The Continuum of Care (CoC) program promotes community-wide commitment to the goal of ending homelessness. The program provides funding for efforts by nonprofit providers and state and local governments to quickly rehouse homeless individuals and families while minimizing the trauma and dislocation caused to homeless individuals, families, and communities by homelessness. The program promotes access to and effects utilization of mainstream programs by homeless individuals and families. The program optimizes self-sufficiency among individuals and families experiencing homelessness.

Rhode Island has a single Continuum of Care that guides homelessness programs and policies and administers federal CoC homeless funds. The continuum includes a broad range of state agencies, community partners, and individuals all working together to build a statewide system to prevent and end homelessness.