From: SSVF
Sent: Friday, March 22, 2019 4:56 PM
To: SSVF
Subject: SSVF Program Update Friday February 22, 2019
Follow Up Flag: Follow up
Flag Status: Flagged
Topics:
1. Save the Date: SSVF National Webinar, March 14, 2019 2:00 EST
2. Update: Rapid Resolution Roll Out
3. New: SSVF Mentor Program: Rapid Resolution Focused
4. New: Community Planning Survey Tool
5. Reminder: SQUARES 2.0 is Live
Save the Date: SSVF National Webinar, March 14, 2019 2:00 EST
Webinar Topic: Shared Housing
The SSVF Program Office will present a webinar on shared housing options for Veterans participating in SSVF. As we continue to consider how to manage housing Veterans under the Affordable Housing Crisis, shared housing is yet another tool that can be useful, especially as we begin work of implementation of Rapid Resolution. This webinar will include grantee presentations on promising practices for working with landlords, assisting with roommate matching and conflict resolution tips for participants residing in shared housing situations.
A registration link will be sent when available.
Update: Rapid Resolution Roll Out
Rapid Resolution Plan Templates are now available in Word and PDF formats attached to this update. SSVF providers can utilize the Rapid Resolution Plan Templates to complete their initial Rapid Resolution Plans that are due to the SSVF Program Office on March 31st. The SSVF Program Office encourages grantees to complete these plans with input from local VAMC and community stakeholders. Between now and April, our office will be providing a series of webinars and trainings to assist with designing and submitting your Rapid Resolution System Plan, as well as other topics to assist with Rapid Resolution Program implementation. The SSVF Program Office will also release a collection of helpful documents that will include program guidance around Enrollments, TFA, HMIS, Compliance and Fiscal Controls. We look forward to continuing this exciting work together as we roll out Rapid Resolution.
Rapid Resolution plans will be submitted via GIFTS requirement, which will be available March, 1 , 2019. SSVF Rapid Resolution Plan Templates will be posted the SSVF Website in the coming week.
New: SSVF Mentor Program: Rapid Resolution Focused
Beginning in March 2019, SSVF and Technical Assistance providers will be hosting two to three "Rapid Resolution Office Hours" calls that give grantees the opportunity to call in and ask questions about a predetermined topic they may be struggling with in their individual community. The topic will be advertised prior to the call. Mentor sites will be on the call to answer questions and provide feedback specific to each topic. If you have questions, or feel you need more targeted assistance in completing your Rapid Resolution plan, please reach out to your SSVF Regional Coordinator.
The topics that will be discussed:
SSVF Rapid Resolution Community Planning Rapid Resolution Program Implementation Rapid Resolution Training
NEW: Community Planning Survey Tool
The VA, HUD and USICH has developed the third annual national community planning survey to gauge community progress on ending Veteran homelessness and the development of sustainable systems. The information gathered through past surveys has been used by the Federal Partners to tailor training and technical assistance to more effectively address local needs.
The latest Community Planning Survey Tool and Quick Companion Guide are attached to this update and will be available on the SSVF Website in the coming weeks.
Questions related to the tool should be sent to the lindsay.hill@va.gov and ssvf@va.gov
Reminder: SQUARES 2.0 is Live
The SSVF Program Office is excited to announce that SQUARES 2.0 is now live! This revised version of SQUARES includes important upgrades from the current version. Most notably it will offer detailed discharge status for the majority of inquiries, allowing instant determination of program eligibility and status of VHA enrollment (a description of SQUARES is attached). Although SQUARES cannot be used as a substitute for VHA enrollment, programs such as SSVF and GPD that do not require VHA enrollment may use SQUARES as documentation for purposes of determining eligibility, much like a DD-214. To review the features and watch a tutorial on how to use SQUARES Please go to www.va.gov/homeless/SQUARES.
As the information offered through SQUARES 2.0 is more detailed, permission to access it will now require a greater level of review. Community organizations serving Veterans will need to apply to access SQUARES. Please follow the instructions below for requesting access.
SQUARES Access and SQUARES Managers
SQUARES access is approved for VA grantee organizations. Each approved organization must appoint a manager, who will then apply for – and be approved by HPO for – Manager-level SQUARES access. Additional users in the organization will have their account requests approved by the Manager.
All SSVF, GPD, CERS, and HUD-VASH grantees are pre-loaded into SQUARES. For convenience, where the SSVF and GPD programs appear to be run out of different offices, they have been loaded into SQUARES as separate organizations; this way, each office can appoint its own Manager and manage its own access requests. If programs appear to be run out of the same office, they have been loaded as one organization, and the various programs will have one common manager. The pre-loaded organizations list– with pre-approved managers – is attached to this update.
Note each individual can only manage one organization, and each organization can only have one Manager. So, if you intend to have different managers keep track of your GPD and SSVF staff, you will need to ensure you have separate listings for those programs. On the other hand, if you want the same manager to approve GPD and SSVF staff, you must ensure you have one listing for both programs.
Please review this list and let us know at squaresadmin@va.gov if your organization is erroneously split across two separate listings that should be merged, or, conversely, if your office does not appear here (presumably because it was merged with another listing). Please let us know if someone other than the individual listed will serve in the Manager role for your organization. VA Homeless Services staff interested in SQUARES access should email squaresadmin@va.gov any time after March 1, 2019
Thank you,
SSVF Program Office