From: SSVF

Sent: Tuesday, November 17, 2015 1:24 PM

Subject: SSVF Program Updates November 17, 2015

Importance: High

Topics:

1. SSVF Webinar on November 19, 2015: VA’s Suicide Prevention Overview

2. SSVF Education Series on December 2, 2015: Barrier Busting Strategies

3. Resource: VA Partners with Pentagon Federal Credit Union Foundation to Strengthen Efforts to Prevent Veteran Homelessness.

4. Resource: Federal Partners Announce Availability Of Program Support for State Medicaid

1. SSVF Webinar on November 19, 2015: VA’s Suicide Prevention Overview

Description: This presentation will be divided into two parts:

Part 1: Overview of VA's efforts related to suicide prevention and the resources available to Veterans who may be in crisis or having thoughts of suicide to be presented by Dr. Caitlin Thompson, VA's Deputy Director for Suicide Prevention

Part 2: Overview of Critical Incidents received by SSVF and guidance for submitting Critical Incidents

Title: VA’s Suicide Prevention Overview: The Power of 1

Date: November 19, 2015

Time: 2:00 PM – 3:30 PM EDT

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

2. SSVF Education Series on December 2, 2015: Barrier Busting Strategies

Join the SSVF team for a session on busting barriers. This call will highlight areas that strategized with their community to bust their local barriers in order to move closer to ending veteran homelessness. Highlighted communities will include Los Angeles, CA, Austin, TX and the Balance of State of Ohio

Title: Education Series Webinar: Barrier Busting Strategies

Date: December 2, 2015

Time: 2:00 PM – 3:30 PM EDT

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

3. Resource: VA Partners with Pentagon Federal Credit Union Foundation to Strengthen Efforts to Prevent Veteran Homelessness.

Summary: The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is teaming up with the Pentagon Federal Credit Union Foundation (PenFed Foundation) to strengthen efforts to prevent Veteran homelessness. This new partnership will expand the PenFed Foundation’s existing Military Heroes Fund Emergency Assistance Program to include all Veterans. Through this partnership, the PenFed Foundation and VA will work together to provide emergency financial assistance for Veterans who are experiencing unexpected financial setbacks and are at risk of becoming homeless. The foundation will be able to provide emergency financial assistance for Veterans in need of one-time payments for back utilities, creditors, security deposits, and rental deposits. As a part of the partnership, Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Homeless Program staff will connect Veterans who are facing overdue or arrearage payments to the PenFed Foundation for emergency financial assistance. For more information about the PenFed Foundation’s programs supporting Veterans, visit:

http://www.pentagonfoundation.org/site/PageServer?pagename=heroes_index.

4. Resource: Federal Partners Announce Availability Of Program Support for State Medicaid

The U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH), the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) in partnership with national organizations are pleased to announce a new opportunity for states needing targeted program support aimed at strengthening state-level collaboration between health and housing agencies to bring to scale permanent supportive housing (PSH) by coordinating housing resources with Medicaid-covered housing-related services. The Administration is committed to bringing to scale the cost-effective, evidence-based solution known as PSH to end chronic homelessness in 2017, as well as to support the community integration for people with long-term services and supports needs. USICH, HUD, and HHS recognize that access to affordable, stable housing and access to coordinated and comprehensive health care services will improve health outcomes for Medicaid beneficiaries and lower health care and other public services costs for states and communities.

For more information visit HUD Exchange at: https://www.hudexchange.info

Application Process

To apply, state Medicaid, housing, and behavioral health agencies should work collaboratively to complete the Expression of Interest by December 1, 2015. The Expression of Interest form can be found in the announcement made by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) as part of coordinated program support being offered through their Medicaid Innovation Accelerator Program. Current state recipients of HUD’s Section 811 Project-Rental Assistance grants or the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) Cooperative Agreement to Benefit Homeless Individuals for States are encouraged to support their state Medicaid agency to apply. Applications from Medicaid agencies will be received by the CMS and will be reviewed by teams of federal agencies. If interested states feel that additional time is needed to complete the expression of interest form, please indicate this on your form.

Thank you,

SSVF Program Office