Reach out to PIT@moboscoc.org to get connected to volunteer!

Coordinator Resources:

2023 Backup Volunteer Training

  • Helpful Timestamps:
    • PITC 101: 0:00-13:32
    • Your Role- the Survey: 13:32-32:26—- update 01.18.23: Changes have been made to the paper survey since this training has taken place. Review the paper survey link above and ensure you are familiar with the flow of the survey prior to the Count.
    • Your Role- Where to Go, Methods, Safety, Service Based Count: 32:26-1:16:00
    • Survey-Changes & DV: 1:16:00-1:22:00
    • Resources: 1:22:00-end

2023 Coordinator Training Recording

2022 Training Recordings

Back-Up Volunteer Training- is over! Video recording from training is below!
The Lead Agency hosted a Back-Up Volunteer Training. This training is designed for volunteers on the day of the count and will be generic. The training is not specific to any location or area. Coordinators can share this meeting info with any volunteers unable to attend their training. 
Helpful Time Stamps: 
0:00- 2:00 – Intro
2:00- 11:30 – PIT 101
11:35-29:38 – Your Role/ How to Conduct a Survey
29:40-37:27- Where to Go/ Who to Interview
37:45-40:29- Safety
40:47- 43:53- Service Based Count
50:50-end- Resources and Examples

Coordinator Training: The Lead Agency hosted a Coordinator Training in January. Watch it below!

Helpful time stamps:
0-21:00- Point in Time Count 101
21:00- 37:43- Your Role as Coordinator
37:00- 47:05- Portal/ Survey Information
47:06- 58:07 Coordinator Resources