From: SSVF
Sent: Friday, October 25, 2024 8:36 AM
Subject: SSVF Program Update Friday October 25, 2024
This weekly update is targeted towards the SSVF
Grantees and shared with valuable partners for awareness.
October
25, 2024
NEWS: VA
Housed nearly 40,000 Veterans experiencing homelessness in fiscal year 2024
NEW: SSVF
Program Office Learning Management Change: Housing Skills Practice Center
NEW:
FY23 and
Shallow Subsidy Financial End of Year Closeout Due November 15, 2024
RESOURCE:
SAMHSA
Webinar: Identifying and Addressing Behavioral Health Needs in Encampments
November 13, 2024 at 2:00 pm ET
RESOURCE: SSVF Veteran Families
Incentives Flyer
RESOURCE:
Homeless
Prevention Services Update for FY25
NEWS: VA Housed
nearly 40,000 Veterans experiencing homelessness in fiscal year 2024
The U.S. Department of
Veterans Affairs announced it housed 47,925 Veterans experiencing homelessness
in FY 2024, surpassing its
goal to house 41,000 Veterans by 16.9% and marking
the largest number of Veterans housed in a single year since FY 2019. VA also
ensured that 96% of the Veterans housed during this time did not return to
homelessness. This follows last month’s announcement that VA had surpassed
its FY 2024 housing goal a month early.
We want to thank all SSVF
grantees for the tremendous work you all put into helping towards this goal.
Your dedication to this mission has been an essential part of the movement and
we appreciate all you and your staff do each day. Please share with your
teams and celebrate your hard work!
NEW: SSVF Program
Office Learning Management Change: Housing Skills Practice Center
The SSVF Program will no
longer be utilizing the platform that houses the Housing Skills Practice
Center, effective September 1, 2024. After careful consideration and
review, we have decided to transition to an alternative Online Learning Center
that we believe will better align with your current needs and goals.
We want to ensure a smooth
transition, so please take note of the following key dates and actions:
1. **Data Migration**: All
necessary data from the Housing Skills Practice Center will be migrated to our
new system over the coming months. Please click on the link below for
an index of interim resources that can be used to support staff training and
onboarding.
https://www.va.gov/HOMELESS/ssvf/docs/SSVF_Grantee_Gap_Education_Materials_October_24.docx
This document
provides links to materials that closely align with the learning pathways on
the HSPC. It is recommended that SSVF grantees utilize this resource document
until learning pathways are uploaded to The Online Learning Center.
2. **Support**: Our team is
ready to assist with any questions or concerns you may have during this
transition. Please feel free to reach out to your regional coordinator and/or
TA Team member for assistance.
We appreciate your
understanding and cooperation as we make this transition. If you have any
questions or need further information, specifically about the Housing Skills
Practice Center, please do not hesitate to contact us at ssvf@tacinc.org.
NEW: FY23 and
Shallow Subsidy Financial End of Year Closeout Due November 15, 2024
The FY23 and Shallow Subsidy
Financial End of Year Closeouts are due by 11/15/24. Please review the End of Year Closeout Webinar
with detailed instructions for completion using a new format intended to reduce
administrative burden for grantees.
·
Final Drawdown: Incur
expenses by 9/30/24 and complete final drawdown
·
SF-425 Federal Financial
Reports (FFR): Complete, submit, and certify two Final FFRs in the HHS Payment
Management System (PMS); one for FY23 account (zzzz-zz-zzz-23) and one for
Shallow Subsidy account (zzzz-zz-zzzSS).
·
There is a
technical issue with PMS impacting FFRs. At this time, many grantees do not
have a published Final FFR for Shallow Subsidy accounts and we are awaiting
confirmation from PMS administrators that these reports are available for
grantees to complete.
·
In
addition, many FFRs have been published in error (i.e. quarterly, accounts that
have not ended yet like FY24 and Supplemental NOFA, etc.). These FFRs published
in error may be disregarded while we await further guidance from PMS.
Survey Monkey Link: SSVF
Program Office emailed adjusted award amount and a survey monkey link for each
award. The required submissions include certification questions, grantee report
of actual expenditures by category, and variance explanation.
RESOURCE:
SAMHSA Webinar: Identifying and Addressing Behavioral Health Needs in
Encampments November 13, 2024 at 2:00 pm ET
SAMHSA
is hosting a webinar November 13, 2024, as part of their Homeless and Housing
Resource Center about identifying and addressing behavioral health needs in
encampments. People experiencing homelessness experience higher rates of
behavioral health conditions, and many symptoms can be caused or exacerbated by
their living situations. As communities across the country
change how they respond to and interact with encampments, outreach
workers, community health workers, and peers continue to be essential team
members who foster relationships and trust with encampment residents. These
front-line professionals are often first to notice the onset or changes in
behavioral health symptoms and serve as trusted individuals who can help
support a person across a spectrum of behavioral health needs. This webinar
will discuss core principles and engagement techniques for providers to serve
as a bridge to care for mental health, substance use, and medical needs.
Link
to register: Webinar Registration -
Zoom
RESOURCE: SSVF Veteran Families Incentives Flyer
The SSVF Program Office is pleased to announce the
development of a SSVF Veteran Families Incentives Flyer. SSVF Grantees
may use this when engaging landlords for rental units. This flyer
provides basic information about SSVF rental assistance and incentives for
landlords and Veterans. This flyer is being distributed to other VA
Homeless Program Office, but it is also recommended this flyer be provided to
your local VAMC partners for awareness of this resource.
NOTE: There is space on the document to add
specific contact information for your SSVF grant.
Links to flyer: https://www.va.gov/HOMELESS/docs/Veteran-Families-Incentives-for-Landlords-Flyer.pdf or
https://www.va.gov/HOMELESS/ssvf/docs/SSVF_Veteran_Families_Incentives_Flyer.pdf
RESOURCE:
Homeless Prevention Services Update for FY25
The
SSVF Program Office will be extending the Rapid Rehousing Waiver period to
October 1, 2025. This
will allow grantees the flexibility to address the needs identified within
their service area. Despite the shift, Grantees may still be asked to
demonstrate how they will continue to prioritize Veterans experiencing literal
homelessness in their service area, to ensure resources are available for this
priority group.
SSVF’s Homelessness Prevention (HP) assistance
is intended to prevent Veteran families from losing housing resulting in
literal homelessness, it is not an eviction prevention program. As
Veteran households present for HP support, it will be imperative that grantees
conduct intentional Rapid Resolution conversations, as not all who are losing
their current housing will result in homeless. It is important to explore
other safe and appropriate housing options that may be available while they work
on a pathway back to their housing goal. Such Veterans may be enrolled
under Stage 1 under Homelessness Prevention and provided Rapid Resolution
services and supports that would help them avoid literal homelessness without
the need for significant Temporary Financial Assistance. Per the 2021 HP
Companion Guide, Veterans may be enrolled under Stage 1 if they indicate they
anticipate becoming homeless in the next 30 days and grantees can use Rapid
Resolution and services such as legal assistance even if the Veteran household
does not qualify for or need more intensive financial supports.
As a reminder, the SSVF Program Office released
the updated HP screening tool in September of 2021, HP Screening Tool. The SSVF Program Office will be
reviewing HP Threshold scores submitted with your FY25 Resolution to ensure
that all grantees have reviewed and adjusted their scores to ensure the needs
of the community can be met with this extended waiver.
Contact your Regional Coordinator should you
have any questions about this waiver extension.