From: SSVF

Sent: Friday, February 16, 2024 8:26 AM

Subject: SSVF Program Update Friday February 16, 2024

This weekly update is targeted towards the SSVF Grantees and shared with valuable partners for awareness.          

February 16, 2024 

IMPORTANT: FY 2025 Notice of Funding Due Date Approaching

NEW: UPDATED Payment Management System Access Process

NEW: SSVF Monthly Data Office Hours – Scheduling Change

REMINDER: Veteran Status Interim Guidance

REMINDER: Budget Modification Information

RESOURCE: Cleland-Dole Act Section 313 - Veteran Financial and Credit Counseling Services Study

IMPORTANT: FY 2025 Notice of Funding Due Date Approaching

Please ensure that all grantees seeking to renew their grant in FY25 complete the competitive application process or intent to operate in UDPaaS before the deadline of February 23, 2024, at 4pm EST.  THERE ARE NO EXCEPTIONS TO THIS DEADLINE.  Please review the NOFA and all related materials on our website.

Direct all questions to ssvf@va.gov . ALL CURRENT GRANTEES MUST RE-APPLY IF THEY WISH TO CONTINUE SERVICES IN FY2025.

NEW: UPDATED Payment Management System Access Process

The Payment Management System (PMS) provides grant payment and cash management services to all U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) agencies and several major non-HHS agencies on a fee-for-service basis. PMS is a full-service, centralized grants payment and cash management system, supporting over 30,000 Grant Recipient Accounts worldwide, including SSVF Grantees. PMS is the largest grants payment and cash management system in the federal government.

In response to the recent incidents of fraudulent activity, PMS is changing its login process to implement improved identity assurance in conjunction with multi-factor authentication. Starting February 10, 2024, SSVF Grantees MUST register and enable multi-factor authentication with ID.me in order to log into PMS: https://pms.psc.gov/system-alerts/system-alerts-xms.html. 

If you have any questions or concerns, contact PMSSupport@psc.hhs.gov or (877) 614-5533.

NEW: SSVF Monthly Data Office Hours– Scheduling Change

The SSVF Program Office will continue to host Data Office Hours with grantees on a quarterly basis in addition to special presentations related to end of year close out.  The next Data Office Hours will be held May of 2024.  Please review SSVF program updates beginning in May for new date, time, and link. Grantees should continue to reach out to their Regional Coordinator and/or SSVFHMIS@abtassoc.com for data and HMIS support.

REMINDER: Veteran Status Interim Guidance

The SSVF Program Office would like to provide further guidance to grantees in regard to Veteran status and eligibly. Recent guidance from the Health Eligibility Office, indicates:  

A service member (Active/Guard/Reserve) is NOT eligible for VHA homelessness program services, for themselves or their family, while they are on active-duty service.

Our office is seeking further clarification on the definition of “active-duty service” while also understanding the need to ensure grantees have sufficient information to move forward with new and current enrollments. 

At this time, if a Veteran has a DD214 with an eligible service and discharge type from the National Guard or Reserves, while still enlisted or has reenlisted, and attending weekend/annual trainings only, may be served.  The household must meet all other eligibly criteria at time of enrollment. 

REMINDER: Budget Modification Information

Budget Modifications require an interim Program Change request when adding new line items or moving funds greater than 10% of total award amount between line items. Please see Program Change process below for current operating budgets:

FY23 Budget – Program Changes were made available May 1, 2023-June 1, 2023. During that time, Grantees submitted program changes within the UDPaaS grant management system to include pre-approval emails. If a grantee needs additional FY23 budget modifications requiring Program Change, you will need interim approval from your Regional Coordinator.  All interim approvals and emails from Regional Coordinators must be included within the End of Year Closeout. No formal Program Change Activity will be made available given the normal fiscal year dates have ended.

Shallow Subsidy (SS) Budget – If a Program Change is required for a Shallow Subsidy budget modification, you will need interim approval from your Regional Coordinator.  All interim approvals and emails from Regional Coordinators must be included within the End of Year Closeout. We anticipate numerous changes given many grantees are utilizing SS funds for approved budget line items from their FY23 budgets.  No formal Program Change will be made available, and all requests must be made through your Regional Coordinator.

FY24 Budget – FY24 Budgets are under review. The first Program Change for FY24 will be available March 1, 2024-April 1, 2024.

RESOURCE: Cleland-Dole Act Section 313 - Veteran Financial and Credit Counseling Services Study

Veteran Financial and Credit Counseling Services Study.

Your Feedback Please.

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is continuously enhancing its services, including its financial and credit counseling services for Veterans.

Would you please consider completing a survey to help VA better meet the financial and credit counseling needs of Veterans experiencing homelessness or housing instability.

Survey can be accessed here: VFCCSS Survey

We would greatly appreciate it if you would please complete this survey within 4 weeks of this email being sent.

We have also asked Veterans to complete a similar survey.

Thank you in advance for your time and insights.

Dina Hooshyar, MD

Director, VA National Center on Homelessness among Veterans